Logo.

Design.
Print.
Promotion.

Logo Design
Guide Book
Jaimini Mistry.
Contents.
What is logo design?

Why are they important?

The logo design process.

A good logo is...

The evolution of successful logo

design
-Ford
-Pepsi V’s Coca Cola
-Shell

10 commandments of Logo Design

What is logo design?
A logo is the visual representation of a
company or business, which forms the
base of its corporate identity. It is a name,
symbol, monogram, emblem, trademark,
or other graphic device designed for easy
and definitive recognition by the
company’s audience. Logos trigger
people’s memories of previous
experiences with the company and other
implementations of the logo, leaving a
greater impact than words alone can do.
This is the simplest and most direct way
of promoting a business presence; a logo
describes a company or organization
without a lengthy explanation. If a logo
appears unprofessional or unoriginal,
so will be the public’s perception of the
company it represents. A well-designed
logo will help to increase visibility and, in
turn, sales.
Logo design started many years ago
and has its roots in Ancient Greece with
the use of symbols consisting of one or
more letters. These typically represented
the initial letters of a person or place for
use on stationery and signs. Many early
Greek and Roman coins bear the logos of
rulers or towns. During the Middle Ages,
similar logos were seen in
abundance in ecclesiastical and
commercial use. By the thirteenth
century, these simple letterforms had
evolved into trademarks for merchants.
These early examples of logo design
include marks for masons, goldsmiths,
paper makers, and nobility. By the 1700s,
every trader and dealer had a trademark
or stamp. The industrial revolution caused
a dramatic gain in the value and
importance of trademarks. By the 1950s,
with the emergence of national and
multinational corporations, trademarks
began to move beyond symbols, using
larger design systems to unify all
communications, to accomplish
identifiable goals. Today, company logos
have become the faces of business and
our economy. The general public has
become very responsive to logos, their
meanings, and their implementations.
Because of the diversity of products and
services available, the need for innovative
and well thought-out logo and corporate
identity design is central to a company’s
success.
“ Logos
trigger
people’s “
memories
Why are logos important?
“A logo describes a
company or organization
without a lengthy “
explanation.

Logos trigger people’s memories of

previous experiences with the company
and other implementations of the logo,
leaving a greater impact than words
alone can do. This is the simplest and
most direct way of promoting a business
presence; a logo describes a company or
organization without a lengthy
explanation.If you think of such
companies as Coca-Cola or FedEx
without recalling their logos. These
companies have established an identity
with their logos, which greatly impacts
their sales. If a logo appears amateurish
or derivative, so will be the public’s
perception of the company it represents.
A well-designed logo will help to increase
visibility and, in turn, sales.
The Logo Design Process.
The creative brief*
Most of the time, the designer and the
client work together to outline the purpose
and limitations of the company’s logo
in the form of a creative brief. This will
outline the design specification of what
the company wants for their logo. Within
the brief, the user’s demography should
be analyzed so that their individuality can
be understood and seen by audiences.
This will create a set of rules for design
decisions that can be made to target
particular groups. For the designer it is
important not to input too much of your
own artistic preferences when designing a
logo because a logo’s key purpose should
be to communicate with the company’s
audience, not to satisfy the preferences of
the designer.
Concept development*
The designer develops conceptual
pathways for the logo, transforming ideas
into simple sketches. Then, these
sketches are presented to the client and
one or two pathways are chosen for
further exploration. This is where the logo
begins to take shape. In some cases a
unique text treatment and a distinctive
colour palette is sufficient however both
text and image can also be used. A logo’s
simplicity anddistinctiveness are the
primary considerations in determining its
form.
Refinement*
Through a process of three or four
revisions, based on an analytical dialogue
between the designer and client, the logo
is taken from a series of rough sketches
to the final polished and cohesive logo
design. At this stage, colour is often
introduced. Colour specification decisions
are based on an understanding of colour
psychology, colour theory, the contrast
between colours, and the limitations of
available printing budgets.
Delivery*
Once the client has approved the final
logo design, the designer assembles a
package containing an assortment of
logo files for different applications and a
manual outlining how the logo should be
applied to different media. The strict and
consistent adherence to the manual is
crucial to the success of a logo.
 “The tradem
embody in the
the essential c
of the product
being adv
mark should
simplest form
characteristics
t or institution
vertised.”
Paul Rand
A Good Logo is...
Simple* of having a logo, and can even have a
A good logo is one that is simple. Trying negative backlash among customers
to include too much information who might see the company as being
can have a negative impact and complex derivative. Besides this, there are also
illustrations representing all aspects of copyrights and trademarks of companies
the business and long taglines should not which should not be violated.
be part of the logo. The type and imagery
should be recognised instantaneously, up
close and at a distance. There should not
be a lot of colours used because these
distract people from the logo’s central
theme. Also the more
colours used means a higher production
cost.
Versatile*
Logos which use several colours,
photographs or detailed illustrations may
be difficult to use in certain applications.

Simple.
A good logo should consider all potential
implementations. (Often, several
versions of a logo will be designed to use
in different contexts.)
Versatile.
Distinctive*
Logos should be unique and different
Distinctive.
from any other companies or
organizations. Using familiar or common
styles or typefaces defeats the purpose
The evolution of successful
logo design.
 Evolution is a process of change or
development. It is when one version of a
product is better than the previous one.
This type of change was first
catalogued by Darwin over a hundred
years ago. But in the truest sense,
evolution occurs in nearly every aspect of
our lives, and especially in the
business and consumer worlds. It seems
that companies find themselves
needing to be fast-paced, up-to-date
and ever evolving to stay ahead of the
competition. If you think about the world’s
most prominent brands, Nike, McDonalds,
Coca-Cola and others, it is easy to
visualize their respective logos. Those
designs have become the visual
representation of the company brand,
which is what people think about your

“It seems that companies

company and their experiences with it.

find themselves needing

to be fast-paced,
up-to-date and ever “
evolving to stay ahead of
the competition.
Ford.
Most people know that Ford was
founded by (who else?) Henry Ford.
What most people didn’t know was
that this was his third automobile
company. Ford experimented with
cars while working for Thomas
Edison, and left to found his first auto
company, The Detroit Automobile
Company, which went bankrupt in just
2 years. He then built a race car and
founded Henry Ford Company. Ford
left that one after just one year (the
company later became Cadillac – see
above).
In 1902, Ford went on to create his
third automobile company, the Ford &
Malcomson, Ltd., and almost lost that
one when sales were slow. He was
unable to pay his bills to John and
Horace Dodge, who supplied parts.
Ford’s partner brought in a group of
investors and even convinced the
Dodge Brothers to accept shares in
the
company, which was renamed Ford
Motor Company. Later, the Dodge
Brothers went on to form their own
car company (can you guess what?)
In 1909, Childe Harold Wills, Ford’s
first chief engineer and designer (who
also help to design the Model T), lend
a script font that he created to make
his own business card, to create the
Ford logo. The famous blue oval was
added later for the 1927 Model A – it
remained in use until today.
Pepsi V’s Coca Cola.
Coca-Cola is the world’s most
popular soft drink. Sold in more than
200 countries, it is produced by The
Coca-Cola Company and is often
simply referred to as Coke. The
Coca-Cola logo, like the product
itself, is rated among the most
recognized logos and brands in the
world. The first Coca-Cola logo was
created by Frank Mason Robinson, in
1885. Thinking that the two Cs would
look well in advertising, it was Robin-
son who came up with the name and
chose the logo’s distinctive cursive
script.

The typeface used, known as

Spencerian script, was developed
in the mid 19th century and was the
dominant form of formal
handwriting in the United States
during that period. The red and white
coloured scheme in the Coca-Cola
logo was kept simple and distinctive
to lure young minds. The Coca-Cola
logo was first advertised in the Atlanta
Journal in 1915. A Coca-Cola
dispenser with a Cola-Cola logo was
later created by Raymond Loewy.

The Coca-Cola logo got registered as

a trademark in 1887 and has since
then become the brand’s
corporate identity.the most famous
and well-recognized logos in the
world.In 1898, Bradham used a
scribbled logo script as the first Pepsi
logo to brand the product. When his
business got established and people
started enjoying his drink, Bradham
decided to modify the Pepsi logo into
a more customized version of the
previous logo script. Thus, in 1905, a
modified script logo was introduced,
followed by a second change in Pepsi
logo in 1906. In 1940, Walter Mack
introduced the new bottle design with
crown, labeled with the Pepsi logo.
In 1941, the Pepsi bottle crown
colors were changed to red, white
and blue, along with the Pepsi logo,
to commemorate the war efforts of
the country. Later, in 1962, the Pepsi
logo was replaced with two bulls-eye
marks encircling “Pepsi”, and then
again in 1973, into a boxed Pepsi
logo with minor typeface changes.
In 1991, Pepsi commemorated the
evolution of its scripted Pepsi logo by
featuring a logo design with an italic
capital typeface. Later at the
company’s 100 years celebration in
1998, Pepsi-Cola unveiled a new logo
that symbolized the brand’s
innovation and global recognition.
The new Pepsi logo consists of a
three-dimensional globe against an
ice blue background, with the
inclusion of the previously designed
Pepsi typeface. It has been the
official Pepsi logo of PepsiCo, till
date.
Over the past century, the Pepsi logo
has been evolved into remarkable
designs with significant modifications.
All in all, Pepsi logo is an exemplary
piece of creativity and innovation. No
doubt, it is one of the most recog-
nized logos, ever.
Pepsi-Cola is one of the most
famous soft drinks consumed
worldwide.
Manufactured and marketed by
PepsiCo, it was first developed and
produced in the early 1890’s by Caleb
Bradham, a pharmacist in New Bern,
North Carolina labeled as “Brad’s
drink”. In 1898, Bradham renamed his
drink into “Pepsi-Cola”.
On June 16, 1903, the title Pepsi-
Cola was trademarked and had since
remained unchanged. But one aspect
of Pepsi-Cola that witnessed many
transformations over the years is the
Pepsi logo. The Pepsi logo is one of
the most famous and well-recognized
logos in the world. ice blue background, with the inclu-
In 1898, Bradham used a scribbled sion of the previously designed Pepsi
logo script as the first Pepsi logo to typeface. It has been the official
brand the product. When his Pepsi logo of PepsiCo, till date.
business got established and people Over the past century, the Pepsi logo
started enjoying his drink, Bradham has been evolved into remarkable
decided to modify the Pepsi logo into designs with significant modifications.
a more customized version of the All in all, Pepsi logo is an exemplary
previous logo script. Thus, in 1905, a piece of creativity and innovation. No
modified script logo was introduced, doubt, it is one of the most
followed by a second change in Pepsi recognized logos, ever.
logo in 1906. In 1940, Walter Mack
introduced the new bottle design with
crown, labeled with the Pepsi logo. In
1941, the Pepsi bottle crown colors
were changed to red, white and blue,
along with the Pepsi logo, to
commemorate the war efforts of the
country. Later, in 1962, the Pepsi
logo was replaced with two bulls-eye
marks encircling “Pepsi”, and then
again in 1973, into a boxed Pepsi
logo with minor typeface changes.
In 1991, Pepsi commemorated the
evolution of its scripted Pepsi logo by
featuring a logo design with an italic
capital typeface. Later at the
company’s 100 years celebration in
1998, Pepsi-Cola unveiled a new logo
that symbolized the brand’s
innovation and global recognition.
The new Pepsi logo consists of a
three-dimensional globe against an
Shell.
For more than a century, the word
‘Shell’ has immensely acknowledged
the Shell brand and endorsed the
commercial character. Undoubtedly,
the Shell logo, highlighted in red and
yellow since
decades, has played a vital role in the
promotion of the company. Shell logo
holds distinctive qualities that draw
audience’s attention to itself. It
projects an emotion of profession-
alism and defines the company’s
outstanding position and stupendous
products.
Over the years, the Shell logo has
been renovated quite a lot of time but
the shell graphic has stood
courageously to benefit the logo
design. The current Shell logo was
sketched by a pre eminent designer
Raymond Loewy in 1971. Shell logo
has proved to be the most
impressive design by the
contributions of the great designer.
Shape of Shell Logo: Color of Shell Logo:
Shell logo consists of a shell image The use of highlighting color is grace-
which has served the emblem since fully adopted in Shell logo. Red and
decades. This illustration was ad- yellow are the colours utilized to
opted after the company name. It enhance the beauty of the Shell logo.
certainly
narrates the company’s high corpo-
rate reputation and class. The image
of the shell in Shell logo has been re-
designed quite some times but it still
continues to hold supremacy, power
and strength.
Font of Shell Logo:
A very simple and easy to remember
typeface is employed in Shell logo
to enhance the characteristics of the
company and its high quality prod-
ucts. The
alphabets are done in bold font to
impose a high status of the corpora-
tion market position.
The 10 Commandments of
Logo Design.
1. A logo doesn’t
need to say what
a company does
Restaurant logos don’t need to show
food, dentist logos don’t need to show
teeth, furniture store logos don’t need
to show furniture. Just because it’s
relevant, doesn’t mean you can’t do
better.
The Mercedes logo isn’t a car. The
Virgin Atlantic logo isn’t an aeroplane.
The Apple logo isn’t a computer. Etc.
Etc.
2. Not every logo
needs a mark
ometimes a client just needs a
professional logotype to identify their
business. Don’t be afraid to ask what
they think.
3. Two-way
process
Remember, things might not
always pan out as you hope. Your
client might request something you
disagree with. If that happens, try
giving them what they want, then
show them what you believe is an
improvement, and why. They’re less
likely to be so resistant if they already
see how their thoughts pan out.
4. Picasso
started
somewhere
You don’t need to be an artist to
realise the benefits of logo sketching.
Ideas can flow much faster between
a pen and paper than they can a
mouse and monitor.
5. Under-
promise,
over-deliver
If you’re unsure how long a task will
take to complete, estimate longer.
Design projects are like
construction work — you piece lots
of little elements together to form a
greater whole, and setbacks can crop
up at any time.
6. Leave trends
to the fashion
industry
Trends come and go, and when
you’re talking about changing a pair
of jeans, or buying a new dress, that’s
fine, but where your brand identity is
concerned, longevity is key.
Don’t follow the pack.
Stand out.
9. A simple logo
aids recognition
Keeping the design simple
allows for flexibility in size.
Ideally, your design should work at a
minimum of around one inch without
loss of detail. Look at the logos of
large corporations like Mitsubishi,
Samsung, FedEx, BBC etc. Their
logos look simple and are easier to
recognise because of it.

7. Work in black 10. One thing to

first remember
By leaving colour to the end of the
That’s it. Leave your client with just
process, you focus on the idea. No
one thing to remember about the
amount of gradient or colour will
design. All strong logos have one
rescue a poorly designed mark.
single feature to help them stand out.

8. Keep it
appropriate
Designing for a lawyer?
Ditch the fun approach.
Designing for a kid’s TV show? Noth-
ing too serious.
“Don’t follow
Stand
 w the pack.
d Out” LogoDesignLove