Do you think about a logo’s meaning?
by Heather Lipe
LOGOS
I genuinely love creating logos. A new logo often signals a new business or product, and few things make me happier than seeing another person follow their dreams and take that leap. Logos are exciting to design because the possibilities are endless… of course, there may also be a lot of confusion and expectations in those endless possibilities, and that can sometimes make it hard to pick a direction.
Some people seem to have an unmistakable vision of what they would like for their logo. Perhaps they found the Yellow Brick Road of logos or discovered a process on their own that helps them pick a logo direction that feels good to them. I would love to find a way to help business owners that aren’t as clear on what route they would like to take for their logo. It is my job to help you get that vision out into the world, and if I can help you clarify what that vision is, we can reach the goal quicker.
In my quest to improve my logo communication skills with my clients, I have put together some of my thoughts about logos that I hope will help clarify their purpose and make them easier to create. I’d love to start a conversation, so please share your feedback if any of this sparks a thought!
I believe logos should be professional, recognizable, bring you joy to look at it, and not confuse your market.
Your logo should be professional.
High quality, not conservative. Your logo could be a cartoon, but make sure it does not look stretched, pixelated, or have any other display issues.
A logo should be recognizable, not meaningful.
Think about Mcdonald’s, Google, Apple, Nike, etc. Do you ever think about the actual meaning of their logos? Of course, you likely recognize them and have feelings about each brand based on their reputation and your experience with them, but without any prior knowledge it would be difficult to guess what the company is about just by looking at their logo.
If you have a logo idea with a lot of meaning, that is great, but don’t overthink it. You don’t need to cram every service, quality, or value into your logo. It does not have to represent everything about you and your company. That doesn’t mean that your logo isn’t necessary or that you shouldn’t care about how it looks. I just mean that overthinking its meaning can lead to indecision and stress, and there is no need for it because that is not the purpose of a logo.
Your logo should bring you joy to look at.
If you are creating your logo, you should love it! As a business owner, you will see it frequently. It doesn’t have to represent everything about you, but you should enjoy looking at it.
Your logo should not confuse your market.
Your logo doesn’t need to make total sense to your market, but it definitely shouldn’t confuse it. For example, if you’re a bakery, don’t pick a hamburger for your logo.
Now, you might be wondering, “what does a woodchuck have to do with a marketing and design business? Isn’t that confusing to your market?”
Well, the honest answer is… YES! The Woodchuck Arts logo has been confusing at times to people!
When we came up with the name Woodchuck Arts, we focused on brand reputation and uniqueness and did pick a name and logo that could be confusing to our market. This is where logo design gets tricky. Even though the Woodchuck Arts name and logo can be confusing, it is professional, still brings me joy to look at, and is memorable. Therefore, I choose to keep the name and logo because it checks most of the boxes, if not all.
Some people have a hard time picking a logo because they believe it is permanent and has to be perfect. However, your brand and logo can evolve just like your business does, so don’t overthink it to inaction.
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The incredible thing about the internet is that we can work anywhere!
Woodchuck Arts is geo-located in Pickerington, Ohio, but we serve clients all over the United States.
info@woodchuckarts.com
724-910-1871
Cultivate Pickerington Business Center
19 N Center St, Pickerington, OH 43147
