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08.24.04
Effective Logos
by Joseph Nother,
creative director, Designsensory
category: identity and branding
Logos are our culture’s hieroglyphs. Since the beginning of time, humans have relied upon symbols to communicate stories and ideas. A picture is worth a thousand words and visual icons or symbols seem almost predestined for our 30 second sound-byte world.
Symbols are ubiquitous: yield signs, red lights, underlined internet links, buttons, politics, sporting team insignias, religions, and, of course, corporate and brand logos. Perhaps their omnipresence is a testament to their inherent effectiveness. Once learned, their associations are hard to disconnect. This is why, since the early 1930s, corporations have invested heavily in creating, maintaining, and driving exposure to their symbols.
Take a second and think of the many that come to mind. I would not be surprised if you could readily name and draw 10 corporate logos. Of course, this ubiquity did not come easily or cheaply, nor is it static. A logo is one of the most valuable assets of an organization: an effective logo can mean more potent advertising and promotional material; an effective logo facilitates consistent and expedient internal document creation; an effective logo brands a memorable experience and affords legal protection; an effective logo influences the bottom-line.
In an effort to quantify the development of these visual symbols, marketing communications turned to psychology to find what visual characteristics resonated in the hearts and minds of people. The Henderson-Cote studies provided a framework with which to structure the investment and development of symbols and logos. In short, effective logos have four similar characteristics:
1. Familiar cultural associations as a basis for themes
2. Their design incorporates natural associations (i.e. a bear, tree, or rock)
3. Their design is more elaborate and detailed
4. Their design achieves an overall symmetry and balance
We will investigate these four characteristics and their implications on design and ROI in part II of this series.
Designsensory offers comprehensive identity, brand, and aesthetic management services focused on building your most prized asset—your brand. We offer brand and corporate identity (logo/logotype/signature) development, print publication design, and an array of creative design services to ensure effective and accurate visual communication with constituents.
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