Qualities of a Unique Logo

Logos are one of the most important parts of any brand's identity.

They are the first thing seen and associated with a brand, thus to create a striking and memorable logo is of utmost importance. It's really easy to open up Behance or Dribbble and find logos for inspiration, but I encourage you to take some time to really think things through before setting out to create a logo, lest it look like countless others.
Over the course of my 5+ years of designing complete brand identities for organizations, here are some pieces of advice I'd like to share with you:

• First and foremost- and I cannot stress this enough- whatever you do, keep it simple. Clean and minimalist logos don't only look pretty, but they're easier to reproduce and scale to different sizes. Moreover, a simple logo is easier to understand and registers with your audience faster than a complicated logo, and that's precisely what we want: to allow consumers to establish a connection and identify with the brand in as little time as possible. A simple logo is just the trick!
• Connecting with my first bit of advice, not only must your logo be clean, but is must also be distinct. Having a logo that is unique to you will help you stand out from the competition, thus make it easier for you audience to identify and recognize the brand. Constantly ask yourself if your logo is unique and if it differs from that of competitors. Be imaginative and you can create a stunning logo that is both simple yet distinct.
• If you're creating a logo, you can bet that it'll be displayed on a multitude of mediums and sizes. So, your simple and distinct logo must not only look good on a web page or on a 1080 by 1080 display, but also on a business card or letterhead or billboard. And not only must you consider logo size variations, but also whether your logo will look good in black and white. Something I always found helpful was working in black and white first and bringing color in later in order to focus on the overall design.
• A common misconception amongst designers is that they must design the obvious: if the logo is for a food chain, the logo must contain some food. However, this is not always necessary for success, as proved by various food chains such as KFC, McDonald's, Wendy's and Taco Bell. Rather than communicating what the organization sells (though that can be used as inspiration and must be kept in mind) think more about the tone and style the organization wants to display: youthful and energetic? Classy and luxurious? Subtlety is key.
• One of the methods I found really elevated the quality of work I put out was keeping in mind the target audience when designing logos. Research on the target demographic of the organization: what age, sex, gender et cetera is the company selling to? When designing a logo for a toy shop, it's not necessary to include images of toys or the word "Toys" in the logo; rather pick a color scheme that appeals to children.
• A characteristic most logo designers ignore is Timelessness. It is the norm to design according to current trends and fashions, but a great logo is trendy not just a few months from now, but even in the next 5 years. Remember, your simple yet unique logo needs to create a long-lasting impression on viewers. A logo is great if a viewer sees it once yet can describe it to someone else later. Ask yourself: will this logo be relevant in a year? Five years? Will it survive the next decade?

So that about sums it up. Some of these may be glaringly obvious while others sound easier than they are in practice. However, practice is key. The more you create, the more likely you are to be able to come up with something fresh and never-seen-before in a matter of minutes.
To view some timeless, simple and unique logos, visit https://jztech.co