When starting a company or starting a new business, you will almost certainly need to create a logo. However, since the logo will be used for a long time, many people may be wondering what kind of design they should use and how they should create it.
Therefore, in this article, we will provide an overview of logos and explain the points to consider when creating a logo. We will also introduce four possible ways to create a logo, so please use it as a reference.
What is a logo?
First, I will explain the outline of the logo. Logo is an abbreviation for “logotype” and refers to an illustration of a character string or text.
It is also said that the history of logos began with the cylindrical seals of the Mesopotamian civilization. The story takes place around 2300 BC, so you can tell that it has a very deep history. Nowadays, it is used as an emblem to represent a company’s brand image, or on product packaging.
Three typical types of logos
So far, we have provided an overview of the logo. However, did you know that there are three main types of logos?
- symbol mark
- logo mark
- logotype
Here, we will explain each difference in turn.
symbol mark
A symbol mark is a stylized representation of the characteristics of an organization, whether it is a company, group, or individual, regardless of the number of people involved. A typical example is the family crest. The symbol mark is Japanese-English and is a combination of a symbol and a mark.
logo mark
A logo mark is a stylized image of a company or product. If you are reading this article, you are probably familiar with the word logo, which in many cases refers to this logo mark. The logo mark will also be in Japanese and English.
logotype
Next, a logotype refers to a stylized version of the characters (text) such as a company name, personal name, or product name. The logotype is in English and is a combination of logo (words) + type (printed letters). The term was originally used in British type foundries.
Important things when creating a logo
So far, we have explained the outline and types of logos. Here are some important things to know when creating a logo.
- Set up a persona
- do branding
- Match your logo to the medium in which it will be used
- Can it be recognized even when enlarged/reduced?
- Create a design that can be used even as your company grows
Let’s look at each in turn.
Set up a persona
First, define
the persona
you want to see your logo. A persona is the image of an individual that your company wants to deliver its products or services to. However, it is important to note that personas and targets are very different.
The target audience represents a general user image, such as “women in their 40s.” However, there is no doubt that each woman’s situation is different, with some women in their 40s having more than 10 million yen in savings, while others have an annual income of only around 1 million yen. For these, the persona is determined in detail, such as “Female in her 40s, annual income of 10 million yen, married, and her hobby is cooking.”
The reason why you need to decide on a persona is because if you don’t decide on a persona, there is a high possibility that the design will not be understood by anyone. For example, if the persona (target) of a company or product is a young person, such as someone in their 20s, the required design will be completely different than if the persona (target) of the company or product is a relatively elderly person, such as someone in their 60s or older.
Of course, it is important to incorporate the image a company wants to project into the design of a logo, but even more important is to start by clarifying who is looking for the logo.
do branding
Next, it is important to be aware of
branding
through your logo. Branding is a word that means creating a brand from scratch that strongly promotes a company’s brand. By increasing the brand power of your company or service, you will be able to recognize what kind of service it is just by looking at your logo, giving you a very strong competitive advantage.
In order to achieve branding as described above, it is important to include at least the image color and concept in the logo. For example, many users can judge a company just by looking at the McDonald’s M logo or Nike’s Swoosh logo.
When branding with a logo is successful, users can be given the image of “XX company” or “XX product” just by looking at the logo, which can easily lead to business growth.
Match your logo to the medium in which it will be used
Next, it is important to match the design to the media and products in which the logo will be used. This is because there are cases where it is necessary to transform the logo depending on the medium used. For example, the logo used on business cards and homepages does not need to be transformed even if the medium is different. However, when using the logo on things such as ballpoint pens, it becomes necessary to transform the logo itself.
Therefore, create a design that matches the medium in which the logo will be used, and if the medium is different and needs to be transformed, make sure to solidify those images in advance.
Can it be recognized even when enlarged/reduced?
It is also important to be able to recognize the logo even when it is enlarged or reduced. For example, the size and format of banners used in web advertisements vary depending on the screen width on which they are displayed.
Therefore, unless the logo is recognizable even when enlarged or reduced, it will not be possible to cover all banner sizes and formats. It is a good idea to aim for a design that allows the logo to be properly recognized even when enlarged or reduced.
Create a design that can be used even as your company grows
Finally, even as your company grows, it’s important to create a logo with a usable design. As mentioned above, it is important to be aware of branding when using a logo, so if you change the logo later, there is a risk that the purchase rate from existing users will decrease.
Of course, the logo may change depending on the size and phase of the company. However, be sure to carefully consider the design before creating it to avoid having to change it as much as possible.
4 ways to create a logo
So far, we have explained the important things when creating a logo. Here are four typical ways to create a logo.
- Create it yourself
- Hire a freelance designer
- Request a design company (company)
- Crowdsourcing competition
Let’s look at each in turn.
Create it yourself
The first method is to simply create it in-house. If you have an in-house designer, this is the simplest way to create one. The advantage of creating it in-house is that it is difficult to create a misunderstanding in communication. Since your company has the best understanding of the characteristics of your company’s products and services, you will naturally be able to incorporate your brand colors and appeal into your logo. If you ask someone outside your company to create the process, there will inevitably be misunderstandings in communication, and you may not be able to guarantee speed.
On the other hand, the disadvantage of creating logos in-house is that resources will be devoted to logo creation, which may strain other tasks. To prevent this, make sure to use resources that do not interfere with other work. Canva, a popular image design software that also has a free plan, also offers many logo templates.
Hire a freelance designer
The next option is to hire a freelance designer. The average cost when hiring a freelance designer varies depending on the number of media, but it can be created for around 10,000 to 20,000 yen. If you hire a company, the cost will be around 30,000 to 50,000 yen, even if the quality is the same. Therefore, the advantage of freelancing is that you can order at a low cost while ensuring quality.
On the other hand, if you place an order with a specific individual freelancer, even if you want to change the designer after placing your order, you will not be able to do so because the designer is an individual. Therefore, the disadvantage of being a freelance designer is that the client has to bear the risk of not being able to make changes.
Therefore, check their track record and if there are no problems, consider hiring a freelance designer.
Request a design company (company)
Another option is to ask a design company to create one for you. For design companies, the cost ranges from 30,000 yen to 50,000 yen. Although it is a little more expensive than freelance work, the advantage is that you can ask for changes if the person in charge is not a good fit, and you can guarantee a sense of speed. If I had to pick a disadvantage, it would be that the unit price is higher than that of freelancing, but considering the advantages of being able to request changes, etc., I would say that there are no major disadvantages.
Depending on your company’s situation and what you are looking for, you may want to choose between a freelancer and a company.
Crowdsourcing competition
The final method is to create one through a crowdsourcing competition. Crowdsourcing refers to a platform that connects those who request work with those who receive the work.
If you hold a crowdsourcing competition, many freelancers and companies will submit designs according to your company’s needs, and you will be able to choose a logo that matches your image. Also, you can run competitions that fit your company’s budget, so it’s easy to budget.
On the other hand, if the number of entries for a competition is small or if no attractive logos come up, the disadvantage of a competition is that it only costs money.
Depending on the level of quality you are looking for, consider multiple options such as freelance, corporate, and competition.
summary
In this article, we have explained the outline of logos and how to create them. A logo is an important part of the brand image of a company, individual, or product. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind things such as setting personas and making sure branding is possible when creating your website.
There are also several ways to create a logo, such as asking a freelancer to create one or recruiting one through a competition. Therefore, why not start by solidifying the image of your logo and considering the best way to create it?