BRANDING: The Allure of Logos

The logo is caught in a strange land, somewhere between the mark of a proud craftsman, and our post-modern notion of the brand as the fulfillment of a promise. Like a poem, that can encapsulate an amalgam of image, emotion and metaphor, the logo embodies a dream-like notion between what is and what can be.

In our visually-oriented and increasingly sophisticated world in which the concept of branding itself is ever evolving, the logo remains the easiest way to identity an organization. From timeless symbols like the cross, to modern abstract mark like the Nike swoosh, these icons have permeated our consciousness. It takes dozens, hundreds, even thousands of exposures of an abstract mark for our brains to register the connection with an organization independently.

But as Paul Rand, the father of modern corporate identity, wrote, it is not the logo that brings meaning to the organization, but the organization that brings meaning to the logo. A poorly designed logo, like the overlapping Rs in the Rolls-Royce symbol, are imbued with the prestige of the automobiles, not the other way around.

Milton Glaser called the logo, the launching point for the brand – the springboard from which all marketing activity emanates. That’s a lot of pressure for a little mark, and today’s brand-oriented world, the logo is the outcome of strategic objectives, organizational personality and consumer concerns.

From the organization’s perspective, the logo is the easiest way to summarize its vision, promise and personality. Logo must do much in a small space — communicate a notion of what the organization does, distinguish it from competitors, and suggest a promise of a betterment.

The designer is concerned with formal properties — how to use line, image, tone, contrast, type and color in the most expedient of ways. Like an ant, each element must pull ten times its weight if the ensemble is carry its effect and be aesthetically pleasing — with all parts working in harmony.

On top of that, it must be memorable — perhaps through a clever subversion of the familiar, unexpected juxtaposition of elements or dash of wit. Perhaps that is why they are so appealing.

Are we logoed out? Hardly. The logo is still the most useful tool for communicating and consumers for identifying. And designers — we are endlessly fascinated with discovering new twists on old notions, and novel ways of communicating more with less. Long live the logo!