Understanding Logo Design

Understanding Logo Design

Bravo Media - Understanding Logo Design

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Your company logo is the cornerstone of your image. It’s the first thing people look at, and your first opportunity to make a positive impression on potential customers. A logo is the visual representation of a company or organization, which forms the foundation of its corporate identity. It is a name, symbol, monogram, emblem, trademark, or other graphic device designed for easy and definitive recognition by the company’s audience. Basically, logo is an illustration of your entire company image, which is then communicated to your prospect in a graphic or symbolic way. A professionally designed logo attracts attention, and leaves an everlasting impression in people’s minds. It is true! Look at Nike, the famous shoe company, as an example. When you see that “swoosh” logo, you immediately know that is Nike. McDonald’s, Gulf Air, Toyota, Alba, Coca-Cola, HP (Hewlett Packard), MTC Vodafone and Whirlpool are few more prominent examples. There are numerous other examples that could be cited, that you probably see every day and undoubtedly you can appreciate the power a simple, welldesigned logo and Corporate Identity can have for your business. Business and marketing experts urge all business owners to “brand” their businesses with a logo, corporate colors and a set of consistent marketing materials - a brand identity system. However, they rarely explain the reasons behind this advice. A logo and consistent marketing materials can increase and stabilize your sales and revenue.

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Three basic Logo Types Nearly all logos can be organized into three basic types: Fontbased logos are very old theory and generally are easier to develop. Examples are Coca-Cola, Xerox, IBM, and Sony. These logos use type treatments with a little twist to make them distinctive. But these logos have no inherent meaning, it often takes a long time and expensive branding, advertising, and marketing to get them established in the marketplace. Other logos contain icons and images that depict what a company does, such as when a transportation company uses an illustration of a truck in its logo. A medical company uses a capsule, tablet or Red Cross to depict the medical field. This concept became a bit old fashioned in this digital age. Modern thinking over thrown this age-old symbolic theory. Batelco, Abdullah Nass Group are the contemporary examples to come up with this modern new look to their corporate identity. Finally, there are abstract graphic symbols, such as the Apple Computers and “Swoosh.” If done correctly, these types of logos can be very powerful and create an emotional bond with viewers.

Old Identity

New Identity

Old Identity

New Identity

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Short History of Logo Design Logo design has its roots in Ancient Greece with the use of symbols consisting of one or more letters. These typically represented the initial letters of a person or place for use on stationery and signs. Many early Greek and Roman coins bear the logos of rulers or towns. During the Middle Ages, similar logos were seen in abundance in ecclesiastical and commercial use. By the thirteenth century, these simple letterforms had evolved into trademarks for merchants. These early examples of logo design include marks for masons, goldsmiths, paper makers, and nobility. By the 1700s, every trader and dealer had a trademark or stamp. The industrial revolution caused a dramatic gain in the value and importance of trademarks. By the 1950s, with the emergence of national and multinational corporations, trademarks began to move beyond symbols, using larger design systems to unify all communications, to accomplish identifiable goals. Today, company logos have become the faces of business and our economy. The general public has become very responsive to logos, their meanings, and their implementations. Because of the diversity of products and services available, the need for innovative and well thought-out logo and corporate identity design is central to a company’s success.

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Why Logo is important to business? Logos trigger people’s memories of previous experiences with the company and other implementations of the logo, leaving a greater impact than words alone can do. This is the simplest and most direct way of promoting a business presence; a logo describes a company or organization without a lengthy explanation. Try to think of such companies as Coca-Cola or FedEx without recalling their logos. These companies have established an identity with their logos, which greatly impacts their sales. If a logo appears amateurish or derivative, so will be the public’s perception of the company it represents. A welldesigned logo will help to increase visibility and, in turn, sales. A professionally designed logo shows that you are committed to both your business and your clients. It also makes you look like you have been around for some time, and that you are stable. Some clients look for a well-defined company, and “look and feel” may be one of their criteria in making a purchasing decision. Others are “wowed” by professional-looking materials, and your logo may impress them into buying. A logo makes you look experienced and professional, and can go a long way towards making your business appear credible. And, if you’d like to be known as an expert in your field, this type of credibility is the first thing you have to establish.

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Forty percent of people better remember what they see than what they hear or read. So having graphics associated with your business and having consistent graphics on your business materials make you more likely to come to the forefront of potential clients’ minds when they have a need for your goods or services. A well-designed logo and an identity system can put you far above the competition, especially if they are paired with a strong marketing program. If you present a well-rounded business package, including marketing materials and graphics, your business will look more complete. Especially if you are a consultant, you need a logo in order to build an image and a brand that is bigger than your individual identity. If you are running a larger business, the logo will begin to create a brand or face for your business, and to personalize the larger business entity. You may not have been in business “since 1908,” but if you have invested in an identity, you are much less likely to fold in the eyes of your customers. It goes a long way toward building that all-important “trust.” Brands are multifaceted concepts that have a visible and non-visible structure. According to brand theorists approximately 85 per cent of a brand concept is recognized through its visual parts, for example,

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name and logo, and 15 per cent is created through unseen valueadding processes inside the organization. Get a powerful eye-catching logo and increase your sales! A quality logo can instantly and intuitively communicate the style, professionalism, overall presence, and even philosophy of a business! Simple, but not easy… To create a powerful logo you need a skilled design and marketing team that will put all its experience, knowledge, and talent into your project. No matter what your tastes, marketing goals, budget, and deadlines are - our talented and experienced design team will assist you to create a special visual identity for your company. Our mission is to assist organizations to achieve their goals through the appropriate and effective corporate identity. We specialize in conceptualizing, designing and development. Our staff understands a wide range of business processes and has expertise with the latest proven record of accomplishment. We are skilled in presenting detailed concepts, theories or each and every shape and color so that our clients can make informed decisions. We offer a special range of professional services that meet the needs of many different organizations. Dedicated To Multiplying Your Revenues, Advertising & Marketing Team of Bravo Media, Contact details : Tel: (+973) 17272161 Fax: (+973) 17272162 PO Box: 1689, Manama Bahrain. Mohammed Abdul Rahim, Mob: (+973) 36412059 K. Krishna Mohan Reddy, Mob: (+973) 39847052 e-mail:[email protected]

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Since time and space not permit to present all of our sample works, we took the liberty to present few of the following samples from our developed corporate identities. NOTE: Concept Theories & Color Schemes of the above logo developments are not available on this document due to confidenciality purpose.

Veneto Italian Kitchen, a fast food brand developed by Al Jazira Group (Restaurants Division), Kingdom of Bahrain

Al Kindi Specialised Hospital, corporate identity developed for Dr. Ibtesam Dallal the well known dentist of the Kingdom.

Vintage Interior Decor company a new division to the prominent Dadabhai Group of Companies, on the island.

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New corporate identity created for one of the prominent business entity of the region.

Modern corporate identity created for an up-coming advertising agency in Damascus, Syria.

Classic corporate identity created for a real estate division of prominent business group of Abdullah Nass of Bahrain.

Elegant corporate identity created for a garments import and export company based in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

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Corporate identity created for Dadabhai Groups’ new offset printing division, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Corporate identity created for a construction company, Kingdom of Bahrain.

Corporate identity created for Saudi Arabia based technical trading establishment.

NOTE: Concept Theories & Color Schemes of the above logo developments are not available on this document due to confidenciality purpose.

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Old Identity

New Identity

Concept Theory Bahrain Pipes Factory a well-known division of Haji Hassan Group, Bahrain based leading company manufacturing plastic pipes in the region. The corporate identity of the company created at the early stages of the establishment. The identity is not having an impressive look to add value & prestige to the firm. It is the time to redesign or modify the corporate identity. This is the right time for a new look to the industry. But since the management is not interested to bring a complete new identity, with limited possibilities we put our knowledge and efforts to enhance the looks of the existing identity. The motif of a multicolored modification to the logo to enhance the looks of the identity with a feel good factor. Bevel embossed button effect added to the logo to gives a modern look. The new logo retains the character & shape of the previous one, but is now modernized and softened, replacing the flat shape with a button effect. The age-old flat and static ribbon given a professional shape that brings motion to the over all identity. The perfect location for the placement of the new ribbon in front of the beveled BP circle is the most important to enhance the over all look of the identity. This new logo is a symbol of a new time for BP - and to its management. The new look brings freshness to the firm among its customers. The new identity symbolizes the change that happened in the management

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and its policies within the company. Color Theory Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven. Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity. You can use blue to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning liquids), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral water). As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. Use blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products. Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.

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