{"id":30044,"date":"2022-04-15T10:00:08","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T15:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ipromo.com\/blog\/?p=30044"},"modified":"2022-04-15T11:05:23","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T16:05:23","slug":"beneficial-branding-how-to-design-a-logo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.ipromo.com\/beneficial-branding-how-to-design-a-logo\/","title":{"rendered":"Beneficial Branding: How to Design a Logo"},"content":{"rendered":"

A logo forms the foundation of your brand identity, which is why it\u2019s so important to be deliberate and creative when it comes time to design a logo. In this ultimate guide, we\u2019ll walk you through the comprehensive steps needed to design a logo, from gathering your initial inspiration to finalizing the last design. By the end, you\u2019ll know how to design a logo that looks amazing on everything from your website to brochures to <\/span>branded sunglasses<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n

Start with your company identity.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Even if your company is brand new, you probably have an idea of what you want your company identity to be. Start by noting the nuts and bolts of your company: what products and services you currently offer and hope to offer in the future. Then start exploring the less tangible aspects: What reputation does your company have, or that you would like to have? What are you known for? Is there anything about your identity that you\u2019d like to change with the logo redesign? Who are you as a company? This will form the foundation of your logo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider your current brand.<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you already have an established company, then you should also consider your current branding portfolio, including the colors, fonts, and other visual elements that you use. If you are trying to develop a new logo that fits within your current branding, that will provide a lot of upfront guidance and give you specific parameters to work within. If you are doing a larger rebrand of your entire company, then the logo should be developed in concert with this project instead of being worked on separately, to make sure that everything goes together harmoniously.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"evaluate<\/p>\n

Evaluate your old logo.<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you already have a current logo that you want to change, do a deep dive into what you do and don\u2019t like about your logo. Is it too similar to that of a competitor? Does it no longer reflect your brand identity? Does the icon feel outdated? Don\u2019t only focus on the negatives, though: You should also make a note of what you do like about the logo, whether that\u2019s the color, the shape, or the mood it evokes, so you can be sure to prioritize those elements during the redesign. Also think about whether you want to use the old logo as a jumping-off point or if you want to start completely from scratch with something brand new.<\/span><\/p>\n

Figure out what mood you want to evoke.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s talk a bit more about the mood you want to evoke with your logo. The emotional tone of your logo is very important for attracting your targeting demographic and communicating your company identity. A playful, humorous logo gives off completely different energy and attracts a different type of consumer than a logo that is calm and reliable. Make a list of emotional words that capture the feeling you want to evoke with your logo and hold onto them to use in the next couple of steps.<\/span><\/p>\n

Experiment with different color options.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Color is very important for capturing the mood that you want to evoke with your logo, so browse some color palettes and flag the colors that speak to you. You will probably notice a trend in the colors you are drawn to, whether that\u2019s calming cool tones or vibrant warm hues. Remember that you can also combine complementary colors (i.e., hues on the opposite of the color wheel) if you <\/span>don\u2019t want to stick to one color family<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should also think about how many colors you want to use in your standard logo (one, two, three, or more). Keep in mind that no matter what you choose as your standard logo colors, you will also need alternative single color logos in both black and white for print and web purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"logo<\/p>\n

Explore different logo shapes.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Another element that is very important for capturing mood is the shape of your logo. The same general design will feel different, depending on whether it\u2019s in a circle, triangle, or a square. Play around with different logo shapes to see which ones feel right for your brand identity. It can also be helpful to come back to this step once you\u2019re in the concept sketch stage. If you have a logo concept that feels close but not quite right yet, switching it to a slightly different shape may do the trick and pull everything together.<\/span><\/p>\n

Decide who will design your logo.<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re ready to start mocking up concepts, there are a lot of options for getting a logo designed depending on your budget. If you already have an in-house designer, that\u2019s a great option to take advantage of. Many marketing agencies also offer logo design services, so if you\u2019re already working with an agency ask them about that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you don\u2019t have a relationship with an agency, there are plenty of designers that you can work with on a freelance basis to get a professionally designed logo without hiring an entire agency. Your logo will form the basis of your brand identity, so you don\u2019t want to skimp on it and end up with a low-quality logo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do a series of fast concept sketches.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Once you have selected a designer, give them all the brand discovery work you have done and ask them to mock up a selection of fast concept sketches. These sketches should offer a lot of variety while still reflecting the brand identity you want to project. Once the initial round is done, go over them and eliminate the ones that don\u2019t resonate with you and keep the ones that do. Keep in mind that you may have to go through multiple rounds of concept sketches to really home in on your ideal logo, so be patient and ready to give several bouts of feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"types<\/p>\n

Try out different types of logos.<\/b><\/h2>\n

During the concept sketch phase, encourage your designer to try out different logo styles to see which one fits your brand the best. Some types of logos to explore include:<\/span><\/p>\n