Page 4 - Creating a Logo
Categories that should appear on page 4
- Name
- Typeface
- Progressive logo concepts
Page 4 - Example
This is an visual example of how I might layout page 4.
Let the brand and target market direct your design
Your brand and target market should influence and direct everything you designing for your client's brand. Everything you choose (name, typeface, color,logo shape, art image,illustration style, photos, etc.) should help communicate the brand/message to the target market. Period.
1. Name
Naming a business or organization is hard work. The one thing you MUST REMEMBER is that your organization’s name must reflect your BRAND WORDS. As I said before, It is extremely important that all of your brand identity decisions be made based on the brand words. This way you will always be delivering a consistent message and design theme to your target market.
Do not choose a name of a bank or business in the area you may look for a job when you graduate. You may apply for a job at their competitor, and they won’t like seeing that you did design work for a competitor—even if it was in a college class. Also, some companies and organizations don’t like seeing other people do design work that is unapproved. Original work is the best portfolio sample.
Look at the companies and organizations that you researched to get name ideas. Many names are created by using someone’s last name, a first name, or by combining two words. Whatever you do, just make sure it fits with your brand words.
2. Typeface
Once you have your name solidified, typeset it in several different typefaces and type styles. This process is important because your typeface will represent the brand words to your target market, and will be on almost everything you design. Try at least 20–30 different typefaces and type styles. Then pick the 9 that may work the best for your organization’s brand words, message and target market. Put these nine on page 4.
3. Progressive Logo Concepts
Chose the best typeface from the samples you considered in number 2 and start designing your logo.
Form/Artwork
Be sure to try all different types of forms, shapes and artwork when you start sketching your logo concepts. Think of art elements that will represent the benefits of your brand. What art is appropriate for your brand? What style should your art have? Loose or technical? Detailed or simple shapes? Think or thin lines? Realistic or abstract? Remember that your logo should be easily recognizable and memorable.
Color
Color is important in establishing a brand! Is anything wrong here?
Color is such a memorable factor in establishing brand loyalty that color can become synonymous with a brand. We have seen these logos in their "brand dress" colors so consistently that we cannot image them in any other color. In fact, the concept that a color can identify a brand, and that a color can meet the legal requirements for a trademark registration, was set in the 1995 US Supreme Court ruling involving Qualitex v Jacobson. So, color can become a brand in our consumer's eyes and in the eyes of the law.
There are three main areas a graphic designer should consider when choosing colors for a brand identity:
- Does the color appropriately represent the client's brand/message?
- Does the color appropriately communicate the client's brand/message to the target audience?
- Is the color free to use? Does any competitor already "own" the brand color?
Research color choices in your color textbook. Read through the meaning and psychology of all of the colors before you choose your brand colors. Usually, the competition is the first factor when you decide a brand color. Don't use a color that is already "owned" by another competitor in your client's industry. Next, look at the association the color has with the client’s company, its target market and the psychology of the color. Be sure your color choices reflect the psychological and symbolic meanings of your brand.
Color is one of the single most recognizable attribute your brand will have. You learned from page 3 of your booklet that companies own brand words in the hearts and minds of their consumers. Within different industries, companies also own brand colors. Coke owns red. Pepsi owns blue. Tide owns bright redish orange. Harley owns black. Target owns red. Macy's owns red. Home Depot owns orange. Lowe’s owns blue. Make sure to study your competitor research on page 1 to see what colors your competitors are currently using so you do not make a logo that looks just like the competition.
Progressive logo concepts
You should have at least 16 different variations of your logo on page 4. These variations should progressively change as your logo evolves. Changes may be the color, type design, shape,art, symbols, etc. These 16 progressive concepts will show your client how you arrived at your final logo design. Usually, a designer will have hundreds of logo concepts when developing a logo, but for this page choose 16 that best show your progress. Your final logo should be in box 16.
Remember that your logo must convey your client’s brand message and brand words. Logos are not created in one design session, so be patience and allow yourself time to develop a logo.
Also, try several different types of logo designs. You can try type with an art element above it, art and type woven together, custom designed type, an art element that has the type built into it, etc.
Be sure the name of your company or organization must appear in your primary logo.
Example
Here are progressive logo concepts for an environmental logo. I started with type, they began designing art elements to represent the elements of the Earth, next I tried them in different variations, then joined them with type.
