Logo design is an important part of any marketing strategy. It is, after all, what represents a brand in the market and makes it recognizable in the eyes of the customers. Many times, the brand name itself doesn’t have the same impact as the logo.

However, many budding companies could face problems while deciding and developing a logo design for themselves. This is not because the actual task is that difficult, but because there are several myths surrounding the idea of a logo. This can lead marketing teams and graphic designers to make problematic decisions that could lessen the effectiveness of their logos. So if you’re considering changing a company logo or creating one for a new product/service, read on below.

We’ve debunked some logo design myths and cleared up certain misconceptions. This information may help you to move forward in your logo design process and have the most effective logo for your brand:

1. A Logo Has to Represent What a Company Makes/Sells

Many companies and their marketing/designing teams tend to get stuck on the idea that a logo needs to be representative of what they do. This is an interesting concept, and many famous brands do have such logos. However, just as many famous brands have logos which are little more than an interesting and iconic picture.

Take, for instance, the famous Starbucks logo. It is basically a mermaid wearing a crown. There may be some connection between mermaids and coffee, but it is not immediately apparent to everyone. If Starbucks wanted to launch a clothing line in the near future, they could use the same logo without any compunction.

So if you’re having trouble deciding upon a suitably representative logo, you may want to relax a little. All you really need to do is make your logo unique and simple enough to be recognized at a glance. This is usually enough to build a brand’s identity on. In order to further illustrate this concept, take a look at the logos below. They are recognized for the company they represent, but one cannot really gauge what that company actually provides their customers.

2. The Importance of a Symbol

Apple may have a symbol to represent it, but Google does not. The latter is just as popular as the former, even though it has its own name as its logo. The distinctive colors of Google are good enough for now and have been so for many years. Sony is another example of a high-end technology vendor where the name is itself the logo and sells as a well-established brand should.

Hence, the viewpoint about logos being symbols in order to be effective is a great misconception. One can easily sell their products and services and even grow to become a giant corporation without a symbolic logo.

3. Following The Industry

All too often, the companies within a certain industry try to affiliate themselves by using a certain symbol. This could be the picture of a book for the education industry or a house to symbolize real estate.

The need to connect to the industry as a whole is a myth which doesn’t really work for logo design in real life.

First off, having an industry affiliation could make the logos of many ventures much more similar than we want. Even if one views a book from several angles, it is still a book. Hence, designing a logo should keep the monotony factor in mind and try to minimize it as much as possible. For instance, a real estate company could have a fireplace or even some flowers instead of showcasing a simple home. If the company has some unique fact about it, it may utilize that in its logo instead of following what the industry is. This could mean having a picket fence to symbolize a garden if they specialize in providing homes with lawns, etc.

4. The Timelessness of a Logo

When those designing logos think of what they’re looking for, they may have a vision of a picture lasting for decades. They may be looking at logos such as the golden arches of McDonald’s, which have certainly stood the test of time. However, if this concept is taken too seriously, it can severely limit the options available right now.

One should note that while the M in McDonald’s has remained more or less the same, other symbols for it have changed over the years. This includes Ronald McDonald and his posse along with many others. With the passage of time, it is only natural that logos would change their shape, design, and even colors. Even something as simple as the orange O in Google is subject to different shades and revisions.

One may choose to do this while rebranding or re-launching a certain product or service. A changed logo may also help to set a certain brand apart from its growing competition. When the markets and consumer bases are not staying the same, why should a logo? In short, no logo is absolutely timeless. It would definitely change to keep up with the advancements in technology and the demands if the market.

5. Everyone Has To Like a Logo Design

Some may have the notion that when a logo is first sketched out, the approval of customers and vendors alike is indispensable. They would hence spend a lot on testing the logo out and worrying about changing it up when not everyone approves of it. This is again a myth that could really slow down the process of logo design and actually make it counterproductive.

The reality of advertising and marketing is more inclined towards the uniqueness and familiarity of a logo, rather than its likeability. One doesn’t really have to be a fan of the color red, but the sales of Coke and Kit-Kat aren’t affected by color preferences. This is because consumers now connect their name and logo to the quality and taste of the product they’re getting, and make their purchasing decisions accordingly.

The real goal here is to make the product or service worthy of leading the market. Definitions of beauty, art, and aesthetics could vary from country to country, culture to culture, and even from one individual to another. The logo should be there as a symbol of how the output of a company gives consumers what they want.

A few examples of this phenomenon are Google, Starbucks, and maybe even Facebook. Whether their respective logos are actually ugly is a matter of personal opinion. Still, many may agree that they are not works of art, nor do they provide a pleasant viewing experience.

However, no one can say that these huge and well-known companies are any less successful because of their logos. On the contrary, the excellent services, products, and effective marketing strategies have made these ventures a roaring success. Their popularity doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon.

6. Mistaking The Talent Involved

When you hire the services of a professional, you need to appreciate their efforts to get where they are. It doesn’t matter whether they work with their hands or using a computer screen. Hard work and talent is what gets you a good quality product or service, and logo designing is no exception.

When you are looking for someone to design your logo, then, be sure to give them enough time and space to accomplish their task.

Simply put, a good logo design may take several days or weeks to perfect. The designer is also the one who can best guide you on what would look good on different kinds of packaging as well as on screens and billboards. Hence, one should not underestimate a freelance graphic designer and let them work their magic on their own as much as possible. Sure, you may have your own ideas, but only insist upon them if you are knowledgeable in the area yourself.

7. Logos of Any Kind Could Work For Any Company

This kind of thinking is the opposite of the myth that focuses too much on a logo representing a company’s activities. It’s true that being too choosy would not get you anywhere, but not thinking at all isn’t the way to go. Sure, going for just about any logo would save you money. However, it would also present certain risks.

It is true that a company’s activities cannot all be shown in one simple logo. However, there should be some sort of connection in order to create an association. It’s not necessary to showcase just what you do, but a bit of a story is nice. For instance, the Baskin Robbin’s logo has the number of flavors they offer. Apple doesn’t have a computer in their logo, but a simple apple shape with a bite taken out of it. These symbols are unique and symbolic enough to make people think of the brands associated with them.

8. A High Level of Complexity Is Required

While the best logo designs may take a lot of time and effort, they don’t have to be complex works of art. As mentioned above, the fact that one can have even an ugly logo and still be successful is quite informative. The same case applies when we’re talking about the complexity of logo designs.

It doesn’t take much to see that the simplicity of famous logos. Just look at the neat and clean cut of the Mercedes logo, which has been a symbol of this particular brand for decades. The same goes for the ubiquitous Apple, as well as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

In fact, when brands start expanding and reinventing themselves, they usually opt for a simplification of their current logo rather than making it more complex. After all, one is looking to grab attention and not have customers trying to make sense of a certain logo. Clean designs, clear and bold colors or contrasts, and a neat font is the way to go for logo design. Swirling letters and a multitude of colors are harder to decipher and may even be misconstrued.

9. Logo Designs Are Very Costly

If you hire a professional logo designer, it could set you back quite a pretty penny. This is only to be expected since a high-quality logo involves a great amount of effort. It is also quite a time-consuming task when all is said and done.

However, there is definitely a cheaper way to get a suitable logo for your brand. Instead of a professional designer, one can always choose to hire the services of a logo design company. These would give any company their required logo at a reasonable rate. The outcome may not be as artistic as with an individual, but it would do for many startups. Plus, who’s to say one can’t change their logo as their brand expands and develops? Below is an illustration of how Pepsi’s logo has changed not once, but several times since their initial launch.

10. Logo Designs Are an Unnecessary Expense

This myth is quite an unfortunate one, especially when it comes to modern marketing. While a logo doesn’t have the role in customer retention that a high-quality output would have, it is certainly a very useful tool.

A proper logo with updated designing is just as worthy of investment as a social media profile. The two actually have several parallels. You could create a very attractive profile and page online, but it is the content and the customer service that would get you customers. At the same time, the importance of investing time, effort, and money in your online page does not diminish. Perhaps it is best if we think of logos as a way of establishing a presence in the real world just like we establish a social media presence. this would certainly help to deal with most of the misconceptions and myths surrounding logo design today.

Wrap-Up…

The most major aspect of logo designing is perhaps the fact that it needs to be original. This is because it is going to be connected with your company for a long, long time. Hence, it is worth the investment one puts into it. It is perhaps better to opt for the most professional and unique design one can afford. The expense would soon be covered by the sales increased due to the logo’s recognition!