Logo Design Guidelines

A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition. Logos are either purely graphic (symbols/icons) or are composed of the name of the organization (a logotype or wordmark).

When designing a logo, it is important to bear the following factors in mind:

Type of Logo

One can opt for a text logo, an image logo or a combination of the 2.

Text Logo

This logo is created by using a font that in itself creates a strong graphic. One must choose a font that represents the industry. For instance, a bold font in uppercase could be used for an industrial logo. A fine scripty font would represent a more elegant service or product.

Image Logo

A symbol can be a very effective form of branding. It could represent the name of the company in an abstract form BUT not necessarily represent what the company offers. For example, if one thinks of successful brands like Apple for Macintosh and the propeller symbol for BMW. None of these symbols represent their industry but have in their own right created a strong branding for their company.

Text & Image Logo

One can also opt to combine text and an image to create a logo. This is useful as one can also break the logo into it's 2 elements for the different graphic applications.

Logo Guidelines

• A logo should be simple
  This makes the logo easily recognisable.
• Keep colours to a minimum
  The more colours used in a logo, the more difficult it is to reproduce and the more expensive it is to print.
• Use Pantone colours
  By using pantone colours, you are guaranteed of correct colour output in your print work. Try to keep your logo to a maximum of 2-3 colours.
• Avoid gradients
• Use vector graphics
  A vector logo can be resized without compromising on the quality of the design.
• Avoid photographs
  Photographs or complex images are difficult to recognise and the resolution diminishes when enlarging the image.
• Think ahead
  Should your company expand, you may want to apply your logo to corporate clothing, signage, car decals etc. One must design a logo in such a way that the final product will look good no matter what it's size, colour output or application.
• Fonts
  Choose a font that best reflects the company. Use a font that reads well when applied to a business card or a billboard.