Following are what I consider “Five Basic Rules for Shaping a Successful Logo.” As mentioned in the first installment, Artistic Guide For Small Business Owners, the goal of this series is not to recreate the wheel. Several articles of this nature have been published before, but my goal is to put that information into layman’s terms for the average, small business owner who may not be artistically inclined. I’ve also coupled this information with common scenarios among the small business community.

Let’s jump right in!

Rule # 1 - Is it a Logo or Illustration?

This is important, and you should know which one you are expecting BEFORE you commission that outstanding artist to create the “heart” of your identity! There are at least five different types of logos, which is beyond the scope of this article. But what you should know is that logos are simple, use no more than three colors, and are often composed of basic shapes to form a graphic representation. Illustrations are much more complex. Neither is right or wrong, but ultimately boils down to a matter of preference and what you feel would best represent your product or service. Logos are easier to remember because of their simplicity, while illustrations may take more time to establish. Illustrations are not as commonly used among modern business identities.

Let’s compare Nike’s swoosh logo with Wendy’s corporate identity, which uses an illustration of a girl with pigtails. Which identity is more effective and easier to remember? When we see the swoosh logo, we automatically think “Nike.” We don’t think “McDonalds,” because we know their logo uses the yellow French fries that form the letter “M.” However, depending on how we view the illustration of Wendy, we could possibly mistake her for McKee’s Little Debbie…even though both identities are well established.

Keep in mind that “less is more” when it comes to branding and identity. You should carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of an illustration before you decide to use it over a logo. I’ve encountered situations where using an illustration was absolutely necessary, but logos are normally your safer bet.

Rule # 2 - The ClipArt Affair

This could have easily made the first rule! There has been a growing trend of small business owners using clipart as their logo. There are several reasons why should not do this. First of all, most free clipart is for personal use only, which means you can’t use it commercially. There is normally a fee to use clipart commercially, and even then, THE CLIPART WAS NEVER DESIGNED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS. Wouldn’t it be better to just hire an artist to create something original for you?

Let’s say you luck out and find some really good clipart that you can use commercially. There’s a high probability that someone else REALLY likes that clipart too. No one has claims to free clipart except for the artist who created it. If the work is made available for free use, it’s normally a “come-one-come-all” sort of thing.

Ultimately, a logo should be a unique and original work of art that represents your company and its product or services. Anything other than that is not a logo, and that goes for clip art, too.

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Tags: graphic design, image, LinkedIn, logo, packaging, presentation, professional artist, small business, visual arts, web preference