Why Apple is Suffering Financially and How They Need to Fix It

We have all had the temptation of buying a sleek new Macbook or iMac. But in these tough economic times the price is just too much. That's what most consumers think and it is certainly showing in Apple's sales. There are several things they that cause this:

1. They overprice for the apple logo. Most Apple products have a competitor just as powerful computing wise, but apple charges more because of the logo on the side of it. This is one of the main reasons people have stopped buying Apple. Why pay more for the same exact item?

2. They own most accessories for their products. With the release of the new shuffle, they have completely emphasized this marketing tactic. Apple has refused to release all but a few resources to third party manufacturers. If they were to sell the rights to their products (such as the shuffle's chip on the headset) they could make a killing from other manufacturers.

3. People get a good product but they have to pay for it. I'm not a Windows fanboy, but I do like Windows for their choices at the lower end of the price range. But what they don't do is add high quality programs installed on it. Apple is the complete opposite. They charge extremely high prices for a very high quality machine. While this sounds great, they haven't realized that people can't afford these machines at this time. This kills any chance of them gaining any new customers by scaring away anyone who is willing to invest.

Solutions:

1. Cut down the price of the apple logo. Stop trying to maintain the prestige of the apple logo. With the current economy it stands for nothing. That means that the lower end Macbooks as well as most of the iMacs need to come down in price. This would help tremendously when competing for sales with Windows at the lower end of the price range.

2. Sell out the rights to the accessories of products: By selling the rights to other manufacturers, it will probably make more money than relying on customers to buy the few pricey accessories that Apple has to offer. Not to mention, people will stop complaining about buying a $30 set of headphones for a $70 product that they already broke. This is possible because other manufacturers can sell cheaper versions of the product. People will be more willing to invest in the hardware, and bam, Apple have more sales.

3. Include computers with fewer features at a cheaper price. This could easily be accomplished by removing some of the software on a model and charging less. Then offering a package of the software just in case they want to upgrade. I have a feeling a lot more people would want a Mac if it wasn't such a big investment. The investment could be completely removed if some of the expensive features (such as the software included in the computer) and charged significantly less.

Apple has some serious decisions to take care of as far as pricing but until then I can see their sales dropping further, especially in the computer department. But this is just my opinion

What If Apple Marketed Like a Typical Small Business?

,div style="text-align: justify;">We know that Apple is a very successful company. They've been around for over 30 years; their stock is doing great-with one of the highest market caps of any company (over $225B) - and they are regularly recognized as having one of the best brands in the world. Arguably, Apple's success is due-in large part-to its marketing.

Certainly Apple's brand has been built over the years by a huge marketing budget and some legendary commercials - including the famous "1984? Superbowl commercial that launched the Macintosh, the "Think Different" campaign, the iconic animated silhouette iPod commercials, and the long-running "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" campaign.

But let's not forget that Apple started out as a small business - just a few guys in a garage making home brew computers.

What if Steve Jobs marketed Apple like a typical small business owner instead?

1. First off, he probably wouldn't do any marketing at all.

Many small business owners either have a "build it and they will come" mentality or they consider marketing a luxury that they can't afford. They miss the point that marketing is the engine that generates customer activity. Marketing has two goals: 1) get more new customers and 2) get existing customers to buy more. Both pretty critical to any business, wouldn't you say?

2. The second mistake Jobs might make if he marketed Apple like a typical small business might be to target a very wide customer base - instead of a niche target audience.

Many small business owners are scared of leaving any money on the table, so they try to appeal to everyone - a strategy which is both extremely expensive and very difficult to pull off. From its early days, Apple targeted niche customers like creative professionals/graphic artists, the education market, and design-conscious early adopters. Obviously the campany evolved and now many of its products have mass appeal. But for over two decades, Apple prided itself on offering niche products for those who "think different."

3. The third thing Apple might have done wrong if they acted like a typical small business would be to not focus upon creating a top quality brand from the start. Admittedly, Jobs made the newbie mistake of trying to design his own logo (with Ronald Wayne), but the complex, unwieldy logo was soon scrapped in favor of a simpler, more credible logo from a professional graphic designer (Rob Janoff).

Jobs also went on to hire one of the most well-regarded ad agencies at the time, Chiat/Day, to create Apple's commercials. Instinctively, Jobs realized that the quality of the Apple brand was critical. In essence, the brand was the product - and the product was the brand. That philosophy exists to this day - and it's why an MP3 player or phone with the Apple logo is worth more than one without. Thankfully for Apple's customers, employees, and shareholders, Steve Jobs did not think like a typical small business all those years ago.

Giving Your Ideas Life and Meaning Via Cool Logo Maker

Creating and choosing a logo are equally important in representing a business. Most companies invest time and dollars to ensure that their brand is recognized at a glance.

At its Best

A cool logo maker may be equipped with the latest web applications, techniques, and trends. Thus, creativity would be the most important tool in developing a business symbol.

It has been observed that creative advertisement plus witty corporate symbols will increase profit and attract potential clients. With the current economic status, customers want to ensure that they're spending their dollars on the right business and product.

Also, each company is given a limited time to impress their valued clients. Thus, your business symbol should be professionally crafted to ensure that you are conveying the right message and portraying the right image.

It serves as the "picture" of your business. It will remind your customers of the quality of your service, the experience that they have when they purchase your product, and the feel when they visit your store or talked to you or your representative. This shows that choosing a cool logo maker is a good start to build trust while introducing your business.

A good design should project your business' identity and set you apart from your competitors. But, the important question will be... "Is it at its best?"

Well, you may want to check the story behind these witty art pieces that made its business and product not only cool but definitely famous.

· Apple Computer

The Apple Computer Company has become famous not only through Steve Jobs as well as his co-genius Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Its first symbol was made by Jobs and Wayne showing Sir Isaac Newton thinking under the apple tree as a tribute of discovering gravity using an apple. It was in 1998 when the rainbow-colored apple was created by Rob Janoff but was later on changed to a simpler monochromatic apple that looks good on various apple gadgets.

· Starbucks

It is known for its delicious coffee and intriguing crowned mermaid corporate symbol. Starbucks used a siren with a revealed breast and long hair in its early years. The company decided to improve it in 1992, where the siren's breast and navel were hidden. In line with Starbucks' 40th years in the business, the symbol was changed retaining only the face of the mermaid.

· IBM

The International Business Machine symbol was made in 1888. It was revised in 1891 and 1911 when IBM merged with Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company. It was in 1947 when the company used the Beton Bold font style. Paul Rand crafted its current face in 1972 retaining its typeface that is accustomed to its customer. Then it was changed into stripes placed inside a black rectangle.

The importance of a good art piece should not be overlooked. It gives life and meaning to your business. Hence finding a cool logo maker would eventually pay-off, if not now, in the near future.

Branding, Identity And Logo Design Explained

A brand's function is to demonstrate the company's personality and set it apart from the competition. Generally, it is built around three complementary features:

Corporate vision - a company's strategic vision, setting out its values and goals

Employee belief - the employees' perception of the company's value system and aims

External perception - what the external world believes about the company

Good branding relies on these three core elements being in agreement with one another, to create a consistent corporate identity that is recognizable across different media - in print, online, in advertising and merchandise.

The elements of branding

Besides these core elements, branding encompasses a variety of others from brand name and slogan to more obviously visual elements such as signature colors, fonts and the logo. Good design can help balance to these different elements, combining them in a single visual identity.

The logo

A logo is probably the most instantly recognizable asset of a company's brand. It's designed to inspire trust and loyalty, and create immediate recognition. Take Apple's logo, for instance.

Notwithstanding Forest Gump's endearing reference to Apple as 'some fruit company', Apple's iconic logo is widely recognizable and indelibly associated with Apple computer products, plus obviously the iPhone and iPad.

Originally designed in rainbow colors to demonstrate*the ability of its computers to display color, since 1998 the logo has used monochrome themes, which make it easy to adapt. This simple logo also works equally well at different sizes.

Signature colors

In 2008, chocolate company Cadbury fought Australian-based chocolate manufacturer Darrell Lea over the right to use the colour purple.

Cadbury argued that that Darrell Lea's purple on its advertising, uniforms and products was too similar to its own and confused customers.

Cadbury lost the case, and Darrell Lea interestingly seems to have since switched from purple to blue, but the point remains. Colors holds powerful associations and is a crucial element of brand identity.

Colors can make or break a company's visual appeal, so it's worth doing some research about what associations certain colors evoke. Black, for example, is often used to sell expensive products such as cars because of its perceived boldness, seriousness and associations with power. For more on colors association, I recommend Ann Smarty's useful article.

Signature fonts

Signature fonts designed especially for a brand can set that brand apart from the crowd.

UK charity Cancer Research UK is an interesting example. The charity funds research into all types of cancer and provides an information service for cancer patients, as well as organizing nationally recognized fund-raising events such as Race for Life. Its tone of voice is warm, friendly and uses plain English to talk directly about cancer.

Cancer Research UK's strategic vision is "Together we will beat cancer" - a hopeful statement that reflects the charity's ethos and optimism.

Keep it versatile

Visual identity needs to be able to adapt to different media. For example, your color scheme, fonts and logo all need to work wherever they appear - on business cards, merchandise, TV, or online channels such as display advertising, web and social media.

Working for web

When designing for a website there are certain accessibility principles you need to bear in mind (these tools can help). Soft Grey fonts on a white background (for example) look cool, but will fail a basic web accessibility test because they are not contrasting enough to be easily read.

Likewise, if your logo works brilliantly for print materials but is too big for online advertising, think about creating a secondary logo for use online. The same applies to fonts - signature fonts work well for images and logos, but may need to be backed up by secondary, standard issue fonts for headings and body copy that can be built in HTML.

The acid test

Visual brand identity needs to be tied in to the first three elements of branding: corporate vision, employee belief, and external perception. If these three can be reflected in good design, you've got yourself a visual brand.

Remarkable Computer Logo Design Tips to Help Your Company Exhibit Success

If you think that creating an emblem for your computer company is easy then you are wrong.

If you think that your company's image and identity does not depend on your branding and logo designing strategy because your customers should be more interested in the products you offer than your business mark, then you are wrong.

The world of computers is a highly competitive industry and requires constant developments to just to keep your brand name in the people's memories.

Even the way your company logo is crafted impacts how the customers think of your corporation.

If you want your company to excel in the branding strategies and create a computer logo design that is distinct and memorable, then follow the tips below.

1. Keep the design simple and sizable:

Keep the logo simple so that it is easy to read and memorize so that whenever a customer looks at that image, he thinks of your company. Don't use intricate details so the customer finds it difficult to understand it. Remember the old Apple logo that consisted of the illustration of Newton sitting under a tree with a prominent apple above his head. That design may have consisted of a great concept but it was inappropriate for a technological monogram as it was too complex.

2. Use colors in the emblem but keep the background neutral or white:

Make your emblem colorful as it looks attractive for technological symbols. Many famous brands have used bright colors in their brand mark like red, blue, yellow and green. Don't be afraid to experiment with colors in your trademark. Only, make sure that you use colors that complement each other. For example the combination of maroon and dark blue is not flattering while the combination of red with yellow will be eye catching.

3. Use effects to make your logo look contemporary:

Effects give a very high tech look to monograms which is an essential for a mainframe symbol if it wants to survive in this cut throat industry. But an emblem also needs to be subtle and timeless and effects like 3 dimensional, origami and paper folding have the tendency to go out of style with time. For that, you can give a subtle effect look to your trademark. For example, observe the twitter bird that consists of bright colors but looks 3 dimensional with subtle shading.

4. Don't use obvious computer images:

Using computer images for a free computer logo is so cliché and generic. If you want to make your logo design distinct and memorable, then make sure that you use images that are innovative and different. For example, Apple has used an image of an apple which is distinct. You need to look at things around you to figure out what can be used as your monogram. Take inspiration from your location or your product's unique selling point or even a children's story that you think is appropriate to represent your corporation.

Who Owns The Copyrights Of A Logo Created By A Free Web 2.0 Logos Maker?

If your wife asks you to mend the washing machine knowing the fact that you don't know how to mend it then what will you do?

Same is the case with free web 2.0 logos design maker. If you don't know what is the art of making a corporate identity then how would you be able to come up*with one even if you are creative and genius. The problem here is that you are not properly trained for this job.

Undoubtedly these logo makers are very easy to use as they guide you in step by step fashion and you may even like the end results as well but do you know what are you doing with your business?

You are simply sending it down the drain for these makers have thousands of disadvantages associated with them. For instance; you are not the only one who is using this maker so chances are that you might end up on a design that looks similar to that of your competitor. What will you do then? Will you go there and claim your rights? No!

Because nobody owns the right of such brand marks which are created from free generators. Do you want to be like Apple's company which often sues different companies claiming that they have copied its logo? Here is the list of those companies:

1- Woolworths

2- Victoria School of Business and Technology

3- Big Apple

4- New York city

You must be thinking that Apple is being over conscious and over sensitive about its brand mark identity but I think that's the power of copyright. They have the right to claim anybody who is copying their corporate identity and they are very proud of that.

Getting back to the main topic of our discussion...

I have given you Apple's example that if you will get your corporate identity with the help of these free graphic picture generators then you won't be able to claim your rights. Thus, you will have to stay like this forever.

People are very much attracted to these makers due to the "FREE" feature associated with them because nobody in the world want to spend his hard won cash on anything especially when it's about such a small piece of graphical representation.

Free makers often deliver web 2.0 logo tutorial to the people so that people can easily come up with a brand mark identity but still they forget the disadvantages it can bring in for their business. The greatest one which we discussed above is copyright infringement issue. You cannot claim your rights because no one has the right of corporate identities created by these free options rolling over the internet like anything. You can therefore, opt for a professional person to get your corporate identity done so that you can also sue someone for stealing your idea like the way Apple does every once in a while.

Logo Design - 3 Reasons Why Companies Need To Invest In Them

Many companies do not realize how important their company logo design is when it comes to marketing their products and projecting a professional image to their customers and to the public.

Have A Unique Identity

Although there are many companies out there who may be selling the same products, having their own unique style of branding could make a difference in how much revenue the company could generate. For instance, people are drawn to different types of brands. Take Apple for example. Apple's latest product is the iPhone and iPad which has been generating so many sales that other competitors are also following suit to sell their range of products that are similar in nature to Apple's products. But what is it that makes such a huge difference in profit margin? The branding. People are more familiar with Apple's unique identity and the company's promise of providing products with excellent quality. Therefore, it is important that each company make an effort to create their own brand of identity with their own corporate logo design that people could identify with.

Generates Customer Loyalty

If your company makes an effort to stick to their own creative logo design, they must also work hard to provide the range of quality products and services that will impress customers. Another example is Nokia, the global mobile phone company. Previously, Nokia was well-known for being a hand phone innovator leading the pack. People trust the quality and hand phone models that this company creates and there are still quite a number of customers who will continue to stick with this brand because they have tested the product and found them to be easy to use and reliable. So with a strong brand and reliable products, a company like Nokia is able to generate customer loyalty in the long run.

Project Professional And Quality Image

With a strong corporate logo design, companies are not only wanting to promote their range of products and services. They are aiming to project a professional image of their company that consumers out there are able to identify with. Companies such as Intel and Dell are renowned for their products and professional service to their clients and customers globally. These companies want to be seen as the market leader of their industry, not just a professional company. Because if you are at the top, you will be able to command a bigger size market share. That is why companies invest in having a good logo design that the general public could recognize.

Summary

If you are setting up your own company, please take the time to invest in having your own unique company logo design done by a professional logo design company. You will want to project a professional image to your customers and coupled with good, quality products, you would want your customers to remain loyal to you as they identify your brand with the products you create.

The History of the Logo

I wrote a previous article simply titled The Anatomy of a Logo, I am writing this article as part two of the previous article. The Anatomy of a Logo content dealt with the more historical chain of events, but with this article I'm going to take a different approach. The History of the Logo will provide informative tidbits, such as the inspiration behind some of the more vintage Logos in history I hope you enjoy. Different and often weird situations have inspired and led to creation of the world's most famous logos. One thing these famous logos have in common is that they strive to be different and distinct. There have been changes to these logos but most of them have been evolutionary in nature than sudden. The logos that have changed over the years show a trend towards being simplistic and 'leaner' than their earlier versions - possibly a change to reflect changing (and faster) lifestyles. For example, the Michelin man - the logo (cum mascot) of the French tire company Michelin develops an amiable feeling towards the company with the use of a human character.

Did you know Nike's swoosh was done by accounting class teacher cum freelancer at Nike called Caroline for only $35! At the turn of the century, 3M was more concerned about its survival than it was about a logo. The young abrasives company was comfortable in its descriptor..."Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company." The first logo was churned out in 1906 with the current logo designed as recently in 1978. The blue and white parts of a circle are present in the BMW's logo that we see on its automobiles. The origin of this dates back to the 1st world war when, the fighter planes had their propellers painted by the company in blue and white so that the pilots could see through them. This inspired the design that we see on BMW's cars. Named after the founder Adolf (Adi) Dasler, the Adidas logo has a triangle cut into three pieces. The three pieces reportedly represent his three sons!

The, now well-known, American company Apple was the first computer firm not to use its name as its corporate identity. The idea of selling a computer under the name and image of a fruit was conceived by Californian Steve Jobs and his colleagues (even the word "Macintosh" is the name of an apple variety). The motif of a multicolored apple with a bite taken out of it is a reference to the Bible story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represents the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. AT&T use of the globe symbol symbolizes a world circled by electronic communications. Specifically, the symbol is made up of very carefully delineated "highlight" and "shadow" elements. As a result, the symbol may be reproduced to give the impression of a three-dimensional sphere illuminated from a distant source.The Coca-Cola script was designed by an amateur, Frank Robinson, the fledgling company's bookkeeper. He devised both the Spencerian script and the brilliantly concise words beneath: "Delicious and Refreshing."

The bottle is among the most recognizable icons in the world, a design that has come to symbolize the youthful exuberance of America. Countless variations have been released over the decades, but the enduring classic is the curved vessel designed by the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, and introduced in 1915. A Coca-Cola dispenser was later designed by Raymond Loewy. The McDonald's Golden Arches logo was introduced in 1962. It was created by Jim Schindler to resemble new arch shaped signs on the sides of the restaurants. He merged the two golden arches together to form the famous 'M' now recognized throughout the world. Schindler's work was a development of the stylized 'v' logo sketched by Fred Turner, which was conceived as a more stylish corporate symbol than the Speedee chef character that had previously been used. The McDonald's name was added to the logo in 1968. The visual simplicity of the Sony logo is pivotal to its design. Easy to understand and pronounce, the name is readable in any language and immediately recognizable. The name derives from the Latin sonus, meaning 'sound'. The design of the logo has been modified only minimally since 1957, when the strokes of the letters were lighter and the word itself more expanded. The version shown here is from 1973; it has remained the same since then.

Why Corporate Logo Design Could Make Such A Business Impact

Some of the popular companies in the world got to where they are right now because of excellent products propelled by good corporate logo design.

Branding Your Product

These top companies worked hard to brand their products properly. Before you could brand your products, you need to have a good logo to begin with. These companies normally rely on professional logo design companies to handle the logo creation or modification for them. Let's take Apple for example. This company has been going from strength to strength ever since they came up with their own computer, the Macintosh. It was different from the others as it broke out of the mold of what people would expect from a computer. By offering a completely different type of product, it managed to create its own niche market. Apple continued to brand computers and expand into the notebook or laptop market. And the rest is history as they penetrated the mobile phone market knocking popular phone maker Nokia off the top spot.

Make It Desirable

Another way in which this company managed to capture such a huge market share is that they successfully promoted their products online. You will notice that their products are not exactly cheap but they are very desirable. Anyone out there would be impressed with their product range of iPods, iPads and iPhones as these are products that are in high demand. Their success in being able to make consumers want their products badly enough comes from the perception which was created that their products are exquisite, sleek, powerful and innovative. Who wouldn't want an Apple? I mean, look at their notebook. Their products are all designed to be sleek and powerful as well as versatile.

Continue To Work On Public Image

Their success in branding their corporate logo design on all their products is self-promotional enough as they continue to work on their public image as being a top company that produces quality products. If you check properly, you will notice that Apple is successful because of their product design and innovation software. This shows that image plays a hugely important role in a company's success. If your company wants to succeed, you will need to work on generating a professional, strong public image.

Summary

Not only will consumers be able to identify with your corporate logo design, they will have the confidence to spread the word that your products are of excellent quality and desirable once it is proven to be true. So work hard on your company image.

Famous Company Logo Designs

Why are logos so important? Think of some of the most famous company logo designs of our time. Nike is a good example, but what does that internationally recognized "swoosh" symbol coupled with a graphically enhanced depiction of the company name really do for Nike? A logo is a starting point for any form of communication in which the company engages. All marketing materials incorporate the company's identity. All advertising incorporates the company image. All promotional materials incorporate the company logo. You see the Nike swoosh on shirts, sweatshirts, hats, key chains, and a host of other promotional stuff that has nothing to do with Nike's core business: shoes. Nike can now use the "swoosh" symbol without the name and people all over the globe know its Nike. How powerful is that? Assuming your company has a positive image; mere recognition of the symbol is enough to get the job done. If it's from Nike it's got to be good -- no need to read.

Logos Convey the Image of the Company

Nike is a great example of a company that illustrates how company image and logo relate. Today most people think Nike and they have positive thoughts but in the not too distant past Nike got caught up in a bit of a scandal over the child labor practices in some of their international manufacturing locations. For those who were aware of this issue, the Nike logo now evoked negative images. But as many great companies do in the face of trouble, Nike responded and responded effectively. Today most people see the child labor issue as ancient history and once again the image conveys positive images.

In today's economic climate, banking logos provide more examples of how a company's overall image and its logo are intertwined. When banks like Bank of America and Chase were increasing credit lines and credit offerings, we all loved them. Spotting the BofA flag logo evoked a positive response. But if you've had your interest rates raised by these banks, how do you feel now when you see their identity? The learning point is the greatest identity in the world will not help a company with a negative public image improve that image. Let's talk about a few other famous logos and see what we can learn from them.

Famous Company Logos: FedEx, Apple Computer, and McDonald's

Apple is one of the few logos that never included the company's name. It is a rare, pure symbol only logo. Today, the Golden Arch symbol no longer needs to include the name "McDonald's" for brand recognition, but it didn't start out that way. FedEx is an example of a words only logo. The name FedEx is graphically enhanced with color, contrast, and box shapes. Some might argue that the enclosed box is actually a symbol. What we can learn from these three is that they all share common characteristics.

Common Design Characteristics

The characteristics that made these corporate logos famous can be summed up in a single word: simplicity. The value of simplicity is that it breeds functionality. All three of these logos are completely functional. They can be enlarged or reduced and reproduced in black and white without any impact on the message they convey. The evolution of the Apple logo illustrates this point. This image originally appeared with layers of different colors, but this limited its functionality. When the logo appeared on the cover of some Apple laptops, it just didn't look good. Now it's a mono color logo. All famous logos follow the most difficult to master design principle: Keep It Simple Stupid!

Build your brand and get noticed with a custom business logo design. Joseph has been helping businesses build their brands and raise awareness by providing professional logo design services for new start ups on a budget.

What Makes a Good Logo?

There are hundreds of articles on this subject but I thought I'd create my own version for readers. I thought I'd start this article for people in search of a new logo. A new logo can be tough to get right, you as the client need to know what you have in mind and what sort of image you want to give to potential customers. You wouldn't walk into hairdressers and say to them "I don't know... make it look good" without even giving some preference to a kind of style you like, short, long, wavy etc... So the same principle applies when you are in need of a logo. This could be something as small as the colour scheme you wish to use to as much as sketching your own idea and giving it to the designer. I've had clients sketch a full page of ideas and pick out three they've wanted me to design along with the colours and I've also had clients who have just said "I want it to be red and blue".

So what does make the perfect logo?

To start with I am going to break it down into 3 factors:

Simple

Effective

Appropriate

Obviously it can be broken down into more factors but I'll focus on these three main factors.

#1 Simple

I'm going to start with simplicity as it really is the make or break point when choosing a logo. A good logo shouldn't be too busy. Busy logos are those that have more than one "concept" to it, a good designer will focus on a concept that represents your company while keeping things simple. This however does not mean you have to choose a concept that you specialise in, for example a DIY store doesn't need to have a tool in the logo nor does a car store have to have a car in the logo.

The perfect example of this is the "Swoosh", in sportswear brand Nike.

The Nike logo is a very simple yet effective logo. Even without the brand name, the "Swoosh" alone is recognizable and memorable worldwide. It was created by a graphic design student back in 1971 for a new athletic brand now known as Nike.

A good example of this is the Nike logo. The main thing that represents Nike is the Tick design AKA "Swoosh" design. The Swoosh represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek Goddess of victory although not many people are aware of this. We all recognize the design as a swoosh for speed and as Nike are known worldwide for providing sports shoes it represents the company well. The swoosh is known notoriously worldwide whilst the company continues to strive and get bigger, it's the perfect example of a simple yet very successful logo.

#2 Effective

This one is a given and I won't need to explain it much. A good logo needs to be effective/unique in a sense that, it needs to sink it's teeth into your brain.

Unless you've invented a new spaceship that lands people on the moon for £20 per person then you're going to have competition in whichever business or industry you part-take in. For this reason you will need a logo that is not only simple but also effective and makes people remember it whenever it isn't staring them in the face. I've chosen the LG logo for this example.

I personally love the LG logo, it is a logo that sticks in your head and is memorable wherever you go. It's simple and yet very effective, which is the factors that make a good logo. The designer incorporated the L and the G to into a face which represents the companies name "Life's Good".

Logos aren't just used on web, a logo will be used anywhere to represent the company. There is no point in having a logo that looks amazing on a webpage but when transferred to print is not versatile. There are many factors that come into play when deciding an effective logo, you need to think "Will it look good on print?" then there's "What happens if I want it printed in black and white?" oh and also "Will my logo look good enlarged for a poster?" Make sure you consider all of the possible factors and criteria when choosing a logo for your business.

#3 Appropriate

Last but certainly not least is appropriate. Every logo needs to be appropriate for the type of business it portrays. An accountant isn't going to want a baby incorporated into the logo, like-wise an online baby store isn't going to want a pen or calculator incorporated into their logo. This however is common sense. A good logo will need to have the appropriate font, colours and concept all whilst keeping things simple. The perfect example to give is the Disney logo.

An appropriate logo must suit the business it stands for, Disney achieves this by a milestone. My first opinion of the logo when you look at it is the childishness of it all. The inaccurate lines, the scribbled "dot" and the plain colour. It's perfect for a children's entertainment company. It wouldn't really work to have cooperate colours and a times new roman font now would it? It does however fit in perfectly for children.

Any logo must represent the company in an appropriate way, this is one of the most important factors you need to decide on when choosing a logo for your company.

We have a winner!

I tried to stay away from this but with no doubt the logo that achieves all of these factors is the Apple logo. I know... I know, I tried to keep myself from mentioning it but it is a perfect example of a good logo. It's simple, effective and highly appropriate as the company is called Apple. The apple logo is something that will withstand the test of time and in 50 years still be memorable.

The Emotional Value of a Logo

Can you imagine taking along an iPhone without the Apple logo? Or wearing a pair of Nike sneakers without it's 'swoosh'? Or going to the McDonald's with a missing M logo? And I can just go on and on with these rather silly questions. Every minute of every day you are exposed to brands. Whether you realize or not the tissue you use for cold, the water you drink, the car you drive or the notebooks your kids carry to school. In other words, people like to tell others who there are by using brands that they feel goes parallel with their personality. Other use brands to hide their true personalities. In other words people use brands to impart a perception of their personalities.

Logos are an artistic version of the brand, symbolizing its presence.

Rampant Passant Lion of King Solomon

Characterized Plan View of Solomon's Throne

Logos have, since long been a part of the human desire. Kings and rulers had their symbols designed, which were then branded on their palace gates, chariots, flags, and even animals & slaves. In recent times though, I have seen someone putting up a Ferrari logo sticker on their cheap second-handed car. Maybe driving a Ferrari is his desire but he is satisfying his craving by pasting the logo on his car. Others have stuck an Apple logo to hide the Dell logo on their laptop. Or someone has tattooed the Apple logo on their arm or a Mercedes logo on their keychain. All these examples show that there is a link between a logo, or rather the symbol and the desire to flaunt it.

Anyone who studies brands is familiar with Jennifer Aaker's work - The Dimensions of Brand Personality. In this '97 classic, Aaker suggests that brands take on human traits and characteristics. Using the psych literature as her launchpad, Aaker argued brand personality can be broken into 5 distinct dimensions: Sincerity (down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful); Excitement (daring, spirited, imaginative, up-to-date); Competence (reliable, intelligent, successful); Sophistication (upper class, charming); and Ruggedness (outdoorsy, tough).

Taking the case of Ferrari, it's a brand owned by the company Fiat. The cars are known for its styling, power and speed. Ferrari has always associated with the F1 car racing event. I project that Ferrari would score higher on competence and sophistication dimensions.

The Apple brand personality is about lifestyle; imagination; liberty regained; innovation; passion; hopes, dreams and aspirations; and power-to-the-people through technology. The Apple brand personality is also about simplicity and the removal of complexity from people's lives; people-driven product design; and about being a really humanistic company with a heartfelt connection with its customers. Here I project that Apple would score higher on excitement and sophistication dimensions.

Not going into more example, I feel it's the Sophistication dimension that make people want to show of the logo although they don't own or can't afford that brand.

Logo Design

Before I talk about logos, let's focus our attention on art in general for a few moments. Trying to answer the question, "what is art?' will bring us closer to defining the role and the place of a logo in our everyday life.

Imagine yourself walking through a gallery; glancing over paintings and sculptures. You're overwhelmed with vivid splashes of colours, mysterious shapes and images of breathtaking landscapes. Or imagine yourself reading a book or watching a movie, seeing important people, falling in love with ravishing men and women, protecting loved ones, attaining impossible goals, and defeating wicked enemies.

Art, whether it is a painting, a sculpture, a book or even a film offers a simulation of life in the most condensed and purified form. It delivers an orgy of well-formed and defined shapes, colours or words, duplicating the experience of seeing real events in a magnified dimension. Depending on the medium, the illusions include: colours, shapes, words, sound effects and animation. When the illusions work, there is no mystery to the question "why people enjoy art?" It is identical to the question "Why people enjoy life?"

Art is a medium designed to defeat the locks that safeguard our pleasure buttons and press the buttons in various combinations. It is an imitation of life stripped of its monotony and dressed in its prettiest costumes.

Now, where do logos fit into all this?

Logos are an important part of visual arts and one of the most difficult to perfect.

Think of a logo as a piece of art with a very defined purpose and think of its design process as a 'conceptual and visual IQ test'.

Just like any artwork, logos can be a true depiction of reality; think of a human silhouette or a simplified landscape. They can be designed as abstract splashes of colours, shapes and letters.*Despite of their style, all logos are governed by the same underlying principle and they all have a well-defined commercial purpose. Their role is to aid and promote instant public recognition.

Various methods are used to combine images, symbols and words, to create a visual representation of ideas and messages.

Many logos earned their recognition through massive marketing efforts via popular media. This doesn't mean that all these logos aren't good. Most of them are good enough to do whatever logos are supposed to do, which is to stick with us and to remind us about the products they represent. There is so much fuss about logos like the Coke logo or a Nike logo but if you look at them closer and think for a while, it really is hard to find any other reason for their popularity then their repetition. Yes, we all know the Nike swoosh or the rounded script of Coke, but if ht wasn't for the millions of times we were bombarded with these logos, there wouldn't have been a real reason to remember them in the first place.

Apple logo is a different story. For someone who doesn't know the meaning behind the bite taken out of the apple, the logo is nothing but an icon, just like Nike's swoosh. However if you do know that the bite is a reference to the Bible story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represents the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, your perception of the logo will change. From now on every time you see an Apple logo you will automatically associate it with an event that represents the company's mission delivered in a simple yet very unique way. And this extra level of meaning is what makes logos like Apple true pieces of art.

Tomasz Borowicz is an experienced strategist and designer providing award-winning identity programs worldwide. He not only creates brands for new enterprises, but also refreshes the brands of established ones.

What Makes a Logo Great

Logos. They're the most important part of branding any business, service, or anything at all. Without one, it's nearly impossible for you to be recognized in any way at all except memory of your name. So let's see what it takes to make one that'll really let you succeed.

I'm going to keep it short and simple, so there are a few aspects to good logos that make them stand out as stellar. Here's the list, and we'll analyze each point individually as well.

Recognizable

You can understand them

Bold

Usability

RECOGNITION

First off, recognition of a logo is the single most important part of any branding for a company. We look at examples like Nike, Apple, and Coca Cola, and it's hard not to recognize them. The fact of the matter is, they are simply put, easy to pick out by their shape. Now you may say that these are plain, but consider the facts. Look around the internet nowadays and you'll see a plethora of these ridiculously intricate, fancy, "2.0," or just flat out obnoxious logos popping up everywhere. As great as a logo can look, if it's not recognizable at a glance, it serves no purpose. Now, there are two ways to make a logo recognizable.

Shape

Text

Companies like Nike and Apple rely on the distinct shape of their logos to make themselves recognizable, and this is great. Mainly due to the fact that companies like Nike and Addidas, (and even Apple) need logos that they can stamp on merchandise without making it obtrusive, while making it recognizable at the same time. Others, such as Microsoft (and myself), use text as their branding. These also have distinct shapes that are immediately recognizable, so it boils down to whatever matches your needs better.

UNDERSTANDING

Frankly, if you can't understand what a logo is supposed to represent, it really does you know good. This is perhaps the simplest of the factors that play into a logo's success. Apple has, well, an apple. On a more subtle side, FedEx has an arrow between the E and the x. It's got to make sense. You can't have a logo that has nothing to do with what your business is advertising.

BOLDNESS

Yes, having a bold logo does matter. As I said earlier, there are quite a lot of new logos coming out that are simply put, disgustingly intricate. First of all, for anything besides the web, intricate logos can't even exist. It's virtually impossible to recognize a logo sign on a storefront or billboard that's got a million different lines swooshing around and in front of text. That's another point. NEVER EVER COVER YOUR NAME OR MAIN LOGO. What it does is make it difficult to read, which is an immediate turn-off for anyone's memory to remember your logo. Besides the aspect of a real store, even on the web, if you have a very, very fancy logo, it's naturally harder to recognize. Countless studies have shown that it's much easier to recognize the shape of simpler objects.

Take for example, two geometric shapes. A circle, and a hexagon. Although both are extremely simple, the circle is most easily recognized because the mind doesn't even have to consider the number of sides. While a hexagon could confuse people between the amount of sides. "Are there six? Seven? Five?"

Colors are another important part, as bold colors attract more attention. Don't use similar colors that are close in logos unless absolutely necessary. The more contrast, the better. Some good ones are Red, Green, or even just Black and White.

For logos, less is more.

USABILITY

I briefly introduced the idea of using logos in storefronts and other places, and this is a relatively simple one. If you can't put your logo on your store or your merchandise physically, it's not going to work, ever. Again and again, less is more. Recognition and usability go hand in hand. The simpler the logo is, the better.

Hopefully you've gotten some useful information from this post, and remember that LESS IS MORE.

Choosing Brand Identity Over a Logo Design

"I want you to design a brand for my business - all I need is a logo."

This is a common phrase uttered by clients, and it is a misconception in the minds of many business men and woman who are looking to brand their business. They misunderstand that a brand is not merely a symbol, logo or 'mark' used on a sign outside their doorstep. The reality is something more. The logo design is just one part of a larger branding process. A brand is what huge corporate giants from smaller competitors. The problem that faces most graphic designers and marketing studios these days is clients with almost no knowledge of what a brand is. Sometimes the graphic designer creates a logo design for a client that may fail to establish its presence, but this is hardly the fault of the designer. The client, perhaps, didn't want to pay for the full branding process and therefore the designer was not allowed to fully develop the brand for the client. It was not the failure of the logo, but the failure of the brand to be designed.

Think of this scenario...you have never heard of Apple or before (just assume for a moment). You are unaware of the corporation and what it has to offer to you. Now imagine... if you pass by a someone on an Apple laptop sporting the logo or drive by an Apple billboard, would you be amazed by it?... Probably not. It's just the silhouette of an apple. Back to reality! Famous brands like Apple have actively marketed their logo and established its connection with the company, which is why you have a strong awareness about it. That strong association created in the minds of customers is the brand that has been established and is a large part of why the company has had the success it has. Why buy a computer that costs $2000 rather than a computer you can get for $500? Granted Apple has quality on their side too, but it's also the stigma of having a Mac on your lap rather than an HP.

This is the biggest downfall of branding decisions made by many business owners and entrepreneurs. A brand is not just a mark or a symbol that you put on your company sign board. On the contrary, a brand leaves a mark on your customer that is long lasting. Another major distinction between a logo and a brand is their focus span. Logos illustrates what a company stands for, what it has to offer and what is its purpose of existence. In contrast, a brand has strategic focus. It depicts a vision of the firm as to what the brand will be and what it promises to its customers in the future.

A logo design is a visual representation of any company or business. It projects the image of the company existence in the industry. A brand goes one giant step further in PROTECTING the image of the firm. Whatever you establish through your logo design is inevitably protected by your brand.

Think of the Gap fiasco. The company unfortunately decided to redesign their logo. This attempt failed horribly at the mercy of their customers. But their longstanding BRAND power protected them from any serious damage.

Wrapping it up, logos lay the foundation of a brand but are not sufficient to establish their presence. Brand Marketing does not end with a logo. They must be communicated through a brand in order to be recognized. Think about it next time you ask your marketing company for a logo - perhaps invest in the whole package!

Professional Business Logo Design Services

More and more companies are outsourcing functions that were once performed by internal employees. As a result the consulting industry is exploding like never before. So why does a company that is more than willing to pay a Human Resources consulting firm to handle its recruiting and other HR functions so unwilling to hire logo design consultants? Perhaps the answer lies in the availability of the technology to do it. Even the most basic Desktop Publishing program includes a sufficient number of features you would need to design your own logo. Or perhaps some small business owners just simply feel the need to exercise their creative juices. Or perhaps it is all a matter of cost. Search the Internet and you'll find a variety of online businesses offer a full line of logo design services.

If you're still not convinced, think of the best logos you've ever seen. Federal Express, Apple Computer, Nike Shoes, McDonald's Hamburgers, Pepsi Cola, Cocoa Cola, and NBC (National Broadcasting Company) all had their logos designed by professional design consultants. In addition, most logos go through a renovation process from time to time and the best of these "rehabs" are also produced by professional design consultants.

Advantages of Professional Logo Design Services

The purpose of a logo is to convey the essence of a company to its existing and potential customers. So if you're in a high tech business, do you want colors and what combinations of color convey high tech expertise? Professional Design Consultants do.

If you're in the financial services industry do you know what kinds of font styles and sizes convey stability and security? Professional logo designers do.

Have you and other key members of your business team ever sat down and actually thought through the nature of your core business and customers? Have you given thought to the kinds of customers you might have or are you too busy fighting daily fires? Good professional logo designers know how to sit down with you and tease out the essential nature of your business. They can help you identify the kinds of feelings you want to evoke from your customers.

Essential Business Logos

Logos are an essential part of the success of any business. They are found on all forms of a company's communication, from letterhead and marketing and advertising materials to promotional items. And they are not "forever." Many experts in the field of logo design feel the average life span of a well designed logo is about ten years. And this of course, assumes no radical changes in the company's management or the core of its business. Companies in rapidly changing business environments might consider renovating their existing logos more frequently. The impact of a logo renovation can be significant. Apple computer's logo used to have multiple layers of different colors. When Steve Jobs came back to Apple in the late 1990's he felt the logo wasn't functional enough. He knew to save the company he would have to introduce many new products and the multi-colored apple didn't work well. The current single color Apple has been reproduced in all sizes on a host of products, some of them very small. The renovation was done by a professional logo designer and it paid off.

Build your brand and get noticed with a business logo design. Joseph has been helping businesses build their brands and raise awareness by providing professional logo design services for new start ups on a budget.

How to Spot a Fake Apple iPod

It is no mystery that iPods are some of the most counterfeited products in the open market. To avoid being stung with one of these phony items, there are a few rule of thumb tips to follow that will help eliminate the many of the potential fakes.

Getting familiar with small details related to apple can be important. One of the details that an authentic iPod possesses when compared to their phony counterparts is the apple logo on the welcome screen. The apple logo issue on a fake iPod will come in two ways. The first issue you may encounter on a fake is that there is no logo at all on the opening screen. This is found on many of the fakes in the open market. They simply do not have the signature apple logo prompt when the welcome screen comes up. This is an easy tell to watch out for. The apple logo is either there or it is not.

The second issue you may encounter is when the apple logo is where it is supposed to be. If you pop on the iPod and the welcome screen prompts and you see the logo, so far so good, right? Not so fast. The logo may be counterfeited. To determine this takes a little more knowledge of the apple logo in general. If you are not an apple logo and font expert as most of us are not, then you need to compare the logo on the iPod in question to a picture of one that is authentic. If the logo does not match up detail for detail with the authentic logo, then that is a major red flag.

And finally, one of the best and most overlooked methods to identify a fake iPod is the iTunes test. When an authentic iPod is turned on, and connected to your home computer, laptop etc, iTunes should be prompted. This is the program where you load, configure, change etc, all your music files. However, a fake iPod will NOT prompt iTunes. A phony iPod will require you to copy and paste your music into the gadget. And all of your music files will need to be dragged and dumped into the device. So to re-cap, if iTunes is not prompted when you connect to your computer, then it is likely a fake iPod.

Behind the Logo Design - Success Stories of a Few Famous Logos

You are getting ready to leave for work. You take one last look at yourself, take your laptop, take the keys and head to your car. Let's now take a look at the different company logos you just covered within your vicinity; the Marks & Spencer logo on your shirt, the Apple logo on your laptop, and the BMW logo on your car. You are surrounded by different company logos all around. Many of them are famous, others might be new. Similarly, nearly all of them would have some stories behind them before the perfect logo design was born. Let's take a look at the journey of some of the few logos and the stories behind their making:

Domino' Pizza: The blue and red logo design of Domino's Pizza represents the flag of the United States. The red part also presents the image of the dominos, which represent the company name. The dots on the dominos are also believed to have a story associated with them. According to the creator, Monaghan, the three dots represented the three stores with which the company initiated. He planned to increase one dot after the opening of every subsequent store. However, the rapid success of Domino's Pizza could not make that happen.

Apple: The Apple logo design seems to have gone through the most of modifications since its beginning. There are two stories that relate to the presence of an apple in the business logo design. According to the first story, the apple in the corporate identity design is the representation of the religious story of Adam and Eve. The apple is a symbol of the fruit from the "Tree of Knowledge". According to the second story, the apple was presented as an honor to Sir Isaac Newton, sitting under an apple tree. This picture was also the primary logo design of Apple. Later, it was replaced by a rainbow apple, bitten from one side. In 1998, this was changed to a monochrome logo.

Adidas: This logo design comprises of three lines, in such a way as though going upwards. The three lines represent a mountain and symbolize the challenges to face and success that need to be achieved.

Mercedes Benz: This logo design originally comprised of a three-pointed star. The three sides represented domination on land, sea and air. As for the name, Mercedes was the eldest daughter of one of the founders of the company. As for Benz, it was coined after the company affiliated with Benz and Cie in 1926.

Nike: According to Greek mythology, Nike is the goddess of victory. Not only that, she has been an inspiration of winning for the warriors in ancient times. The famous statue of the Greek goddess displays a wing, from which the inspiration of the Nike "swoosh" was taken.

BMW: The corporate identity design for BMW has also gone through many changes. The common perception about the BMW professional logo design was that it represented a propeller. However, later this perception was negated by the authorities of the BMW Company. According to them, the logo design represented the Bavarian flag, the German state where BMW was born.

Be A Pro With Your Logo

Want to bring recognition and credibility to your company? Obviously the answer is yes, but how do you do it? The most recognizable feature of most products is the logo. It's best to make this feature stand out because a logo is more than just a symbol, it's a statement.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines a logo, or logotype as: an identifying symbol (as used in advertising). When consumers see your logo, you want them to recognize what it is, and what it represents. No matter the size of your business, logos are one thing where the playing field is level for everyone. Small mom-and-pop shops can have as good of a logo as the largest corporation in the world. It's more about what the logo represents than the actual design.

The company logo should represent the image that you want to portray. Whether that is cutting edge with flashy graphics and bright colors, or simple designs which represent tradition and reliability. The logo can say whatever you want it to, that's the beauty of it. It should serve as a reminder, or extension of what your company is about.

A great example of this is the Apple computer company logo. The image of an apple with a bite out of it is a reference to the biblical story of Adam and Eve. The apple represents the same one eaten by Adam at the tree of knowledge. This identifies the Apple company as a key to knowledge.

To be fair, there probably aren't a lot of people that are aware of the meaning behind the Apple logo. But, there aren't many people who could see the logo and not know what company it represents. In reality, Apple has been around for a long time, but the current image is that of cutting edge and new. The newest version of the Apple logo keeps the same traditional shape but fine tunes the appearance. They have added an almost chrome looking exterior to appear "new-age" and in style. They tie this into their advertising and new products by making Apple computers appear more advanced than the traditional PC.

This logo works because traditional Apple users will identify the shape of the logo as the same from before, while younger generations will identify with the new sleek look. Apple can maintain the tradition that the logo carries with it and at the same time seem new to consumers. This proves the importance of a logo and its ability to adapt with time. A good logo can pass through different generations and still appeal to everyone.

Now remember, we're still just talking about a simple symbol. But, as you can tell, it's more than just that. The logo tells a story, and hopefully a good one. When your consumer sees your logo, they should be able to identify you with the service you provide. A positive brand image and being recognizable can go a long way in helping consumers see your logo and know you're someone they can trust. Help your customers out and remind them that you're here for their use. Give them a reason to identify you and position yourself to stand out above the rest. Be a pro with your logo.

What Makes a Good Logo?

One of the most important marketing tools is an effective logo. It provides an easily recognizable identity for your business or organization. It not only communicates who you are but what you are. Therefore, every business or organization contemplating adopting a logo should know the criteria that make for an effective logo.

The first characteristic of an effective logo is that it has immediate ilpact. Your logo should catch the viewer's eye and hold the viewer's attention. Consider the logo of Apple Computers; the graphic apple with a stylized bite taken out of it has immediate product and corporate identification with consumers. An effective logo "grabs" attention.

In addition to impact, a good logo must be good to look at. An effective logo should have the look and feel of "art", if a logo is not appealing to the eye it will defeat its purpose - attracting attention and providing effective identification.

Closely related to these first two characteristics of a good logo, is distinctiveness. A good logo must stand out from the crowd. A logo that is too similar to other logos is not only confusing but it could be embarrassing or even costly. In 2003, the Chicago Bears sued another professional football team over a logo that was too similar to the Bears' logo!

This brings us to the next characteristic of an effective logo the logo must create or evoke a positive image. "Branding" is a common marketing principle based on product identification growing out of identifying a product with a positive image and a sense of goodwill.

Another characteristic of a good logo is that it accurately represents the organization or business. If a company or organization wants to project a serious, professional image, the logo must look professional. A humorous or whimsical logo would be counterproductive to projecting professionalism.

A good logo must also be straightforward. It has to be free from ambiguity. If the meaning of the logo is vague, if it creates doubt, or if it is indistinct, it cannot be effective.

An effective logo is also comprehensible. A logo must be legible and immediately recognizable from a distance. The meaning of a logo is so tied to its distinct visual form that recognition, a principle function of the logo, would be lost if it were not comprehensible.

The best logos are the most memorable logos. The Apple Computer "Apple" logo and the McDonald's Hamburgers "golden arches" are great logos because they are memorable to the point of being iconic.

A logo must also be flexible enough to give the same impression yesterday, today, and tomorrow so the logo design survives changing fashion. Originally, Apple designed its logo as a monochrome apple with a bite taken out of it to symbolize the acquisition of knowledge. With the advent of the Apple II and its advantage of displaying color, however, Apple added multi-colored bands to its logo.

A good logo must also copy well. In any business or organization, the use of a logo becomes ubiquitous - it is ever-present on buildings, letterhead, signs, products, promotional items, etc. A good logo will be as effective on a business card as it is on a billboard - small scale and large scale uses. Will the logo still be recognizable printed on the barrel of a ballpoint pen?

A logo identifies a business or organization so it would be counterproductive to change it because it did not wear well over time. Do you remember what we said about "branding" earlier in this article? Companies that have invested vast amounts of money, time, and effort to establish their "brand" do not change it frequently for a reason. Make sure your logo will be "timeless" for the same reason.

Finally, the last criteria for a good logo it is a logo you will be proud to use it. If your logo meets all the criteria listed above, it will be an effective logo and one that you and your organization will be proud to use.

3 Important Features That Makes A Winning Logo Design?

Before this article leads you on to reading what is a winning logo design, it will help you understand what it is and what purpose does it serve. In order to understand the elements that make a logo unique, it is important for a designer to be clear of its purpose. So here's a quick guide to that.

What Is A Logo?

In simplest terms, it is the identity of a company. It is also known as a brand identity; the image with which a company establishes its brand. Therefore, it's extremely critical for a company to have a fantastic brand image if it would like to stand out.

What is The Purpose of a Logo?

The purpose of a logo is to give a face value of the company to the customer. It tells the customer at the first glance, in the first impression, what the company is about and what its main domain is. Any design that fails to convey the domain the specialty of the business is considered doomed.

Now that you are familiar with the importance, let's move on to describing three basic elements that makes a winning logo design.

1. Simplicity

Almost every major brand has a simple logo. Apple, KFC, Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Dell are all some of the leading brands in the world and all of them focus on the simplicity of a logo design. Why? Because simplicity helps customers remember. They won't get confused over complicated images, text or colors. Just one simple logo is all it takes to have a customer attached to the company. Every expert designer out there would teach you the concept of simplicity as the first major pre-requisite of a winning logo design.

2. Expresses the Purpose of the Company

As mentioned earlier, a logo needs to clearly represent the message of the company; it should represent the essence of the company. It might have the best images and colors incorporated, but if it cannot deliver the essence; experts would consider it as a failed design. Example: Nike Shoes's logo is a simple tick/check. Which simply means it is the best, the most suitable and the most preferred brand for people who are looking for a "perfect pair of shoes."

3. Flexible Dynamics

Flexibility is a very important factor in logo designing. Newbie designers create heavy and complicated logos that do not have a flexible nature. The logo needs to adapt to all ratios and aspects. It should look great on an ad poster as well as on a shirt print. Hence, it is always recommended to design it in vector format for best results.

To make a winning logo, you need to be original, creative, inspiring, as well as market oriented! Logo designing is now not merely an art, it's a professional industry that requires subsidiary skills and not the main skill of designing.

5 Important Rules of Designing Logo

Every businessman knows how important a company logo is for them and the company. This logo will be used on everything like your business card, website, on prospects, suppliers, press and to reach customers as well. To put in simple words, a logo represents your company's work and it's potential. It reaches every person near to you. Since it represents company's potential, your logo must have a positive impression of your business. Always portray yourself energetically, noticeably and dynamically, and then you will look like a professional, even if you don't have a proper office space or office place. When designing a logo yourself or appointing any agency, always keep in mind and follow these rules.

1. A logo should represent your company in a versatile and unique way.

This sounds something very common, but most surprising thing is there are some businessmen who want a logo for a competition. They always look for a logo that similar with certain changes. But that doesn't work. If your logo is of a graphic design, it should be related to your name, something related to your work, your industry or offers you are giving in competition.

First think what your company work is and then depict the same in the logo. Suppose your company is working on dealing with finance then the logo can be of a dollar sign or a currency for linkage. Use some words that are related to finance or services.

2. Simple logo is always the best.

If you are keeping words in the logo, make it as short as possible. Small and simple logos are more familiar and they are easy to remember. The layout and shape should be unique. It should be recognized even when it is upturned.

A logo should be simple but not sophisticated. Good logos always have something unique in it without being in debt. Just go through some of these professional's logos: Apple, it has an apple logo but it nowhere indicates that it is related to computer company. Now you can consider FedEx logo, it just has a word with a hidden arrow mark in it. Actually it is a shipping company. LG Company logo indicates that it is a human face but LG is a company manufacturing electronic products.

3. Logo should be first checked in black and white.

A logo can be colored in any manner but it looks good in colors only when it looks good in black and white. Colors are always taken as secondary importance. They can be edited or changed at any point of time in the future. Use maximum of 3-4 colors in a proper combination. Try to avoid bright and very dark colors.

4. Logo should be very pleasing wherever it appears.

As everyone knows a logo will be displayed everywhere from small places like business cards to big places like besides the company name on the wall. So, a logo should be pleasing wherever people find it. It should look equally good when its size is changed. It should not be a copy from others and claim it to be the original. Partial copying is also not allowed.

5. Logo should be equally artistic.

To tell you more clearly, the logo should be well balanced. Suppose one part of the logo is powerful than the other than it will not sit in the visitors mind. Actually, a logo remains in ones mind if they go through it for at least 3-4 times. Color, shape and size all influence the logo's balance.

Importantly, to carry out your company name, never ever change your logo. As I said before it takes more than three times for a logo to settle in somebody's mind. If you keep changing them then the audience or the customers come to the point that you are unreliable. Never forget to save these logos in JPG, GIF and EPS formats.