subject: 3 Logo Design Criteria Every Logo Should Meet [print this page] 3 Logo Design Criteria Every Logo Should Meet
Just because a logo design has striking colors, that does not meat it will stick in the minds of those who have viewed it. A logo which grabs attention may not have staying power. It is akin to a firework which sparkles and then dies off.
As a branding tool, a logo design should be easily retained in the minds of viewers with as little help as possible. In order for the human mind to process and retain a logo design properly, the design has to meet certain criteria first.
Can People Describe What They See
The theory is that a logo that is easily describable is one that is easily remembered. How do you remember something you cannot describe? Look at Audi's logo. Can you describe it? It is just 4 overlapping rings going across horizontally.
Do not worry too much that your logo does not describe what your company does. Your logo can represent different things. For instance, a logistics company's logo could represent speed or coverage instead referring directly to logistics. This would explain why many organizations in this field use pictorial marks of animals known for their speed in their corporate identities, instead of the usual old images of ships, planes and trucks.
Just remember that a memorable design is crucial especially when you want people to recall your company logo instead of your competitors'.
Look Good In Just Black
A good design should be able to look good in just black. This is why designers usually begin their designs in that color. Of course, they do not have much of a choice since their sketch pencils are black anyway.
Size Matters
A logo design should be scalable. This means that it should look good on a name card as well as on a 40 foot billboard. You can either play it safe by sticking to a square ratio which will eliminate the possibility of the logo looking too long or too tall, or you can stick to the golden ratio. There is a formula to the golden ratio but you can basically use your average name card dimensions as a guide.
Whatever method you choose, remember that the proof is in the pudding so always scale your logo and see if it works visually.
