Only Logo Design

Concept and Execution Hallmarks of a Good logo design

Using a few examples from The Logo Factory logo portfolio, let's take a look at effective concept and execution and how these two factors 'play out' to make a 'good logo'..

Execution:
(left) When The Logo Factory designed this logo for the Steve Dahl Radio Show, the main concern was the execution of the artwork (though the typography and icon had to be designed in such a way as to allow them to 'stand alone' as a solo logo treatment). The concept of this logo played a secondary role That still doesn’t stop it from being a nifty design. (Even though the idea of having a radio celeb holding his logo is a pretty cool concept in itself).

Concept:
(right) Two examples of TLF logos that are driven primarily by concept (with rendering - while still technically proficient) taking a back seat. The design for Electric Lemonade contains all the company elements in one simple icon - the name, what the company does - as does the logo for Wonderstore Developments. Remaining graphically simple and iconic, it could be argued that these logos are of the ‘traditional’ school of thought for ‘corporate logo design’. Typography, while still complementing the logo, is subtle and non-distracting and the icons are more than capable of standing on their own. So, now we have some form of logo 'blood test'. Most ‘great’ logos are based on two ’sliding’ scales - one for concept. The other for execution.

Does it work? I think so. If you'll take a look at the logos that you like, I think you'll probably find that they are unique in either concept or execution. And that's probably a good measure of what to aim for when you're looking to have your own logo developed.

Bad Logos - a lack thereof.
Okay, so now we have some idea of what makes a 'good logo'. What about the converse? Does the lack of execution or concept make a 'bad' logo? Let's take a look. Using this formula, take a look at pretty well all the so-called logo design templates sold by many online sites - you know the ones; you pick a ‘design’ from a series of pre-made logos and substitute your company name for some generic copy. Do the logos have concepts? No (most are just meaningless squiggles and shapes). How do they stack up on execution? Pretty badly. If they’re squiggles, this is a forgone conclusion. If they are illustrations or actual objects these logos are either awful, or rendered in a manner that is consistent with most clip-art collections (consistent line thickness, photo-traced realism).

The Litmus Test:
Here’s a design that’s been ‘inspired’ by an actual example from a ‘logo-template’ site (No, we ain’t kidding. No, we aren’t telling). No concept. No execution. For all practical purposes this isn’t even a logo. Impractical to copyright. Probably impossible to trademark. And while you can purchase logos like this for next to nothing all over the Internet, it could be argued that a ‘logo’ like this is worse that not having any at all.