For many designers, logos are one of the most fun and yet soul-crushing things to design. That’s because—when its done right—it takes a lot of work to create something that can often seem easy to dismiss, as a simple task. After all, it’s just a drawing/picture/illustration… how hard could it be to make?
Many oil tots realizes that there is way more that goes into designing that illustration than one may think. Consider this: a logo needs to embody the spirit, vision, and legacy of a brand’s identity, while simultaneously conveying all of that stuff in a consistent way (from generation to generation), across all media and platforms. No pressure whatsoever. The truth is, there’s an art form to creating logos in general. It takes a level of skill as well as insight in design as well as approach.
All of the research, experimentation, and refining that goes into establishing a brand’s vision, the designer also has to figure out a way to translate that vision into something visual; because let’s face it, in today’s modern tech world, many of us are in fact, visual people. In the end, it’s a process to create something unique, and memorable, and fresh. and professional, yet fun and edgy, in a timeless way. That’s a lot within itself, but that’s not to say it isn’t doable.
So it makes sense why many designers loath those logo-generating sites. While seemingly convenient, Logo generators are pretty much an abomination of design and branding.
Here’s why:
- It’s lazy—and that’s a reflection of your brand whether you believe so or not.
One word to express the digital age, convenience; but that doesn’t mean convenience
always makes things better. For example: building your brand’s identity. It’s a complex
process, and while technology does help the process along, it often takes a lot of time to
figure out what makes a brand a brand.
your priority should be taking time to research and reflect on what truly defines your
brand and makes you unique among your competitors. If you don’t care enough about
your brand to put the time and work in to learn what makes your brand worth connecting
with, you can’t expect customers to either. - It’s the opposite of unique- call it common or ordinary if you wish.
If everything your brand stands for can be summed up in off-the-rack, multi-use clipart,
you’ve got some soul searching to do. The marketplace is a wild, loud, and ultracompetitive place, and proper branding is what helps you get your foot in the
door. Almost 95% of a first impression is design-related—how are you going to stand
out and ensure that consumers connect with, trust, and choose you over all others?
That generic logo you got off the internet probably won’t inspire much confidence or
trust, it may not even give you a second look - It’s emotionless and impersonal- and people don’t sit well with anything that doesn’t
“speak to them”.
Nowadays, people want to connect with other people, values, and personalities behind
the brands. A brand identity with a human-centric approach infuses the resulting
elements with the heart of what a brand really stands for and hopes to accomplish. You
don’t get that by picking a logo out of a lineup or letting a robot pick one for you.
So how do you go about getting the logo of your dreams? A good place to start is seeing what’s already out there. For example, take a look at your competitor’s logos: Check out the styles or elements that appeal to you, then ask yourself why? Figure out what works and what doesn’t. What are some themes you see over and over? You’ll begin to realize that a lot of the logos that don’t resonate with you are the ones with the same generic elements as those you’d find in a logo generator. And the more you see, the more you’ll be able to define what actually speaks to your brand and values. Then you can relay that vision to a designer who can help you adapt those themes and create something one-of-a-kind to match your individual brand identity. They key word there- INDIVIDUAL,
because the purpose is to make yourself stand out, but also connect with those who see you.
