How do we evaluate the quality of a logo?

Few things in this world bring the same sense of relief as spotting a trusted and familiar face in the midst of an unknown place or chaotic situation. That draw and comfort of recognizing something known and predictable is exactly the goal in developing a high-quality logo, your business’s “face”, if you will. As a person’s visage can often tell you a lot about their identity and current state of mind, so your business’s logo communicates a lot about who you are as a company. This makes your logo’s development and its suitability over time an extremely important element in your business’s ultimate success.

Below are some considerations to keep in mind while going through this process:

1. Your logo needs to accurately portray your company’s soul and personality

Is your company classic or cutting-edge? All about luxury or all about good value? Fun, creative, and quirky or serious, smart, and professional? In the same way a person’s dress can be intentionally constructed to communicate these traits, a good logo will give customers a clear impression of who you are and what your values are; as a result, your logo may be one of the top deciding factors on whether or not they are interested in identifying with your business or product.

For this reason, while it can be helpful to reflect on particularly successful logos, there’s little point in comparing them in order to determine which one is objectively the best. Each logo has a different business identity to represent, and therefore its success is determined solely on how well it does that. We may look at the Nike swoosh, McDonalds golden arches, or the clean and simple apple on an iPhone and debate which one is stronger for this reason or that, but each is instantly recognizable by most of the population while fitting in with each company’s respective identity and the version of identity that they are selling. This is the goal of a logo, and based on that fact alone, all three examples have quite handily done their jobs.

2. Your logo should be timeless, and done right the first time

We all know the perils of a bad first impression and how hard it can be to recover from. In the same way, you may only have one shot to present your business to the world, and therefore you want to make sure you have your best face on when you do. Doing things right the first time is much easier than trying to win people back later.

This is why getting a professional to assist in your image design is extremely advisable. There are a lot of design elements to consider, including colour, balance, shape, positive and negative space, typography, etc. This is not to mention the technical and practical considerations graphic designers have ample experience in dealing with. This may include, how will a logo look in print? Can it be converted to black and white? What are the pros and cons of having multiple colours incorporated into a logo? Is the shape of a specific logo one that will be conducive to placing on signs of differing dimensions? Will it be readable and recognizable both when tiny and when blown up to massive proportions? Graphic designers have faced all these hurdles before and know how to avoid all the hidden hang-ups that may catch amateurs by surprise. Furthermore, it is the job of graphic designers to make a picture speak a thousand words; they are professionals at listening to your company’s goals, philosophy, and ethos and converting those ideas into a logo that communicates it all.
On a more practical level, rebranding further down the line of development is not only a major hassle, but can cause customer confusion. Imagine if you went to a family reunion and your aunt showed up with an entirely new face! Not only would you be confused and take a while to recognize her, it might take a while to grow accustomed to her new look. Maintaining consistency fosters a sense of dependability, familiarity, and comfort, while also saving the unnecessary cost and trouble of converting your company’s entire image (down to the colour on the walls and the heading on your stationary).

3. Your logo needs to stand out in the crowd

In this age of rampant start-ups, there are more businesses than ever before that are competing for the public’s attention. In order to make a place for yourself in the marketplace, distinguishing yourself from the competition is imperative. Your products and service may already be unique and better than the competition, but if your logo and branding aren’t as well, customers may never give you the chance to demonstrate that.
You’ve already put so much thought, effort, and heart into developing a business that you’re proud of; ensure the best chance of success by developing a logo you can be proud of too.