thebspway reports & guides from

bluesodapromo.com
2013 by BlueSodaPromo. All rights reserved.

LOGO DESIGN
CONTENTS
WHAT IS A LOGO?
05
UNDERSTANDING LOGOS
05
BRANDS AND LOGOS
06
RULES FOR CREATING A LOGO
09
THINGS TO CONSIDER
13
COLORS OF THE RAINBOW
14
IMPORTANCE OF TYPOGRAPHY
15
AVOIDING THE UGLY LOGO
19
THE BRAND BEHIND THE LOGO
23
YOUR BRAND, YOUR LOGO, YOUR STORY
25

in a study involving preschool children,

while they were not able to read,

they often knew exactly

which logo corresponded
with which brand.
Source: ABC NEWS

What is a Logo?
more than just a cool symbol or font

Can you recognize these brands based only on a small segment of their logo?

[A logo is] the image emobodying an

organization. [...] Logos are meant
to represent companies brands or
corporate identities

- Six Revisions
Getting noticed as a new business in todays digital
world is tough. Trying to establish a strong, consistent
and memorable brand is key for sustained success.
Besides your product, one of the first places you
should start when developing your brand is with the
design of a kick-ass logo.
Logo, emblem, trademark, symbol, call it what you will,
that image will stand as the face of your company so
it is very important to understand everything there is to
know about a logo.

UNDERSTANDING LOGOS
Before we dive into detail about what a logo is, its
first important to understand how a logo should be
used. A logo is what identifies a company by the use
of a symbol, signature or mark. It doesnt necessarily
have to describe what a business does, but it should

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

represent the story of the brand and company. Logos

do not sell the company persay, but over time a logo
helps consumers build trust with a companys products
or services.
Corporate logos are intended to be the face of a
company: They are the unique identifier of a company,
and through colors, fonts and images, they provide
essential information about a business that allows
customers to relate with the companys core brand.
Logos are also a shorthand way of referring to a
company in advertising and marketing materials; they
provide an anchor point for the various other aspects
in a project as well like fonts, colors and the design
choices.
faucibus. Sed vehicula rutrum libero sit amet rhoncus.
Duis tempus tortor a nulla gravida laoreet. Nam

Jacob Cass explains the use of logos perfectly when

he said:

Think of logos like people. We prefer to be

called by our names rather than by the
confusing and forgettable description-such as
the guy who always wears pink and has blonde

A LOGO SHOULD
NOT LITERALLY DESCRIBE
WHAT THE BUSINESS DOES. BUT
hair. In this same way,

RATHER, IDENTIFY THE BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT IS

RECOGNIZABLE AND MEMORABLE.

This analogy completely embodies why a strong logo

is important. When you do not know someone well
enough to call them by their name, you refer to them
by a less memorable characteristic like, the guy who
always wears pink or that girl who sits at the front
desk.

The guy who wears pink

A logo creates an image for your brand, and the more

people see your logo, they can start to associate it with
your brand. Suddenly, the more you get to know the
guy who always wears pink he then becomes Steve.
Just like how we now associate the swoosh logo with
Nike, or the golden arches with McDonalds.

BRANDS AND LOGOS

Speaking of brands and logos it is time to identify the
relationship they have between each other because
its a very important one.
Your brand is the story of your company and all it
represents
Your logo is the image that identifies your
company
Simply put, your logo is the face of your company while
your brand is the personality.
But before you can go out and create a logo, you
should first identify what your brand message is. This
way that your logo has something to stand behind.

Steve

Its the consistency of this idea that makes up the

company and what it stands for, what it believes in and
why it exists. As you will read later on what to consider
when designing your logo, a logo says more about a
business than you think and designing a logo should
be based on your brand message.
Websters dictionary typically gives the best definition
of a word, but their example sentence for the word
logo really shows the importance of having great
design:

instantly
recognizable all over the world.
the companys logo is

This sentence may seem simple enough, but it shows

the true power and influence a logo can have.
Companies are identified and recognized by their logo.
Its typically the first thing people connect with your
business, in fact in some cases it is the first thing people
think of before knowing your business; therefore you
must be careful when choosing a logo.

instant reminder of a business or product and to a

company theyre the point of recognition on which
their branding hinges on.
But be careful; small businesses often play it fastand-loose with logos, paying insufficient attention
to their proper size, positioning and surrounding
them with materials (including clipart) that hurt
them visually.
Avoid re-creating different types of logos or having
similar, but not identical versions of logos on your
print or online sources. Keep in mind your logo is
a part of your brand, the story and face to your
company; keep it simple and classy.
A logo represents a company everywhere it goes,
so get it on everything! Slap that on all sorts of
promotional items and tradeshow giveaways
(for a guide on how to pick the right promotional
item for your business click here). Put it on every
piece of business correspondence. Feature it on
business cards. Make sure it appears in every
advertisement. There are thousands of ways to
use logos, and their power grows with repetition.
A company can go from being just another face
in the crowd to being the recognized leader in its
field by creating strong brand recognition.

We are in an age where everyone must have a website

to support their company, product, and/or service,
therefore making the demand for top-class logos is in
high demand. To the general public, logos serve as an

Most popular
brand by state

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

of the top 100 brands of the world,

95% use only one or two

colors
in their logos.
Source: DESIGN BUDDY

Rules for Creating a Logo

your first idea is never the best

Think big from the beginning, it will

give your brand more potential in the
long run.
Winning the hearts and minds of consumers with
a memorable logo can be the difference between
success and failure of a business (harsh, I know). A
snappy logo can make people connect with your brand
and recall your business down the road.
Identities are becoming less literal and more about
the emotional connection. Apple is a great example
of a company where their brand opens the doors for
product expansion because people love what they
stand for.
And it all starts with their logo. The Apple logo doesnt
represent computers or technology, rather what they
embody as a company, slick, elegant products that
may not be cheap, but are the best in the industry.
As weve stated quite a bit already, a logo is the face of
your brand and the very first impression your audience

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

will have of your company - so logo design is crucial.

Good logos will provide their audience with a simple
mental shortcut to help them quickly understand what
a business is about while designs that are too complex
are harder to create recognition with and rarely work.
Creating an effective visual representation of your
brands requires more than just graphic design. Like
any line of work that involves a set of specific skills
(you just read that like Liam Neeson, didnt you), logo
design requires plenty of practice and experience to
be successful; knowledge is definitely power.
Quisque in felis in turpis lacinia lacinia.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing
elit. Nunc id dictum metus, quis sagittis enim. Cras
sit amet nisi tincidunt, facilisis est non, consequat

PRELIMINARY SKETCHES ARE A MUST

Sketching is the most important stage of design.
Jumping right onto the computer can limit your
creativity by the amount of time it takes to produce just
one logo. When sketching, you can let your creativity
run wild and have multiple ideas down on paper in a
shorter amount of time. Use the computer to refine
your logo, sketch to get your ideas down on paper.
According to Web Designer Depot, begin with
anywhere from 20-30 sketches or ideas and then
branch out to create variations of the original ideas. If
nothing seems to work, start again and begin sketching
new ideas.
An effective designer will spend more time on this step
than any other step of the design process.
K.I.S.S. (KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID)
The best way to describe this rule is with an example.
Think Nike. The simpler the logo is, the more
recognizable it will be. The Nike swoosh is an extremely
simple logo, however it carries a lot of meaning, and is
one of the most recognizable in the world.
Make sure to follow the K.I.S.S rule right from the
beginning when you start your preliminary sketches.
You want to work your design down to only the
essentials and leave out unnecessary elements that
will only end up cluttering your final design.
CLEVER COLORS
While color theory can be complex, understanding
the basics of color can be a great advantage to your
business. Some of the most important basics to
consider are:

Dont use colors that are so bright that they are

hard on the eyes
Avoid neons and light colors as well, they tend to
disappear in smaller sizes
Design your logo in black and white to begin and
then decide on colors. If it doesnt look good in
black and white, it wont look any better in color
Keep in mind that colors evoke different emotions
and moods so use colors that capture the
companys personality

Different colors represent different emotions. A great

guide to color emotion can be found on the Buffer App
Blog.

10

typography matters...a lot!!!

Typography is so significant it can make or break
a logo design. A designer should test a few dozen
fonts before choosing the one. Experiment with
size, spacing and weight. The typeface should
complement your brand as much as any other
element within your logo.
If you really want to make your company standout
be unique and customize a font, great examples
for customized logo fonts are Yahoo!, Twitter and
Coca Cola.
go easy on the effects
Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and other graphic
design programs are extremely powerful tools and
offer great filters and effects you can apply to your
logo, but dont get carried away!
Your logo shouldnt be dependent on these
elements and should look great without things like
a drop shadow or gradient effect. Its perfectly fine
to play around with filters and effects, but there is
a time and place for them, not necessarily on the
design of a logo. Of course, seeing if they can
enhance your logo is fine but just remember that
simplicity is key.
balance elements
Our minds naturally enjoy balance so its important
that the elements in your logo balance each other.
A few key things to keep in mind:

Play around with the size and line weights of

each graphic and typeface
Strive for the square layout; you want a logo
that can be scaled to different products like
letterheads or website graphics.

Though the rule of balance can occasionally be

broken, remember that your logo will be viewed by
the masses, not just those with an eye for great art,
so a balanced design is the safest approach.
Be original
The final rule to designing an effective logo is quite
simple; dont copy another designers work! There
is nothing wrong with checking out the competition
for inspiration, but copying another persons ideas
or work is just plain wrong.
Being original also means never using stock or
clipart in your design. As a designer you should have
your own style - this is what makes you stand out.

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

11

of the worlds top brands,

63% employ a sans font,

in their logo. 21% using helvetica
Source: TASTY PLACEMENT

12

Things to Consider
the psychological approach to design

Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and

unallied with definite form, can speak
to the soul in a thousand different
ways.

- Oscar Wilde
Our minds are programmed to respond to color;
they shape our thoughts and emotions. According to
studies, color affects more than just mood; color has
the ability to change our buying habits. What?! Yes,
a simple color choice can invoke as much as 80%
increase in brand recognition which directly links to
consumer confidence.

can bring out a different meaning. Dont believe me?

Type out the same word 20 times, each time using a
different typeface. You will realize that every typeface
conveys a different story, some maybe only slightly,
others drastically different.

DIFFERENT
DIFFERENT DIFFERENT
DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DIFFERENT
If used effectively, color theory is one of the most
DIFFERENT DIFFERENT DIFFERENT
important tools a designer can have. Colors are a form
DIFFERENT DIFFERENT
of non-verbal communication, but can speak a loud DIFFERENT
message. Color can instantly set a mood, convey an
emotion, invoke a reaction or inspire someone to take
action. When we select the correct color palette we
are able to tell our brands story with a powerful effect.
Color is not the only factor that can tell a story in your
logo; your choice of typography is just as important to
your design. In the Logo Design Workbook, typography
is described as picture of words. Each typeface
Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

Color, typography and the corporate identity all go

hand in hand in your logo. Something as simple as
the choice of color or the font you use can change
everything your company stands for. So before you go
picking colors and choosing a random typeface read
through some of these guidelines regarding color and
typography.

13

Colors of the
rainbow
Lets begin with color; since our minds are programmed
to respond to color we receive their subliminal
messages which tend to shape our thoughts. As
humans, our very survival is hung on the identification
of color. We stop our cars for red lights and go on
green, we use color indicators for warnings and danger
signs. Bottom line: color is crucial to our daily lives. Its
important to use color appropriately and understand
the meaning behind the colors we choose.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture with
recognizable colors may be worth a million, memorywise. There is a substantial amount of research that
proves that color matters and also plays a pivotal role
in all our visual experiences. Here are some examples
of how different colors are perceived.
red
An intense color that can summon strong emotions
from blood and warfare to love and passion. Red is
used in logo designs to grip the viewers attention
and has been known to raise ones blood pressure or
make people hungry.
Blue
A calming color that can stir up images of authority,
success and security. Most people can say they
like at least one shade of blue. The most popular
color in logo design, it can be seen extensively in
government, medical and Fortune 500 company
logos.
Green
Green represents life and renewal. It is a restful and
soothing color, but can also represent jealousy and
inexperience. You can often find it in company logos
that are trying to portray themselves as eco-friendly.

14

Linked in

Brown
Brown indicates nature and utility. Brown is used in
logos related to construction and legal due to its
simplicity, warmth and neutrality.
black
Black symbolizes menace or evil, popular as an
indicator of power. Found in many logos for its
boldness, simplicity and sophistication.

importance of
typography
Typography is the art of designing and arranging
letters in order to create a word. Depending on its
weight, width or height, a letter needs to convey a
different feeling. For example, a thick serif letter on top
of, and right next to another one, will give the sense
of claustrophobia and wont be legible. On the other
hand, a thin, serif type, spaced equally, will be more
fluid and easy to read.
Steve Jobs knew the power of typography and used
it to differentiate Macintosh computers from other
competitors by producing a system that printed the
same fonts that you saw on the screen. Before Mac
computers, fonts were just cryptic codes embedded in
text to produce visual results in print. Jobs knew that
people were looking for a simple way to communicate
and express their feelings. Therefore, Jobs asked
Susan Kare to design a bunch of fonts (eg. Chicago,
Athens, New York and Geneva) that were legible on
the computer as well as print.

Lets quickly go over two of the most popular typesets.

serif
Serifs are the small lines tailing from the edges of
letters and symbols, separated into distinct units for a
typewriter or typesetter. Serif fonts are usually easier
to read and are recommended for printed work. Serif
makes individual letters more distinctive and easier
for our brains to recognize quickly. Serif fonts also
evoke emotions like tradition, reliability, comfort and
respect.
Common Serif Fonts: Times New Roman, Georgia,
Trajan, Garamond
san serif
Sans-Serif is a typeface that does not have small
projecting features called serifs at the end of their
strokes. Sans Serif is great for online work. With a
lower resolution small serif characters are harder
to read than the equivalent sans-serif characters
because of their more complex shapes. Sans-serif
associates with stability, objective, cleanliness and
modern.
Common San-Serif Fonts: Helvetica, Myriad, Calibri,
Futura, Proxima Nova

Source

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

Serif & Sans-Serif are the two most popular types of

fonts, however this doesnt mean you are restricted
to either. Slab serif, script and modern fonts may be
suitable choices as well. Like color, each type of font
have characteristics that we emotionally connect with.

15

So the question truly is; how do you design a good

typeface for your logo?
With over 45,000 fonts on the market, everyone
is asking this question. Typography can be a very
complicated topic but understanding some simple
concepts and rules can result in solid typography and
help make good graphic design great.
Here is a compiled list of things to keep in mind when
setting up your next logo with text:
1. Measure - Measure the width of your text. If its
too wide then it makes it harder for readers to visually
travel from one line to the next. If its too narrow there
will be too much movement.
2. Plan for Font Size Increase - Dont forget to ensure
your templates will scale properly when you increase
your font size. If you style your typography correctly
and create a solid layout, this shouldnt be an issue
3. Use Whitespace Appropriately - Whitespace is the
space between elements like bodies of text, columns,
etc. this can be broken down to the smaller elements
as well. Giving your design enough whitespace is
important and very helpful in creating a well balanced
design.
4. Consistency and the ability to adapt are key
components to successfully create a good typography
associated with a brand
Theres a lot that goes into typography and it can make
or break a design. It is an art and skill that takes time to
master, but its one of the most powerful tools that can
be utilized in your designs.

16

MOST POPULAR FONTS

USED BY DESIGNERS
Avenir
Baskerville

Bickham Script Pro

Caslon
Clarendon
Franklin Gothic
Frutiger
Futura
Garamond
Gill Sans
Helvetica
Lucida Sans
Minion
Myriad
Optima
Palatino
Rockwell
Times New Roman
Univers

source: webdesigndepot

17

the new pepsi logo redesign came with a

pricetag of

$1,000,000
FROM the arnell group in 2008.
Source: STOCKLOGOS

18

Avoiding the Ugly Logo

get recognized for the right reasons

In 2012, baseballs Miami Marlins attempted to revamp their

franchise. This new logo was the start of a disastrous season
The easiest way to recognize a company and distinguish
it from the rest is by its logo. But, when your company
has an ugly logo that makes potential consumers
want to vomit, you will be recognized for all the wrong
reasons. So before you go and click that online ad for
designer who will give you a breathtaking logo for
$5, think about what kind of logo you truly will end up
with (hint: it wont be too short of repulsive) and how
that will effect your brand (pretty simple, poorly).
So you have followed the steps from the previous
chapters, but your logo is still screaming cheap logo
design instead of professional, its time to take a minute
and look at some of these key points to turn your logo
from stomach wrenching to matchless.
Your logo reflects who you are. Stop freaking out
about modifying your logo. If your logo is old and dated,
then you look old and outdated. If your logo is ugly
and irrelevant, then you look ugly and irrelevant. While
consumers are critics of your logo they focus more
on the feel of your brand they get from it. You want
to make sure that feeling is a good one, otherwise it
doesnt matter how great your company/product is; if
your mark is bad then the first impression is that your
product is just as bad.

school and has a great concept for a design for your

new company logo for the low cost of $50, stop yourself
right there. That cheap fee is exactly what youre going
to get- cheap. You run a professional business and
therefore everything that represents your business
should be just as professional (including your logo).
Here are some common reasons why your logos can
look amateurish:

You decide to save money by designing the logo

quickly yourself
You have a family friend who knows a little bit of
Photoshop and will take care of it
You give the job to an online company that offers
cheap logos

All of the above can result in disastrous outcomes; if

your logo looks amateurish, then so will your business.
Woah, scale that down a little. No your logo does not
need to be point 85 size font, as long as we can see
and read it you are golden. A big logo is like a large
egotistical signature; its like screaming, HEY LOOK
AT ME! I can almost assume none of your clients or
customers enjoyed being screamed at, so scale that
logo down a tad.

Dont leave your design to an amateur. Your 19 year

old daughter took a couple design classes in high
Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

19

There is no need to scream; when you have a well

crafted logo your design will stand for itself instead
of having to be shoved down the throats of potential
consumers. With a big logo, your company also gives
the idea that its full of itself (like that small guy with the
big truck), which can translate into being insecure. Let
your logo be a badge of honor that is tastefully placed
with a sense of balance and proportion.
Go easy on overcrowding. Were once again getting
back to that K.I.S.S. rule, keep it simple, stupid! Just
because you own a pet shop doesnt mean you should
be trying to fit every animal you carry into your logo.
Busy logos that try to force in concepts look bad, are
difficult to replicate and are confusing to the consumer.
You can tell the entire story behind your brand with
your website, ads and social media; your logo is just
one aspect of your overall branding.
Dont focus on the top trends. Logo trends come and
go just as quick as fashion trends and ultimately turn
into clichs. A great logo should be designed to be
timeless which can be achieved by ignoring the latest
design tricks and gimmicks. Being aware as a designer
of the latest crazes is important, mainly so you can
avoid them at all costs.
Rather than choosing the flavor of the month, think
about what is best for the longevity of your brand. A
logo turns into a great logo when it is able to surpass all
trends in the current and coming years and still stand
on its own. Coca Cola is the one of the best examples
of this, they havent change their logo in forever, but
yet still remains prevalent and stylish.
Subliminal messages in your logo. Many of us can
recognize a corporate logo from a mile away, but
we almost always overlook the subliminal, hidden or
simply clever messages they conceal. A brands logo
is designed to speak to its viewer on more than just
one level; therefore many famous logos were created
with hidden messages that at first glance you may not
catch but if you go back to look you will find the brand
message the logo is trying to communicate.

20

SOME AWEOME-LY BAD

LOGOS FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Catholic Church Archdiocesan

Youth Commission

Office of Government
Commerce

A Style

Institute of Oriental Studies

2012 London Olympics

Clinica Dental

WE WANTED A LOGO THAT REFLECTED

WHIMSICAL, YET
SOPHISTICATED. MODERN AND
FRESH, WITH A NOD TO OUR HISTORY. hAVING A
YAHOO -

HUMAN TOUCH, PERSONAL. pROUD.

MARISSA MAYER ON YAHOOS NEW LOGO

22

The Brand Behind the Logo

A STORY THROUGH PICTURES

We decided it would be
a collaborative logo that
everybody in the world could
customize

Logos speak of a companys rich

history. It can tell how the company
climbed mountains to reach the peak
of success. Every logo has a story to
tell.
Your company logo is crucial for identity and branding,
but did you ever think there was a story behind it
all? The simple Nike swoosh has a whole history of
background that created the brand that is world famous
today, yet without any knowledge of this a consumer
may only see the swoosh as a simple design. Logos
dont just function as the face of your brand, but great
design has a story behind it all. These are some of the
great stories behind famous logos and how they went
up with the success of the company.

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

- Irina Blok

APPLE
The famous tech company founded by Steve Jobs has
a partially-eaten apple as its logo. But, not many know
that the first logo, designed by Ron Wayne, depicted
Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree with the
tagline, A mind forever voyaging through strange seas
of thought...alone.
However, almost immediately, it was replaced by
Rob Janoffs design- a partially eaten apple, except
in a rainbow-colored silhouette. Later, when Janoff
presented Jobs several design themes for the bitten
apple, Jobs instantly liked the logo since it seemed to
humanize the company. The bite was designed to
differentiate the logo from the fruit or as Janoff said,
prevent the apple from looking like a cherry tomato.
The colored theme was finally discontinued in 1998.

23

NIKE
Nikes logo, which is very effective in all its simplicity, is
one of the most powerful logos in US sports apparel.
Nike is the Greek goddess of victory and the companys
logo is derived from her wing, Swoosh. According to
Greek mythology, the Swoosh motivated and gives
warriors immense power and strength.
According to legends, a Greek would say, When we
go to battle and win, we say it is Nike. Perfect, eh?
STARBUCKS
Going all the way back to 1971, to when Starbucks was
first coming to be, a search was out for a logo that
captured the seafaring history of coffee and Seattles
strong seaport roots. There was a lot of pouring over
old marine books going on when they discovered the
16th century Norse woodcut of a twin-tailed mermaid,
or siren.
There was something about her- a seductive mystery
mixed with a nautical theme that was exactly what the
founders were looking for. The logo was designed
around her and through some minor tweaks has
remained the logo for the company till today.
MCDONALDS
McDonalds Corporation has become synonymous with
fast food and has become one of the largest restaurant
chains in the world. The McDonalds logo has become
a symbol of international business expansion and has
been termed as part of Americanization and American
cultural imperialism.
The famous Golden Arches in McDonalds logo
represent style, significance and a strong corporate
identity. It was created by Jim Schindler in 1962 and the
idea was first introduced by Dick and Mac McDonald
as arch shaped signs on the sides of their then walkup hamburger stand, From an angle those arches
looked like the letter M and thus, were incorporated
in the McDonalds logo as a merger of the two arches
together.

24

YOUR BRAND, YOUR LOGO,

YOUR STORY
What you may have not known before was that a company logo has more meaning then just creative design and
typography. While those are the main factors there are also strong background stories that gave inspiration to
the brand then eventually the logo.
Your company logo is not only the face but also the story to your brand. Before going and deciding on a fairy to
be your company logo, think about the meaning, the story, the message. Does a fairy stand behind your values
and company mission?
A great logo will take time, research and numerous attempts. But, when you finally do finish it the results will give
your company a greater brand message and marketing advantage. Create a logo that will stand the test of time,
capture your story and make you proud every time you see it.

Logo Design The BlueSodaPromo Way

25