This is Part 2 of a 4 Part series that takes a deep dive into what makes a logo uncool, and how to make them cooler. Start with the previous article, Why Your Logo Isn’t Cool Like Apple’s.

The most common mistake we see is the idea that logos need to say everything a company offers. For example, a driving school logo where the 2 O’s are wheels and the G has a graduation cap AND there is a car icon hovering above it WITH 2 icon people in the front.

Think of your logo as a signature, not an explanation. Photography (or illustration) is more than enough to display what your product or service is visually, so allow the logo to be the signature in the corner of that picture, instead of trying to make it the picture itself.

Imagine if the Apple logo was an iPhone, iPad, and Macbook, sitting on top of an apple. That’s the kind of logo they’d have with this line of thinking. And no one would think it was cool.

This approach is also shortsighted: logos need to be clear and recognizable at every size and on any background for logistic reasons. The more you overdo your logo, the worse off you’ll be when it’s time to actually use it.

Exceptions to the Rule:

• Designing a crest or crest-inspired logo is different, but even then I would suggest leaning away from direct imagery, instead leveraging symbols that represent a feeling, style, or personality.
• There are some great logos which illustrate a scene or face, but they always adhere to the rules about working in different sizes and backgrounds, Look to KFC or Kindle for examples of that.

Go to the next article in this Series: Your Logo’s Not Doing Anything