A Call to Proper Research Prior to Your Logo Creation: Four Principles Of Logo Design: Part 1
A Call to Proper Research Prior to Your Logo Creation
As a follow up to our original article about logo design “Four Principles Of Logo Design“, we are going to take an in-depth look at four of the major principles that David Ogilvy adhered to in all of his major advertising campaigns. We will be examining these principles in four separate articles.
The first of the four principles is research. “Look before you leap” was a phrase that Mr. Ogilvy used often here. What and who is your competition? How does their company appear to the customer? What is identifiable about their company? How does their logo work for them? What makes their company or product appealing to customers? These are all questions that you need to answer.
Take the time to investigate your competition. This research will not only be valuable to developing the identity of your company or new product, but will be beneficial in other operational areas of your company as well. Do the research yourself. You know your company and your products. You know your long term goals. Are you planning to remain a local company? Are you targeting regional, national, or international consumers? To assign this critical research to someone else and try to convey the reasons why it is essential is really short sighted in this case. It’s worth your time to do it yourself because of your intimate knowledge of everything surrounding your company or product. Attempting to convey the importance of this task to someone else and impart the necessity of it most likely won’t be as productive. It’s worth the time and effort to do it yourself in this case. It may be prudent to charge someone to do some of the legwork for you (to seek out answers to your specific questions). But, in the end, you should stay on top of this project yourself. Again, it will prove to be an invaluable tool in the long term.
Once you have your information compiled and you’re confident in your research, it’s time to seek outside help. This is one of those areas of business where it is wise to spend money for quality help. It’s also essential to do more research to find a great designer or firm to create your logo. Find a reputable, successful designer, ask for references, and check them.
Hiring a professional designer or firm is a wise choice. Mr. Ogilvy said “Hire people who are better than you are, then leave them to get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the routine.” His quote is very applicable when it comes to finding the right person to assist you in creating a great logo for you. Once you have found someone who is up to the challenge, charge them with this task: “Don’t bunt. Aim out of the ball park. Aim for the company of immortals.” Again, this is a direct quote from Mr. Ogilvy that is extremely applicable to logo design. It’s perfect! It’s the ultimatum that needs to be placed out there when you are creating the image for your company or product. Anything short of extraordinary shouldn’t be acceptable. Always keep in mind the logos from some of the global leaders (Nike, Adidas, Chevrolet, and many more). Their logos are immediately recognizable. Strive for the same with yours.
Remember, your logo functions as a ‘credibility check’ of sorts for your product or company. A poor design will most likely net a poor result. You want a potential customer to look at your logo and say, “wow, I’d like to do business with this company.”
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