The Science behind Logo Design

Keep it simple

Make it timeless

It needs to work in both black and white

Why is a simple logo better than a more complex logo?

Well in fact none of that is true

Timeless logo’s are a necessity anymore – we’ve seen many major brands through the years redesign their logo. It’s not wise to change it annual but once in every 5+ years it can often create more excitement around your brand.

Black and White is a thing of the past, it’s an articial constraint nowadays. It was important previously when major print and publications was the most influential marketing platform but that’s no longer the case. Don’t be afraid to use bold colours.

When we blindly follow rules with questioning why, we never fully understand or get what’s going on. Hence why understanding the science logo design is so powerful.

• Focus on what’s important
• Make better decisions
• Design based on evidence versus convention or hearsay

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What makes a logo effective?

We need to approach this with some science, by looking at how the brain processes logos. We need to design for the brain. An effective logo triggers four cognitive events. In order of cognition;

1. Attention.
   An effective logo must grab our attention. With a lot of noise we’re competing with a lot of things to grab people’s attention. You have to make sure you stand out.
   
   
2. Response.
   An effective logo elicits an emotional response. This mean’s people like it without too much thought. Aesthetically pleasing, something they feel in their gut rather than something they’re trying to decipher.
   
   
3. Meaning.
   An effective logo represents appropriate meanings, expressing brand and company values. Expressing your values, is critical and show be expressed within your logo.
   
   
4. Memory.
   An effective logo is one that is remembered. The best logo’s are the one’s we remember, perhaps not for their complications or metaphorical implications but simply because our brains remember and recall them. An effective logo is one that is recognised and recalled.

These four cognitive events, taking place, in this order means you can get everything you need from an effective logo. You can get everything right with a logo design if it follows these four steps.

Pretty, simple, timeless and scalable. If you achieve a logo that has all of these four, it may not translate into an effective logo that grabs my attention, enables me to response, evokes a meaning and is something I will remember. Without these cognitive thoughts, your logo with have low value to your brand and company and won’t serve as an effective logo.

Judging a logo design against these four essential criteria, it is a sure way to predict it’s effectiveness. Forget everything else you know about logo design and how to make a successful logo. Now you know the secret to how to design an effective logo.