The most visible and commonly used form of visual communication between a company and its customers is the logo. It identifies and distinguishes one company from another and tells a story about the history, quality, and type of products of services offered. Because all of these attributes must be communicated in a single mark, the designer is faced with a difficult challenge. In addition to what it must convey, it must also be easily and immediately deciphered at all sizes, whether reduced in size to fit a business card, shown for a brief second on television, or emblazoned larger than life on a billboard. Logos are the ultimate form of visual shorthand and the first step in creating any identity program.

There are two main types of logos: logomarks and logotypes. Logo marks are self-contained symbols of an organization that use unique shapes and graphics to convey the nature of the business. Sometimes marks use the initials of the company, such as IBM (International Business Machines), and sometimes they are pictorial and suggestive of the products a company produces, such as Bell Telephone (the logo has a telephone icon). Either way, the logo marks must be executed in a simple fashion to achieve maximum recognition and memorability.

Logotypes are usually less abstract than logomarks, and are composed of the letterforms that spell the company’s name. Such is the case for Canon, or Boeing Airplanes. They are predominantly type treatments, and careful attention has been given to selecting a typeface, or even developing a completely new, and copyrighted font. These typefaces are designed to evoke an emotional response from the viewer, and develops identity recognition.

Logo shapes help customers quickly identify the company or organization they represent. Logos should be complex in meaning and concept, yet simple in execution. Complex logo design can significantly alter a customers ability to remember the company. Simple shapes, circles, squares and triangles (or variations of each), can also significantly aid in customer memory. The order in which customers decipher logos are: color, shape, and content.

The Goals of a Logo

1. To tell the audience about a company, and its products and/or services.

2. To be unique.

3. To be memorable.

4. To be timeless

5. To be applied to all forms of visual communication in a consistent manner.

A logo is a tactic which should be part of a more encompassing public relations strategy known as a visual identity program. A visual identity program consists of research and planning, design and presentation.

In a way, a logo is like any other PR tactic, such as a news conference or a newspaper ad — it is most effective when it is understood as a carefully designed element of a master plan with some clearly defined objectives.

A visual identity program consists of standardized type faces, a standardized layout for signs, plus guidelines affecting all other means by which an organization expresses itself visually.

The logo may first appear on a letterhead and business cards.  This is only a beginning.  At some future date the organization might want to present certificates of merit to its members, or awards to people who have helped the organization. The organization might want to produce lapel pins or even tee shirts or tote bags. What about a web page, a video or TV commercial, or a multimedia CD-ROM? All of these current or future projects should be considered before a logo design is undertaken.

A logo design often comes as a result of a brainwave by someone intimately involved with an organization, but it can also come from an outsider. As with modern expressionist art, the logic that goes into conceiving a logo is often difficult to trace to its origins. One thing is certain, though, the process by which a logo idea is examined, discussed and tested must be a thorough and painstaking one.

People are often surprised at the amount a graphic design firm will charge for a logo. Corporations of the magnitude of IBM and DuPont can spend upwards of a million dollars on a logo design and visual identity program. The IBM case has become a standard for a proper logo design process. The reasons for the hefty pricetag becomes clear when one considers the amount of research and testing involved to reach an approved design.

For organizations with less resources, there are still a few things that can be done to ensure that the choice of a logo is the correct one.

First of all, there must be a clear idea of what the organization wants to communicate about its corporate culture. This is not as easy to determine as one might first imagine. Even though the organization may have a mission statement, plus a set of goals and objectives, the organization has to have a very clear notion of itself as a distinct individual within a competitive corporate universe. As soon as you involve more than one person in the process of identifying a corporation’s culture or personality, the dimensions of this personality can expand. Sometimes a great deal of negotiation is needed to reach a consensus, sometimes everything just clicks right and there is unanimous agreement. At any rate, there has to be a great deal of discussion by many within the organization to begin the process of developing a visual identity.

Once these parameters are determined, the organization can begin to identify some of its key publics and determine how it wishes to be perceived by these publics.  It is one thing to know what your logo means, but are your partners, customers and potential customers going to understand the concept?

The process of logo design can be a painstaking one. When design parameters have been reached, there is the next important step — the graphic design and typography.

Welcome to Archipela! We help our clients evolve their business by designing the right print, web, or motion graphics at the right time. The uniqueness of Archipela lies in its graphical ability to inspire, and by building environments for clients that entertain, educate, and allow for the evolution of their business.

Archipela was founded in 1999 with a business model based on the theory of evolution. In order to survive, a business must adapt to it’s environment. We believe that through a process of visualization of our clients’ environment, we facilitate and enhance business survival and in the end, provide the right graphics at the right time.

Archipela designs environments in which a business can transform into a different form, at a pace according to their own interests. Adaptation requires thoughtful and purposeful design. Archipela focuses on a caring and insightful process that is customer focused to ensure that business goals are developed, and allows for a measure of success.

“Archipela combines creative genius with strategic vision to create value. I would not trust my marketing program to any other company. Archipela understands consumer behaviour and the power of the Internet. Their ability to combine creative genius with strategic vision makes them an essential asset to any company wanting to grow business.”

Zakiah Kassam, Gentsia Consulting