about logos....

I went looking for some logo design so I could demonstrate what constitutes a good logo. What I found were a lot of logos gone bad! Seems there's LOTS of bad design out there. Why is that? Because people think, with computers, it's easy to create a logo.

Got MSWord? Make a logo……



Sadly it's not like that and it takes more than just having a computer to make great design. I have a really nice stove

but I still can't cook!

If I want to eat well I have to rely on someone else to cook for me.

The same should be done with design. Don't create your own logo or design just because you have a computer. Hire someone who has the knowledge of design and composition and how to create an effective logo.

I've already written about bad logos so this post will focus on what makes a good logo

A good logo follows several principles.

Good logos are:

1. Simple  

2. distinctive 

3. relevant

4. scalable

5. versatile

6. memorable

7. timeless

8. Effective without colour

9. describable

Although I've used only one logo to illustrate each of the principles of good logos all of them fit into all the categories of good. Why are these logos good? they're simple, scalable, effective in colour or black and white, distinctive, recognizable, relevant and timeless...


Ok, I can't resist! I have to write about bad logos again. Bad logos are just so prevalent and obvious I feel I have to make more people aware. Bad logos can kill your business. Seriously! You may have something fantastic to offer but if you present a poorly thought-out and executed "look" to your audience you probably won't get a second chance to show how good you are. If your logo looks cheap people will assume you're cheap and don't really care. People may not know WHY a logo is bad but they'll know it IS bad….

So, here's a really good example of a bad logo.

Why is Angie's pet world logo bad? it's overly complex, if you try to scale it larger it becomes pixelated, if you try to scale it smaller it loses detail and is hard to see and figure out what it is.

Poor choice of font (hard to read…especially the smaller text). The colour doesn't translate well in black and white versions.

It uses a photo AND clip art and it's hard to even tell what the clip art images are (what IS that thing in the big yellow blob?! I've looked at it over and over trying to figure it out and I just can't make a connection.) Also, what is the green blob (which disappears in the black and white version) behind the yellow blobs?  There is so much going on in the logo it becomes completely forgettable and the style makes it so yesterday.

Here are some other bad ones:

These fall under  "SENDING the WRONG MESSAGE"

Just downright hideous on so many levels

The overused Papyrus font ~ makes them dated and amateur

So yesterday

These fall under WTF….I mean, can you tell what they are?

this might be a cow? then again..... any thoughts?

I think this is a penguin....but, what does a penguin have to do with web and graphics?





DIY "I did it myself because I'm too cheap to hire someone who knows how to design a good logo"










copy cat rip-offs

In a nutshell...

sources and links to other logo design resources, blogs, websites with lots of information for developing GOOD logos

Logo Design Love

Logo Orange

Logo Bird

David Airey

The Thinker



I guess I'm irreverent because these make me laugh but they're great examples of what NOT to do!

Your Logo Makes Me Barf

Floating Banana (this site has a good display of rip-off logos)

Logo Designer blog

Artistmike.com

Paul Murray design