Logo Development

Mark, Wordmark, Symbol & Monogram1. Mark – a recognizable symbol used to indicate ownership.

Ex #1: Wordmark (a freestanding acronym, company name, or product name that has been designed to convey a brandattribute or positioning)

Ex #2: Emblem (A mark in whichthe company name is closely connected to a pictorial element)

Mark, Wordmark, Symbol & Monogram2. Trademark – a name or symbol is used to show that a product

is made by a particular company and legally registered.

3. Symbol – is the iconic portion of the logo. Disadvantage: It might be difficult to recognize without a wordmark.

Mark, Wordmark, Symbol & Monogram4. Monogram – a design of 1 or more letters, usually the initials

of a name.

“SECRET GARDEN CONSTRUCTION” Logo

This logo was created for a new start-up company that focuses on exquisite, multi-leveled

gardens that include features such as waterfalls, rock walls, gazebos and more.

Where Do I Start?

Answer who, what, why?

1. Who’s the client? (values, attitudes, goals)

2. Who’s the audience?(Ex: women 12-34, men who love sports)

3. How and where willthe logo be used?

4. It’s the designer’sjob to presupposefuture needs.

Identify, don’t explain!

A logo should not

literally describe

the client’s

business. Rather

it should reflect the

attitude and values

of the company.

Best brands stand for big ideas, a strategic

position or a defined set of values.

Ex: logos that use symbols

Symbols engage intelligence, imagination and emotion

in a way that no other learning does.

CBS logo by William Golden Nike logo by Carolyn Davidson Cingular’s mark nicknamed “Jack”

Logos and Their Meaning1. Emerges from insight into the essence of an

organization: what it stands for now & in the future.

Logos and Their Meaning2. Grasping the meaning of a logo is rarely immediate. Ex:

American flag.

Designers need to articulate the big idea behind a mark. Then the company needs to seize every opportunity to share larger meaning as a wayof building the culture and the brand.

Logos and Their Meaning3. Meaning needs time to evolve. It usually becomes

amplified over time as the company and its culturebecome stronger. Meaning may also be redefinedby customer experience, adding a new dimension.Ex: Hewlett and Packard Company

The Power of Symbols1. Diagrammatic icons are simple representations

of the structure of the subject matter.

Ex: The Spark logo

The Power of Symbols2. Metaphoric icons are based on conceptual relationships.

The Power of Symbols3. Symbolic icons are abstract images that have no

clear relationship to the subject. Shape signifies

energy, light, etc. It acquires meaning only with its

relationship to Pabst City.

How do we construct meaning?When we deconstruct how memory is made, we

find that there are 4 critical attributes of the process:

1. Shape

2. Color

3. Historical Continuity

4. Learned Response

The sequence of cognitionThe science of perception how individuals recognize and

interpret sensory stimuli. The brain acknowledges and

remembers shapes first. Visual images can be recognized

directly, while words must be decoded into meaning.

H&R BLOCK

Shape & ColorWe see shape first, than color. All our visual recognitions

are based on this. Is something square and blue, etc.?

Implied ShapesLogos do not have to be contained within shapes. The

overall form of a logo should comprise a shape. This is

achieved by letterforms and icon being constrained

within a shape. Alternatively, the letterforms and icon

can create an implied shape.

Can You Recognize the brand?

Historical ContinuityOnce the shape and color have been determined, we

position it within our understanding of historical continuity.

Ex: Does this look contemporary, Victorian or Medieval?

Learned ResponseWe often use the information we have from learned

responses to form meaning.

Emotional ResonanceMnemonic value is linked seamlessly with emotional

association. It’s personal and difficult to predetermine.

The set of logos designed for Much Better relies on the

positive associations we have with games like Twister

and the Milton Bradley Toy Company.

Pose a QuestionIf the viewer is given all the facts there is little reason for

him to process information. If the viewer is presented with

an interesting question, he will be forced to spend more

time with the message and therefore become more intimate

with it. Ask questions that can be answered.

“If you can’t explain your idea in 1 sentence over the phone, it won’t work.” –

Lou Dansiger

Design for Longevity

1. Style and trends might be enticing, but they rarely have lasting emotional resonance.

2. Concentrate on the concept, not the formal qualities.

Design for Longevity

Considerations that impact longevity:

Is the logo a strong representation of the client,as well as their current and future goals?

What kind of fonts are being used? Are they classic or stylish, trendy and short-lived?

Is the iconography culture-specific or universal?

Is the logo well-crafted and aesthetically appropriateto remain unchanged for years?