Developing a great logo is a strange mix of art, science, psychology and (in most cases) a good amount of luck.

Last week, in part one of this two-part series, we discussed some fundamentals of logo development and design.

Now, in part two, we'll look at…

  • The pitfalls of literal translation
  • How size matters
  • How to choose the right logo
  • Ways to protect your rights

1. Don't look for a literal translation

If you saw a logo with a hamburger in it, you'd think the place sells hamburgers.

When you see the Golden Arches, you think of McDonalds, not Burger King. When you see a logo with a drawing of a car, you think of a car dealership or service center. When you see the three-point star inside a circle (for hippies, the peace symbol) you think Mercedes, not Buick. A logo with a tennis shoe would lead you to think about shoe stores. The "Swoosh" takes you straight to Nike, not Converse.

Certainly, these logos are among the most effective ever produced. But none have any literal connection with what their companies sell.

This doesn't mean that an apple orchard should not use an apple in its logo. It just means that the orchard doesn't necessarily have to. Actually, logos that are literal translations of the business line may be less effective at building a unique brand identity.

Imagine if every hamburger joint had a hamburger in its logo. Placed side-by-side, they would be pretty difficult to distinguish from one another.

Logos, over time, come to represent the company. They don't have to be literal translations of what the business does.

2. Size matters

Strange as it seems, some logos fail because they were never checked for size.

Before saying yes to a logo design, insist that you see it mocked up in your corporate ID package. You want to be sure that the logo works well on business cards, letterhead and envelopes.

If your logo is going to be part of a product marking, be sure to see it there, too. A logo that looks great on a big presentation board might fail completely when reduced to an inch in size.

Give a logo plenty of elbowroom. Although you don't see it, a part of your logo is its "clear space." That space is an invisible fence that surrounds your logo, preventing anything from getting too close to it. And while clear space is seldom discussed, it's essential. Your logo's clear space, which is a part of the logo, allows your logo to stand apart from everything else and prevents graphic interference.

Nothing should ever cross this clear space fence, except for a slogan that accompanies your logo. If your logo includes a slogan, consider it part of the logo when determining clear space.

As a general rule, clear space is around 10-20% of the size of the logo, in all directions. For instance, if your logo is being produced at 10" wide and 4" inches tall, the (fence) clear space will be approximately 11"x4.4" to 12"x4.8", with the logo sitting right in the middle.

Remember: clear space is an integral part of your logo—as much as the font, the shape and the color. It's as important as the amount of space between the columns of the coliseum. And while you might be tempted to think that it's invisible, a logo's clear space is just as visible as the rest of your logo. Don't mess with it.

A note about slogans: If you run a slogan in connection with your logo, consider it a transient part of the logo design itself. Your slogan may change from time to time. But between those changes, it should always appear in the same font and in the same position. Remember that everything associated with your logo becomes part of the logo's shape and color. Changing the slogan's position, font or color is the same as changing the logo. 3. How to make your logo choice

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jared McCarthy is the proprietor of McCarthy Creative. For more information, visit www.jcm-creative.com.