what to analyze in order to criticize

Logotypes are one of the most important designs in the visual identity communications from any company. They are (in the best cases) the summarize of several concepts, that the company wants to communicate. Not only what they are and desire, but also what they don´t. And all of these into one word (+ icon).

Why we like some logos over others? … is it a matter of look and feel or functionality? both?

Before we start, let´s make a clarification: A logo or logotype is the visual brand based on one or more letters/words, and on the other hand a isologotype is the sum of a logo and a image or icon.

Here are 14 quality indicators to help you (designer or client) recognize the quality of a logo design:

1. Generic Graphic Quality: every language, style and culture trend, based on their own codes recognized what is the optimum and what it is imperfect (Analyzing the typography, color, textures, icons, balance, harmony and unity).
2. Typology: the unity of the shapes and sets. Every sign (font face, color, texture, etc) has its own capabilities and limitations which can tell you if they are appropriate for each communication purpose. So each communication necessity will define which sign is correct and MATCH with the rest of the signs of the isologotype or visual brand. All sign have to combine in perfect harmony, to reinforce their meaning. You already heard it before “the whole is more than the sum of its parts”.
3. Style: if the typology is the matching of the isologotype components, the style is the look and feel of all together seen as a group. A line is a line, but can be hand-drawing, brushed painted or done by a computer with its pixels.
4. Evocation: is the second reading you get from a symbol. When you show a tree it is not the same a pine or a cypress … for example, the pine carries the second meaning of a Christmas tree. So the reading has to give you the right semantic.
5. Completeness: when the amount of symbols (fonts, icons, textures, etc) are the exact, the optimus and everything has its explanation to be there, then the completeness of the parts is reinforce. Remember that in design “less is more”, try to synthesize and the islogotype will be more efficient.
6. Versatile: when an actor can play different kind of roles and looks professional on them, because he prepared himself before acting, we say he or she is versatile. The same happens with a isolotype when it suits the signature of a commercial balance book, and advertisement and a packaging label and it “speaks” always the same look and feel, then the logo/brand is versatile.
7. Updated: the message your brand shows has to be set and updated to the time and space it lives … an example of an outdated isologotype was the OLIVETTI visual brand that used to have a secretary silhouette with a typing machine … when now the sell computers. So consider the font face, icons, etc in the market nowadays and future.
8. Printing Capability: the visual brand has to be designed considering all the media and materials where it can be printed, embroidered, etc. Consider these if your isolotype can not be reduced or the meaning is lost by the reduction, or if it has a shading and if it needs a 3D version.
9. Decode: target audience not only has to be able to read it, but also understand it, if they can recognize the elements used. For example you can “read” the shape of a Chinese ideogram but you can not understand the meaning.
10. Remember: are the elements of the visual brand easy to be remembered? if so, then people can recognize your brand in a crowded sea of brands, and realized if someone has made a fake version of your brand. If they remember it, then they can recognize and associate the values behind it and that can determine the decision to buy your product/service.
11. Eye-catching: if the overall shape of your visual brand is outstanding, and pleasant to the eyes, then your target audience has another reason to like it.
12. Uniqueness: if your visual brand (logo+isolotype+mascot, color scheme, fonts, etc) are unique then you provide to the target audience the tools to help them recognize you from the rest. Be the leader, not a follower.
13. Target´s Culture: consider the cultural knowledge of the people you want to decode your brand. It doesn´t have to be cool for everyone, it has to be understood by the people who is about to buy your products/services. As a designer you have to know how your target audience feels about a subject, what they like and dislike, what kind of products they buy … so your brand can suits and play the same tone.
14. Tendency: as a designer you need to know which is the visual tendency of the market you are about to play, even if you want to break the rules, and be different. Or if you want to be recognize as a brand of a market sector, to look like same industry logos (or not) but on purpose.

These indicators play like a music equilizer player, some can be up in scale and some down, but the overall is what matters at the end.

So from now on, you can recognized a well designed logo based on a accurate criteria, and not just for their look or like.

Visual brand have to be effective, if besides that they look nice, that´s even better.

Feel free to post your opinion on this subject, and to judge our logos at www.ideacion.com.ar/logo-design.htm using these indicators.

Some of the quality indicators in this article are based on Norberto Chaves´book named “La marca corporativa“, the idea of this article is to help designers and clients to understand and recognized professional design We recommend to buy Norberto Chaves books because he is world known guru in graphic design and branding.