Great logos are not just reserved to giant brands – any company can have a great logo, all it takes is a bit of thought and you can come up with a logo that has meaning and impact for your potential audience.

Rather than re-hash posts of old and show you Coca Cola and Apple logos, here is some inspiration from some of the little guys (note: you may actually have heard of some of them).

Sugru

Sugru is a really unusual invention! It is a moldable putty-type material that you can mold to any shape and use to fix a variety of objects. Their logo is equally as clever as their product as it totally matches the essence of the product. The name ‘Sugru’ comes from the Irish word for play, and the logo is a rounded shape that conveys the flexibility of the product. Sugru’s logo has the same fun and quirky vibe as the product does which gives the brand a well established feel.

Eighty20

Eighty20 are a data company that provide clients with access to online market research databases. Eighty20 is named after the 80:20 rule that was devised by Vilfredo Pareto. The logo conveys this through a hidden meaning as it also has the binary numbers eighty and twenty in the squares above the text. This is a very subtle and intelligent design that goes well with the nature of the company.

Pedalworks

Pedalworks is a small bicycle shop based just outside London, and their vintage style logo emphasizes both identity and quality. The simple logo and clever brand name quickly establishes who they are and what they do.

GO Mammoth

GO Mammoth is a sport and fitness club that makes exercise fun! The GO Mammoth logo continues the fun theme of this company, as it plays on their name and ‘story’ with a mammoth that is taking part in a sport – thus encapsulating their USP: a combination of sport and fun. By using the brand name ‘GO Mammoth’ in a large bold font, the logo has a big impact, reflecting their core value of “Go ‘Mammoth’ or go home”.

Sendy

Sendy is a self hosted newsletter application that allows companies to send newsletters to their clients at a much lower price than other services that are available. The logo for Sendy is very subtle, it is an open envelope in a black circle. However on closer inspection the logo makes use of the negative space and it looks like a wide open grin. This has positive connotations of being happy, which you most likely will be when saving money!

Tucando

Tucando’s logo is colorful and distinctive, highlighting the difference between this business directory and the many others on the marketplace. The unusual name is brought to life by the interesting and memorable logo, complementing the name to create a distinctive and impactful brand.

LaunchKey

LaunchKey is a way to log into your smartphone without passwords by using multi-factor authentication. The logo for this company is very clever, overall it looks like a power button, which has connotations of power and being ‘switched on’. However on closer inspection it is a rocket in the power button which works with the name, as in the rocket being launched.

Airseed

Airseed is a company that provide tools for consumer data analytics and intelligence. The logo is the company name and then a graphic which looks like a dandelion which fits with the idea of being connected everywhere. For example when you blow on a dandelion it’s seeds blow off and float around in the air. This fits the company name and is a good representation of being connected all over.

Quip

Quip is a document creation tool and this is shown in their logo. At first glance it is a Q which represents the brand name, however the Q is made up of a pencil and paper which shows the document creation.

Sun Microsystems

Sun Microsystems is a computer system company, and their logo is very clever as the logo says sun in every direction. If you look closely though the word sun is just made out of strategically placed U and N’s. This logo has a logical feel which suits the brand.

Storenvy

Storenvy is an online platform for buying and selling unique products. Their logo is very clever as it consists of product labels, which fits in with the shopping nature of the brand. However the labels are strategically placed to create a heart shape and because they are green it has connotations of jealousy which fits the brand name perfectly.

Grooveshark

Grooveshark is an online music streaming website based in the US. It’s logo has a very laid back look which matches the brand. The logo is a shark fin inside a circle, it is subtle and simple but very effective.

The House

The House is a company that specializes in building houses for business meetings. Their logo is very clever as it makes good use of the negative space. The H for house is made out of the negative space between the letters E & O and it appears like a house with a roof above it. The spaces in between the H lines are black which creates the illusion of windows on the house.

Goodwill

Goodwill is a charity that tries to help people back into a working environment. If you look closely the large face of the logo is actually the G from the start of Goodwill. This is a simple and effective logo as it is easy to remember which is useful for brand image. By using a smiling face in their logo and in their brand name, it gives a positive perception of the company.

Filmaps

Filmaps was created by two friends who think “film tourism” will be a big hit in the future. Their logo is definitely a big hit as it is a pin which is often used on maps to point out a specific location, however the pin is actually a film reel which ties in with the brand.

CityCliq

CityCliq allows users to create affordable Search Engine Optimized websites. Their logo is very clever as it is an illusion that creates two images. For example it is a hand pushing a button (which conveys the digital aspect of the company). However it also looks like a cityscape with the sun behind it. This gives the mental image of powerful city companies.

Iron Duck Clothing

Iron Duck Clothing is a new clothing shop that offers unique clothing. There logo portrays their uniqueness as the logo is the shape of a clothes hanger, it is important that a brand convey what it’s business is so this is a really good logo as you can easily tell it’s a clothing company. The hanger also has a duck head at the top, this is very subtle but just adds another dimension to their logo.

Reel Farm

Reel Farm provide creative and technical services to the film & media industry. Therefore they have to convey a creative and professional image for their brand, which they have achieved. The logo is a tractor which fits the ‘farm’ in their name. However the wheels of the tractor are actually film reels which show exactly what the company is about.

Hotel Tonight

Hotel Tonight is a mobile tool that allows users to book hotel rooms on the day they want to stay. Their logo is as clever as their business, at first glance the logo is a bed, which is really good design as it creates a mental image for users and reinforces the idea of sleeping and needing to book a room, however on inspection, the logo is actually also a H.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is an online music streaming service where artists can upload their own music. The logo is really clever. The color choice of orange has connotations of something interesting which makes the user more curious. SoundCloud’s logo is a cloud at first glance, however looking closely, half of the logo looks like soundwaves then the other half is a conventional cartoon cloud. This is a literal logo for the company name which makes it easy for users to remember the logo which enhances branding.

Thinknear

Thinknear allows companies to advertise right to the location of their potential customers. Their logo shows this really well as it has a location marker which shows their services are location based. Inside the marker there is lines which give the effect of a lightbulb which reinforces the ‘think’ aspect of the brand.

Brew Dog

Brewdog is a Scottish company that produces speciality beers. The logo tells you a lot about the brand, for example it has the colors of the Scottish flag, blue and white. It also has what looks like a dog on the logo and when you look closely you can see the scottish flag.

Thirstyplanet

Thirsty Planet was launched to provide clean fresh water to millions of people in Africa. The logo is really clever and effective as it looks like a drop of water, which represents the ‘thirsty’ in the name and the idea of getting fresh water. Inside the drop of water however is what looks like Earth. This is a really clever play on words and makes it memorable for viewers.

The Guild of Food Writers

The Guild of Food Writers is pretty self- explanatory, they are a group of food writers that get together to discuss the goings on in the food world. Their logo is a great representation of this, at first glance it is a pen nib which fits the ‘writers’ part of the name, however on a closer look there is a spoon hidden in the nib which represents the brand perfectly.

Modern Nerd

Modern Nerd is a blog that discusses topics that are deemed ‘nerdy’ and that are mainly based around technology. The logo is a great representation of the brand by using negative space to create the image of a man wearing glasses and a tie. The title has been merged as one word, for example it reads modern but also at the end the letters have been modified to read nerd.

London Symphony Orchestra

London Symphony Orchestra is one of the world’s leading orchestras. Their logo at first glance is the letters ‘LSO’ in a modern font, however when you look closer you can see that the image represents an orchestra conductor. The font used has a flowing feel which also helps instill the musical feeling of the orchestra.

Plate & Vine

Plate & Vine is a Californian restaurant that specializes in fresh food. Their logo also shares that freshness, it’s very subtle and clean looking. The logo is a literal representation of their name as it is a circle in two halves where one half looks like the top of a plate and the bottom half looks like a vine.

Blue Bottle Coffee Co.

Blue Bottle Coffee is a coffee brand that only sell freshly brewed coffee, the founder has a real passion for real coffee, properly made. There is a lovely story behind the name, the original blue bottle coffee started in Vienna in the late 1600s. Vienna was invaded by Turkish soldiers who were repelled by Polish soldiers. In their haste, the Turkish soldiers left behind big bags of coffee beans. This is how the company name was started. The logo pays tribute to this by keeping the name and the logo in blue.

Mind Sumo

Mind Sumo is a website that allows companies to upload their problems and students then go on and fix them, and gain a good reputation. The logo for MindSumo is quite subtle but the O at the end of the logo is actually the shape of a sumo, this gives it a fun dimension. The font also compliments the idea of a sumo as it is large and round.

Froosh

Froosh are a Scandinavian smoothie company that focus entirely on smoothies made from 100% fresh fruit. They emphasize simplicity and quality, reflected in their simply yet clever logo, with the two Os joined together to make them look like cherries.