A logo has to work on a phone screen, a van and a business card, in colour and in black and white. Use these seven checks to judge any design with confidence.
Your logo is often the first thing people see of your business, and you'll live with it for years. Yet most people judge a logo design the same way: do I like it? Liking it matters, but it isn't enough. A good logo has a job to do in every place your business appears.
Here are seven checks we use to judge every logo we design. Run any design through them before you commit.
1. Is it simple?
The strongest logos can be described in a sentence and sketched from memory. Simple shapes are easier to recognise, easier to remember and easier to reproduce. If a design relies on fine detail, gradients or effects to work, it will struggle in many of the places it needs to appear.
2. Does it work at every size?
Shrink the logo to the size of a social media profile picture and a browser tab icon, then imagine it on the side of a building. Does it hold up at both ends? Thin lines and small text disappear when a logo is small. Many brands use a simplified version, often just the symbol, for the smallest sizes.
3. Does it work in one colour?
Look at the logo in solid black and in solid white on a dark background. Embroidery, stamps, vinyl lettering and many printing methods use a single colour, so a logo that only works in full colour will let you down. If it's still recognisable in one colour, the shape itself is doing the work.
4. Is it distinctive?
Put the logo next to your three closest competitors. Would a customer confuse them? Many sectors fall into the same visual habits, from the same icons to the same colours. Being different from your competitors is often more valuable than following what's popular.
5. Is it right for your audience?
A logo should feel right to the people you want to win. A premium clinic, a family-run restaurant and a construction firm should look and feel different. Think about the customers you want next year, not only the ones you have today.
6. Will it last?
Trends date quickly. A logo built on a passing style can look tired within a few years, while a well-made, simple mark can last decades. Aim for something you'd be happy to see on your work in ten years' time.
7. Does it come as part of a system?
A logo on its own is rarely enough. You'll need versions for different layouts, a colour palette, typefaces and simple rules for using them. This is what turns a logo into a brand identity, and it's what keeps your business looking consistent everywhere.
Before you sign off
Make sure you'll own the logo outright and receive every file you need: vector files (SVG, EPS or PDF) for print and signage, image files (PNG and JPG) for everyday use, and colour, single-colour and reversed versions of each.
Thinking about a new logo or a refresh? Take a look at our logo design and branding service, or start a project with us.