Logo design shapes the part of a brand that is seen most often and used the longest. The same mark appears on business cards, the website, product labels, vehicles and signage, so a good logo does more than look attractive; it works everywhere. Here is what to keep in mind, along with the most common mistakes.
Simplicity and scalability
Most memorable logos are simple: a few shapes, a clear silhouette and a limited palette make them recognisable at a glance. Simple does not mean ordinary. Good logo design strips away everything unnecessary and distils the brand into one strong idea.
Try it small and large
The test most often skipped in logo design is the size test. On a browser tab icon (the favicon), a social media profile picture or a promotional pen, fine lines vanish and small text becomes unreadable. On a sign or an exhibition stand, every flaw in the detail is magnified. Judge your drafts at their real sizes of use, not zoomed in on screen.
Does it work in one colour?
Your logo will not always be printed in colour. On a rubber stamp, laser engraving, embroidery, vinyl cutting or a one-colour newspaper ad, it has to work in a single colour. It must also stay legible in white on a dark background, in its reversed version. Designs that rely on shadows, gradients or subtle colour shifts fall apart in these situations.
Typeface and legibility
The lettering matters at least as much as the symbol. If your logo design uses an existing typeface, check that its licence allows commercial use; custom-drawn letters make the logo more distinctive and remove the reliance on a font licence. If your name will appear in more than one language, check accented or special characters such as é, ü or ç too, so they sit comfortably with the rest of the lettering. Very thin, ornate or tightly joined letters become unreadable at small sizes.
The vector file: the true source of your logo
The master file of a logo must always be a vector. Vector files are built from mathematical lines and scale to any size without losing quality; SVG, AI, EPS and PDF are common vector formats. PNG and JPG, by contrast, are pixel-based and become blurry and jagged when enlarged.
If all you have is a JPG or a screenshot, your printer, sign maker or web developer will ask you for "the original file" every time. Whether your logo design is new or refreshed, make the handover of vector source files a condition from the start.
Variations: horizontal, stacked and icon
Not every space suits the same shape. A website header calls for a horizontal layout, while the side panel of a product box or a square social media image may suit a stacked one. That is why professional logo design is delivered as a family of variations rather than a single file.
- Horizontal logo: the main version, with the symbol and the wordmark side by side. Suitable for websites, letterheads and email signatures.
- Stacked logo: the symbol on top and the wordmark below. Works well in square and narrow spaces.
- Icon or symbol: the mark used on its own, without text. Needed for app icons, favicons and profile pictures.
- One-colour and reversed versions: prepared for printing constraints and dark backgrounds.
All the variations should look like one family. A guide should also set out which version goes where, the clear space around the logo and its minimum size. We explain the full set of rules, from the logo to colour and typography, in our article what is brand identity.
Do not fall into the trend trap
Every era has its fashionable logo looks: certain gradients, typefaces and drawing styles. A logo that follows a trend to the letter looks current for a short while, then dates quickly and carries the stamp of its time. The aim of logo design is not to capture the moment but to leave a mark you can use for many years.
Sector clichés are a similar trap. Cogs, light bulbs, roofs, leaves or speech bubbles, the first symbols that come to mind, make you look like your competitors rather than setting you apart. An idea that grows out of your brand's story, name or values is far more distinctive, and its groundwork is often laid in a brand strategy project.
Trademark pre-check and originality
If a logo you like turns out to resemble one already used or registered by another company, that is a serious risk. Checking brands in similar fields before finalising the design reduces it.
- The online search tools of your national trademark office, and international databases where relevant, give you a first idea of similar names and logos.
- That search alone is not a definitive answer. If you want to protect your logo as a trademark, get support from a trademark attorney or legal adviser on the scope and form of the application.
- Logos from ready-made templates or stock image sites may not be yours alone under their licence terms, and you may find the same mark at other businesses. This can also cause problems at registration.
The name used with your logo deserves the same care; our article how to choose a brand name can help.
Handover files and common mistakes
A logo design project is only complete once the right files are in your hands. At handover, ask for:
- Vector source files for every variation (AI, SVG, EPS or PDF)
- PNG files with transparent backgrounds for web and social media
- One-colour and reversed versions
- Colour codes: CMYK for print, RGB and HEX for screen and, if needed, Pantone
- The name of the typeface used in the logo and its licence details
- A short usage guide showing the clear space, the minimum size and examples of incorrect use
Your contract should also state clearly that the usage rights to the work belong to you. The mistakes we see most often in logo design are these:
- Trying to fit too many colours, typefaces and details into a single mark
- Judging the logo only on a large screen against a white background, not where it will really be used
- Deciding on "I like it" or "I don't", without asking what the logo says to the target audience
- Settling for a single file and not asking for variations and source files
- Using the logo with different proportions, colours or placement in each application
A final check for a long-lasting logo
Before the final decision on your logo design, view your logo in one colour, at a small size, on dark and light backgrounds, and on a business card, a sign and a social media profile side by side. A mark that passes these tests can carry your brand for years; where it falls short, spotting it early makes it easy to fix.
In our logo design projects we deliver a complete system with variations, colour codes and usage rules rather than a single file; you can find the details on our corporate identity and logo page. If you would like to review your current logo together or make a fresh start, write to us.