A Smart Logo Gives You the Tools to Brand
by Martin Miglioretti
June 01, 2009
By Martin Miglioretti, Creative Director
So many companies and entrepreneurs say they want a logo that tells their story and looks great. A great logo doesn't tell the story — it begins it. And it's certainly not true that everybody just needs a great looking logo. There's a difference between looking good and looking smart.
Successful branding relies on a unique strategy and an effective execution. Once you have a smart logo concept, you have the basis for the colors, typefaces, graphic style, tone and manner of all the visual and aural media you need to build a campaign.
A smart logo is functional. A functional logo design works in all sizes, in all media, in color or black and white. I still hear people say they want their logo to fax correctly. That's also an excellent test of functionality. A smart logo doesn't necessarily have to fax well. It depends on the design strategy, which is based on who the logo represents, what types of people will see it most often, where it will be seen and how it must be reproduced.
Simpler is better, but "appropriate" is smarter. I was taught that nature is the best designer and nature always uses the least of anything. Nobody has a handle on this concept more than the Japanese. All nations' flags are unique, but the "Rising Sun" is the most unique of all. However, as a logo, it falls short in functionality. A Japanese flag doesn't work in black and white but it is a flag, and all flags must be displayed in color as part of their design strategy. It uses only red. It is, therefore, appropriate as a flag, and a very smart design.
An appropriate logo for the web may not work well in print mediums. Many logos for the web appear more 3-dimensional, and use gradients and transparent shapes. This is less functional in print because it requires full color reproduction at all times, somewhat prohibitive. But there are exceptions. The new Chevron Corporation logo was recently re-designed to look more Web-like. It evolved the brand equity of the previous version and can be reproduced in the same three colors. Likewise AT&T — now "at&t," so the wordmark looks more personable.
An inappropriate logo can kill the claim. These are typically produced by someone who lacked a strategy, or the resources to develop one. If your logo looks horsey or complicated, your claim will seem that way too. Brand messaging is important but remember, a smart logo doesn't have to tell the whole story. It functions as a stage from which the story is told.
An exemplary logo design strategy is demonstrated in the Pittsburgh Steelers logo. Introduced in 1962, and based on the "Steelmark" logo originally owned by U.S. Steel, it consists of the black word "Steelers" surrounded by three astroids (note the spelling). The original meanings of the astroids were, "Steel lightens your work, brightens your leisure and widens your world." Later, the colors came to represent the three ingredients used in the steel-making process: yellow for coal, orange for iron ore, and blue for scrap steel. The black and yellow became the basis for the "black and gold" color in the Steelers' uniforms, and the logo typeface - Futura Condensed - is used in the letters of the players' names on back of the jerseys.
Now there's the tools of a champion brand.