Nowadays, in our world there is huge number of logos for countless products, services and companies in the market. However, only some of them are actually effective. This means that only a group of logotypes are immediately associated by the public with the companies they represent.

For a logo to successfully identify a company it must be:

1. Simple

Given the excessive visual stimuli society poses nowadays, for a logo to be striking it must be simple. Simplicity in shapes, colors and typography helps the logo stand out from the multiplicity of signs and be engraved on people’s minds more easily. In addition, a simple logo is that which depicts a clear graphic idea. As a result, a legible design and brand recognition are obtained.

2. Consistent

An effective logo coincides with the personality of the company. The design, be it an icon, a name or both, must be relevant, that is to say, it must have some kind of relationship with the values that characterize the company. A consistent logo gives the public the appropriate impression of an organization, with its principles and quality terms. In this way, people can quickly identify a logo with a particular company.

3. Memorable

A logo serves its purpose if it is memorable. This means that the design of a logo must be easily apprehended and remembered by recipients. Simple and consistent logos make lasting remembrance by consumers feasible.

4. Appealing

Logos must be attractive in order to call public attention and endure in people’s memory. A good design is eye catching and facilitates association with a particular company.

5. Applicable

When designing a logo it is indispensable to take into account that it must be applicable in various contexts. Given that the logotype is the physical representation of the company’s identity, it is applied in a wide range of graphic pieces, promotional items, and other spaces, such as brochures, envelopes, letterheads, advertisements, Web sites, posters, personal cards, pens, flags, means of transport, etc. It is, in turn, essential for the logo to be clear, to remain legible in different sizes, to be applicable on different materials and to be perfectly distinguishable both full - color and, black and white (in order to be used, for instance, in faxes and photocopies). It is important for the logo not to become confusing when used in different contexts.

6. Distinctive and recognizable

Given that its core function is to represent the peculiarity of a company within the market, an effective logo must be distinctive, unique and different form the rest within a particular area. Besides, it must be easily recognizable as the symbol of the company.

7. Enduring

Successful logos are those which have lasted throughout time. For a logo to endure, it should not have features strongly bound to particular fashions or historical periods. Radical changes should also be avoided throughout time. Where necessary, it would be convenient to introduce small and gradual modifications. A logo that is able to endure can reach several generations and increasingly strengthen the brand.