7 Logo Design Mistakes to Avoid

16 Jun ‘21

In: Branding & Visual Design, / By: Ripe Admin

A logo design is the simplest expression of a business; it is the face of a company. In order to successfully achieve this, a logo must visually communicate the brand’s unique identity and what it represents. A good logo is instantly memorable; it keeps the brand in the consumer’s mind at all times.

Think of your favorite brand. It likely has an instantly recognizable logo. Take Nike, for example, with its iconic swoosh. There is a deeper meaning to the logo design, based on the Greek Goddess of victory, but the logo itself has taken on a meaning of its own—it simply is the brand Nike.

If you are in the process of designing a brand logo, there are certain mistakes that you will want to avoid. Read on to learn about seven logo design mistakes to avoid for your brand.

1. Too Complex

To really capture the attention of consumers and ensure that your logo is engrained in their minds, you should avoid making an overly complex logo. A quick glance at your logo is all it should take for people to recognize the brand. Whether your logo is displayed on a business card or a billboard, it should be easily recognized.

It’s also important to avoid being too ‘topical’. Make your logo future-proof, so that in years to come, your logo won’t look dated. When it comes to future-proofing, simplicity is generally the key.

2. Failing to Make It Unique

Flagrantly copying another brand’s logo design is another big no-no. For two reasons: you may be breaking copyright rules and you may remind consumers of a different brand. Simply taking an existing logo and changing things around a bit, like the color and the font, isn’t enough to make it your own.

The point of a logo is to make it stand out; simply copying an existing logo isn’t going to do your brand any favors in the long run.

3. Overly Simplified

This is just as much of a mistake as having a logo that is overly complicated, perhaps even worse. This is a trend that has become more popular in recent years, with brands deciding to simplify their logos. However, this watering down can result in confusion about what the ‘message’ is.

The key here is to avoid a logo design that is overly abstract. Finding the perfect place between complex and simple is the task for any logo designer. For quality logo design that tells your brand’s story, Ripe Media is your number one choice.

4. Using Raster Images

Always, always avoid using raster images when designing a logo. As they cannot be scaled to any size, scaling can make the image blurry and dramatically reduce the quality of your logo.

Instead, you should use vector images for your logo. They are more flexible and will undoubtedly save you the hassle.

5. Ignoring Market Research

Jumping into logo design right from the off is a bad idea. Mainly, because market research is so crucial in understanding how you can best communicate with your customers. Given the aim of a logo is to visually communicate with consumers, it’s essential to first understand the market.

By first figuring out what your target audience is, you can design a logo that will get through to them. Market research should also look within, at your company, and assess how you want consumers to view it. Only with all of this information can you start designing an effective logo.

6. Poor Color Selection

A great logo will stand out. It can be multi-colored or black and white, but the choice of colors will be essential to how people view your logo and the brand behind it. In the same way that you wouldn’t match certain colors together when it comes to wearing clothes, you should also be aware of color clashes in logos.

It’s also best to avoid using ‘dirty’ colors in your logo. A dull gray, for instance, is unlikely to inspire any consumers to buy into your brand. The same can be said with certain shades of brown and green.

7. Not Updating Your Logo

Not every logo will stand the test of time, and updating it, or even overhauling it, can be an effective strategy to refresh a company. Pepsi, for example, has changed its logo many times in its history, often quite dramatically.

Their 1898 logo looks nothing like their present logo. It goes without saying that its present logo is far more modern than that which came before it. If your company’s logo feels more like an emblem of the past, it could be time to change things up with a logo redesign.

If you are in need of an effective branding strategy that includes your company’s logo, then our team at Ripe Media is here to help. Within our branding department, we specialize in logo design, messaging, brand development, rebranding, digital marketing, and much more.

Discover a Logo Design That Best Represents Your Brand

Your brand logo is at the heart of your company’s public message. It speaks on behalf of your company and, when done right, can convey a powerful message to consumers.

By avoiding the above design mistakes, you can create a logo design that is easily recognizable and memorable. If you are interested in designing a logo that best represents your business, speak to Ripe Media.

We are a full-service design and marketing agency that’s driven by a team of world-class creatives and producers. Let’s talk!

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