Whether you need a logo because you are starting a new business, or you’re overhauling your brand and would like a logo that aligns with your new image, it’s likely you’ll be interested to know more about logo design principles.

A logo is frequently the first feature of a business that’s seen, so it’s often what gives audiences that all-important first impression. For this reason alone, it’s crucial that your logo is strong, that it says all you want it to say about your business in that first instance.

Your logo should promote the very essence of your brand, professionally and powerfully. And it should set you apart from the competition.  

There are 11 basic logo design principles. They are based on:

1. Simplicity 
2. Memorability 
3. Timelessness 
4. Versatility 
5. Relevance 
6. Balance and proportion 
7. Colour psychology 
8. Typography 
9. Originality 
10. Scalability 
11. Feedback and iteration

Whether you are looking at how to design a logo yourself, or you’re considering outsourcing the project, exploring the above points in more detail will help give you a better idea about what goes into effective logo creation.  

The 11 basic logo design principles

1. Simplicity: Be creative but don’t lose sight of the goal – to convey an immediate, clear sense of your brand’s message. A simple logo is more memorable and versatile. To prove our point, think about Nike’s swoosh, or the unbelievably straightforward golden arches of McDonald’s. Remarkable, isn’t it?

2. Memorability: We’ve already touched on this in the first principle, which is no coincidence as it’s a particularly important point, fundamental even. To make your logo memorable and therefore instantly recognisable, you’ll need unique design elements that make it stand out. Take the Amazon logo. It has an orange arrow beneath its name that points to the first ‘a’ and the ‘z’. It resembles a smile. Here, the feature is used cleverly to encapsulate the brand’s message, i.e. they cover all products, from A to Z, the arrow points to the right symbolising their delivery service, and the ‘smile’ is how they aim for their customers to feel about using their service. At least, that’s our interpretation. 

3. Timelessness: You know you’ve got your logo right when it stands the test of time. Timeless logo design means avoiding trends and focusing on enduring designs. Coca-Cola was established in 1886 and has kept its elaborate script, with slight adaptations along the way. To this day, it is recognised and associated with its brand identity and product line. And the same can be said for Chanel. Most of us would instantaneously recognise the two interlinking ‘C’s.

4. Versatility: You should be able to use your logo in a variety of sizes, colours and ways. The Adidas logo is a good example of how this can be worked. Even if there is no room for the brand name, or even the icon of the logo, the legendary three stripes are enough to indicate the brand.

5. Relevance: This point may seem obvious but is so important, we can’t omit it. Your logo will need to align with your brand's message and industry. For example, the playful, colourful Smyths Toys logo would not be a good style for an accountancy business.

6. Balance and proportion: We are conditioned to appreciate balanced images. This doesn’t mean they have to be symmetrical, but that they aren’t inappropriately top or bottom heavy or that too much emphasis is unnecessarily to the left or right. They simply need to project visual harmony and not look unbalanced. Think Shell or Apple.

7. Colour psychology: It’s likely you’re already aware of how different colours are associated with different emotions. For this reason, it’s important that your colour choices are carefully thought through. Use them wisely to evoke emotions and align the logo with your brand identity. Choose blue for trust and calm, red for action and energy, and so on. Most brands use one or two colours. A signature colour is thought to be able to boost brand recognition by no less than 80 percent.

Whilst colourful logos can work when done right – think Google and Slack – getting them right is no mean feat.

When designing your logo, be mindful that it may need to look good in monochrome too.  

8. Typography: If you think that font used is irrelevant, consider the iconic handwritten Disney logo. Choose a font that reflects your brand's tone and that’s easy to read.

9. Originality: The only way to ensure your logo has an original quality about it is to avoid using overused generic symbols or copying the artwork used by others – particularly your competitors. One of the chief reasons for having a logo at all is to set your business apart from any other. We mentioned Coca-Cola earlier. When compared with Pepsi, they may be in competition with each other but both logos have very distinguishable features.

10. Scalability: Your logo will need to look as good on a business card as it does on a billboard, so it needs to be easy to adapt to varying formats. Vector logos are infinitely scalable, so quality is not affected in any way whether it is blown up or reduced down.

11. Feedback and iteration: Once you’re happy with your design, test your logo with target audiences, making sure it’s on brand. If necessary, refine it based on the feedback received.

If you’re looking at your branding basics, your logo is likely to be what inspires your overall image, so it’s often the best place to start. Applying all the above principles will help you achieve a logo that tells your brand’s story at a glance.

If it all feels a little overwhelming, you could save a lot of time by outsourcing this project to a professional designer. Our very own team of designers at WEBPRO Creative are experienced and will work with you to achieve the logo that aligns with your vision.