What’s the toughest design assignment of them all? What takes the most brain-strain—and the most trial and error—to see through to completion? Is it website design? Flash animation? A complex PowerPoint presentation? Those are each challenging pieces of work. None of them quite compare to my choice for the hardest design work—the creation of a successful logo.
Logos are all around us. Each day, you and I see thousands of recognizable icons. From the Nike swoosh to the Pepsi globe to the Apple apple, these intense, vivid symbols are a part of our lives. In fact, some of them are so successful that we barely notice them. When is the last time you really looked at the cursive swirl of Coca-Cola’s logo? Or the vibrant, imposing icon of IBM? These logos have really and truly done their work. They have become a part of the American landscape—as vital as a stoplight and as immediate as an ambulance’s siren.
The great logos, past and present, look so simple, so obvious. They sum up their company or product so completely that it’s hard to imagine a world without them. It should be easy as pie to create these things, eh? Nothing is more challenging. A logo has to make an abstract sensation or notion literal—and immediate. It must encompass the philosophy of a person or persons. Many times, this idea is so elusive that even the creator of the company can’t quite grasp it.
The creation of a winning, working logo requires collaboration between the company’s creators and the graphic designer. It requires a lot of communication, a lot of hard thinking, and what may seem like endless trials, failures and revisions. In my experience, the client in need of a logo often doesn’t know exactly what they want. “I’ll know it when I see it” is the typical attitude. This can cause frustration, as both parties become weary of the back-and-forth, give-and-take journey that must occur before the finished logo emerges.
I have heard of designers who nailed a logo’s look and feel on the first or second try. But, most often, a logo’s creation happens in stages. The first stage is to simply get an idea (or ideas) created. These may be 100% off the mark, or they may contain an essential element that will become the final logo.
This first stage is important. It requires the client to be able to express what is special about their product or company to the designer. I find that a relaxed conversation is the best way to start this journey. A talk about the philosophy of the company, and what its creators and owners want to convey to the world, can give me plenty to think about—and to work with. Is the company or product serious, cutting-edge, fun, or important? Is the product’s philosophy to make the world a greener place, or to dazzle potential buyers with bells and whistles? What is this product, or company, and why does it exist? What does it bring to the world that’s new, different, or better?
If the client can convey something about themselves to me—something that sparks my design sense—I can generate a first draft fairly soon. I usually present three distinct design concepts on the first draft. Nine times out of 10, these first attempts will not hit the bulls’ eye. What they will do is give the client something to look at—the first sense of where this journey can take us both. Patience is the greatest virtue both parties can possess during this process.
The client’s response may be, “I don’t like the colors,” or “that type face isn’t right for us.” This is valuable information. It offers the first set of guidelines. To the client, it may be the first concrete thought they have about how they want to be seen by the world. It may be disappointing if the first attempts don’t cut the mustard. But remember—the creation of a winning logo can take a great deal of time and effort. Consider the first draft as a substantial achievement. Where there was nothing before, there is now something to consider. Right or wrong, this first attempt can be built upon, bettered or abandoned.
There are no set rules on the creation of a winning logo. The best logos leave us with an indefinable feeling. They earn our trust. They define a desire or a need that this product, alone, can fulfill. They can be symbols of reliability and tradition, or vanguards of the thrill of the new and unknown.
The better the client knows themselves and their products—and the more clearly and coherently these concepts can be conveyed to the designer—the higher the chance of early success in logo design. At times, the product’s creator or owner may learn something important about themselves during this creative process.
Creating a logo requires a lot of hard work, but it should also be enjoyable for all parties concerned. If client and designer treat the project as a kind of fascinating riddle—one that demands equal input by both parties to solve—it can be an enlightening, engaging and exciting journey from start to finish.
I guarantee you that when you have a winning logo for your company, you will know more about the product or service that it represents than you ever imagined. You will see attributes and distinctions that you never thought possible. And you will be able to convey this sense to the world at large.
If you end up with another IBM, or Coca-Cola, or American Express, your company and its product will have succeeded beyond your wildest dreams. You and your product will become a part of the global landscape—recognized in Times Square and Tokyo, in the smallest villages and in the largest cities.
It takes time, patience and a sense of adventure to create a winning logo. It can be a wild journey— and, at times, a bumpy ride. Bring your savvy and a sense of wonder to the table. Know thyself, as the ancient Greeks proclaimed, and be able to talk about it clearly and passionately. Your own passion will provide the spark of inspiration that results in a world-class logo.
-James Gill, Graphic Designer
Vibrant Marketing Solutions
http://www.vibrant-marketing.com/
