This is part two of my series on what makes a logo really good. Here I’m going to talk about why a logo should be memorable.
Simplicity again
Previously I said that a logo should be iconic in its simplicity. But a logo should also be simple enough that people remember it well.
A logo represents a business or product and if people can’t recall what it looks like when it’s not in front of them then it’s not doing its job. If people can’t remember it, it may also mean they can’t remember or understand exactly what that business does – another failure in marketing terms.
Describable too
A logo should also be memorable enough that it’s possible to describe it easily. Keeping the shapes simple and using only one visual trick or technique will help with this. Logos that rely on glossy shading or gradients will often fail this test, as they are not a uniquely describable shape or composition.
A clever idea will help a logo become instantly memorable. But it’s worth noting that an idea can’t be too subtle, or you will make people have to think to get it – and that prevents them from remembering it.
Examples
The examples I’ve shown above are a small collection of logos which I think are memorable. They are all very simple and have very few visual elements, which helps them to be easily remembered.
So in summary, a good logo should be memorable enough to instantly embed itself in the minds of people who see it. You can’t keep repeating the logo everywhere in the hope it sinks in – it’s more effective to be instantly memorable. This is especially important in today’s fast paced and visually crowded world, where businesses often over compensate by using complicated tricks in their logos in an effort to stand out.
In the next article in the series I will talk about how a logo should be adaptable.
