After receiving many requests from you, we decided to implement the Invisible function in Online Logo Maker.

Q: What can I do with it?
A: You will now be able to remove parts of the symbols that are not useful to you.

Q: So what’s the deal about it?
A: This opens a new range of possibilities in your creative process. Old symbols can now be turn into something completely different with the use of this function.

Q: I still don’t get it…
A: Check out the sample we made for you:

First we load the Delivery guy that we find in the Delivery / Storage category:

Now, we use the Invisible button to remove the box that he is carrying:

Then we load a food bowl symbol, present in the Restaurants / Food / Beverages category:

We now mix both symbols, and voilà, we have a food delivery guy!

Want to know more about Online Logo Maker? Check also our tutorial.

There is no better example of how a logo can capture the imagination of your target audience and even exist beyond your own communication than the I love NY campaign. You see this logo everywhere and the font, format, colors and concept have been used again and again by others on tee shirts, coffee mugs blog posts and even in fine art.

The city of London is seeking a similarly iconic branding idea for itself and the outpouring of ideas from all corners of the design community have been really fascinating. Fascinating because of the sheer volume of interest, but also because of the creative and conceptual level of the dialogue. Take a few minutes to review the entries, their ideas and the comments of others on these ideas here and here. The concepts volunteered by the bidders are excellent. Many are building from the simplicity of the ubiquitous underground logo and everyone is looking for a show stopper like the I love NY logo.

One very interesting thing emerging during this debate is wether a logo is the main goal or not. One excellent bidder emphasized their system that included a simple graphic bar, unique typeface and use suggestions instead of a simple logo concept. Use and placement are very important of course and rules of use and placement will be a part of the final design concept, but are they more important than the logo itself?

In a terrific post, David Airey gathered an excellent collection of 15 simple but memorable logo designs. Some are truly iconic such as the ones for the World Wildlife Fund, Shell, Bayer, USA Network, Underground, Mitsubishi, 3M, Apple and Penguine others may be more recognizable in the UK but are still reasonably good examples of the point – Your target market will likely take only a fleeting glimpse at your logo and a simple one may be a better choice.

Here are several factors you need to carefully consider as you develop your logo design:

COLOR

There are many studies available to help you deterimne a color or series of colors appropriate for your logo. Consult with a number of those studies first, then review and categorize your top ten (10) competitors. Do you see any patterns? Is there an obvious gap between the colors from studies, your product or message and your competition? If there is no appropriate gap, should you join your competitors instead? Do they know something you don’t?

PROPORTION

Really great logos are well balanced and generally fit in a simple box or circle. The best examples of this are the ones for the WWF, Shell, Bayer, Underground, Misubishi, 3M, Apple and Penguin. Each of these have come to mean something to virtually everyone. Each is synominous with the brand itself and need nother more to tell their message. While this is a worthy goal, no logo will get there on its own. If this is something important to you, then keep the proportions righ and back it up with constant use of the logo in everything you do and eventually you may get there.

CONTRAST

As noted in each of the examples, the best logos have deep contrast with strong light/dark divisions through color (3M) or black and white (WWF). Bold contrast is another key element.

USE

Outside of the design itself, you need to consider where, when and how often your logo will be displayed. Will the logo be used for a product, a website, your building or other medium that cannot be changed easily? A black logo will not work on black packaging and would even look strange on a tan background. Business cards and stationary can be changed easily, but other considerations may be less flexible.

COMPETITION

As noted above, you need to gather the logos of your top competitors (along with their supporting logos – see Coca-Cola for example) as well as ten or so logos from lessor competitors that you find striking. Group them by color, by message, by shape etc to see if there is a general industry standard. You will need to determine if your logo should conform to the conventions of your industry, and if not, why not? You will also want to be careful that your logo is not too similar to the others that could lead to confusion or even trademark infringement.

INSPIRATION

Like your competition, it would also be helpful to gather a number of additional logos from other firms you find inspirational. Like the logos of your competitors, you should group these inspiration logos by color, by message, by shape and other characteristics and comment on each as to why you like it and what it means relative to your own logo design concept. These logos can help you forge an iconic niche among your competition or help you justify why you will deviate from the standards of your competition.

YOU

Finally, your ideal logo should tell your story like the WWF panda bear. When that was designed there was much in the news about the plight of the Great Pandas and it made a great symbol of their cause. Are you local or international? Are you selling a product or a service? Write down your mission statement and next to it prepare a list of other characteristics that are unique to you including but not necessarily limited to your:

LOCATION
– Country
– City and/or State
– Geography
– Building
– Landmarks

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS
– Your Industry
– Your Product
– Your Market
– Your Owner(s)
– Your Name

Remember, that until you get as large and as reconizable as 3M, Shell or the WWF, you can always change or modify your logo until you find the combination that delivers the best results.