A logo is something which portrays the image of a company so it should be something which gives a perfect picture of its working. Before you set off Logo Design, you should consider gathering all the necessary details and information about the job at hand. There are different names that are given to this task; some call it discovery process, creative interview or introduction meeting but the most appropriate name for this is creative brief. It depends on what you like to call it but you have to make sure that you do it before getting on with designing.
Essentials of a Logo Design Brief:
The goal of a creative brief for a logo design is basically to grasp the idea and concept of the company, its working and its aims etc. This will form the basis for creating the logo design because you want your viewer to walk away with something and remember the company somehow. So here are the few things that you need to consider before starting off with the designing task.
1. Basic Information:
This includes the basic information not only about the company but also about the logo, as in, what words, objects or figures you have to use in designing it.
2. Objectives of the Project:
This section explains why the company is taking up a new logo; is it because the company wants to stand up to the competition, form a logo identity or identify a new product. Take up a creative approach that can be developed around the primary and secondary objects to make it more effective.
3. Description of the Product or Service:
Although it can also be included in the basic information section but it is always better to explain it separately to give a better understanding of what are the services or products that a company wants a logo for, its features, specifications, components and uniqueness.
4. Target Audience:
Laying down the description of your target audience is every important as it helps understand what to take care of while designing a logo. This section should lay down the kind of users and customers you have, what would motivate them to buy your product or service, what is the geographical concentration and economic condition and whether they know about your product already.
5. Competitors:
Figure out your competitors, what makes you different from them and how your logo should look to make it stand out from the rest.
6. Creative Limitations
You also need to figure out what are your limitations in regards to your creativity. This may include the deadlines and budgets allowed for the project. It’s always good to consider what kind of logos you like and dislike and why.
Moreover, the creative brief should include anything that you feel is related and important to the project at hand and which all the parties involved need to know about.
Importance of a Logo Design Creative Brief:
The process of logo design involves a large number of processes with unlimited options for colors, fonts, sizes and layout. However, this process is made complicated by two factors which have to coincide with each other for a successful logo. One is, what does a client expect from the finished product and the other is what you expect when the design turns out. To make sure that these two does not oppose each other, it is important that you draft a creative brief as it forms a clear picture of how the finished logo would look like. This creative brief is formed after inquiring about all the necessary details from the client.
Details about the Business and its Ideas:
Every business has its own set of expectations when it comes to their corporate branding. That is why it is important that you know all this information and the kind of industry your client’s business operates in. These are the things which will help you have in ideas as to what styles, colors and fonts to use when working on a new logo.
This is essential mainly because you need to know what a company aims at before you design a logo for them. If your client is a bank, for example, your design should be something which shows trust for the customers as there is money involved. But for retail businesses and such, the logo can use daring ideas as well. Discussing all these goals with the client will surprisingly help you a lot to create a perfect logo.
Choosing Colors, Layout and Font Beforehand:
It is important that you decide the colors, font and layout that you want to use in the creative brief which set things right from the start, not only for you but for your client as well. In fact, in most cases, it is the client that tells about these three things as he is the one who knows what will make his logo unique from other competing brands. Only if the client has given you the liberty to choose all these things on your own can you do that and that, in turn, gives you an even bigger responsibility as now you have to be the business to choose the perfect colors and fonts for it.
It is always good that you ask your client questions like how long have they been in business and for how long they plan to continue, what they want to convey to their targeted audience and what are the features that make their product fun. Clients usually have these features in mind when they plan to get a logo for their company and it will then make your work easier as you only have to form the design around the requirements.
The Use of Logo:
Continuing with the aspect where you need to know about the business and its working completely before starting off designing the logo is also important when you want to recognize and indicate how the logo will be used. The creative brief will feature how the logo will be put to use once it is designed. Whether the business is done online or through paper, is a retail store or a brick-and-mortar business, the use of the logo will be different for all these. Once you know how the logo will be used by the business and does not look out of place, you are then good to go and design it.
Final Thoughts:
A creative brief is the first step to ensure that the final designed logo is going to be a perfect one. If you consider yourself a professional logo designer, you will establish this document and agree on all things with your client before getting to work. The importance of a creative brief means different for different businesses and is entirely up to the client how much information he wants you to work with. A logo which is basically to give a company some identity and is a mean of communication between your product or service and the targeted audience has to be created once you know all about the business of the company and what it wants to deliver. Make arrangements to discuss all these things with your client and you will be watching your business flourishing in no time.
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