LOGOGRAM
A new logo is an empty vessel
(wisdom gained from designer Mi-
chael-Bierut), and from day one it
has no meaning to onlookers, even
if it was added intentionally. With
time meaning will be added through
ongoing marketing, and the interac-
tions customers have with the com-
pany’s brand. To really understand
what I mean by this, take a look at
the tick and apple illustrations below,
and try not to imagine more than just
well-designed icons... it’s impossible.
Designers (including myself ) often
aim to fill a logo full of meaning from
the outset, however, this isn’t needed- the focus should be on identifica-
tion. Any meaning or association will
come with time through interaction
with the logo.ness owner), before
working on any ideas you need to
fully understand the environment in
which the logo will be seen. Who are
the brands competitors
Logo design is not art – too many
people mistake them for art since
logos are a visual object.Our role as designers is not to design
a thing of beauty... and not to design
something we or the client person-
ally likes the look of, but instead
logo design needs to be treated as a
strategic business tool that will allow
a company to be identified in the vast
world we live in. Of course, a logo
can still look good, but that should be
a secondary factor when designing a
logo. Identification comes first.
This means, as a designer (or busi-
ness owner), before working on any
ideas you need to fully understand
the environment in which the logo
will be seen. Who are the brands
competitors and how do they look?
What colours and symbols are
already owned by established compe-
tition? How can we differentiate the
logo so the business stands out from
the crowd? The logo is the truth that
the design speaks according to Msrk
Hof ner.10