For your brand to stand out amongst the millions in the site, it is imperative to provide real value to the followers and give them a reason to believe that you have a solution to their needs. Additionally, your branding must be spot on and this calls for the creation of a well suited logo to distinguish your brand from the rest. It should be noted, however, that when creating a logo for the social media such as Instagram, there are a few subtle aspects you need to have in mind to make the logo more effective. Presented here are cool tips one can use to create logos designed to be used in the social media, and especially in Instagram.

Consider the aspect ratio

Most of the marketing gurus will bring to your attention that your logos ought to be proportionate, in the sense that they should not be too wide or too short. If the logo is meant to be used in the social media such as Instagram, then there is another reason why the height and the width of the logo need to be in harmony.

Most of the social media websites, including Instagram, will display your logo or icons in a square or circular shape as is usually seen in profile displays in Facebook and Instagram respectively. In as much as your logo doesn’t have to be a perfect square or circle, it should have an aspect ratio that will enable it to display just perfectly well when should placed for display in the social media profiles.

Detach text from graphics

Since it is not possible to foresee all the applications of your logos in the future, it is highly encouraged you be versatile with the design, especially if you ever think that the logo will be used in the social media websites such as Instagram. You may be faced with a situation where you will be compelled to rearrange or use certain section of your logo if it doesn’t fit properly in certain shapes or sizes. If, perhaps, you needed to have very small icons, then it may be possible to include the entire logo. Due to this, most companies have adopted the use graphical elements or a single letter for their logos in the social media. It implies that if your graphics and texts are intertwined in the logo, then it may not be possible for you to separate the elements and use the logo in Instagram without confusing your followers. Therefore, consider detaching text from graphics when you are designing a logo for use in Instagram or any other social media platform.

Remember to keep it simple

Gone are the days when the quality of a logo would be determined by the total number of graphical elements and colors it had. Presently, minimalism and simplicity rules in the world of logo design. When designing your logo for use in Instagram or any other social media platform for that matter, avoid using too many words, thin lines, and very detailed graphical elements in the design. If the logo becomes too detailed, it will not just appear confusing to many people, but also resizing it may be difficult and this may work against your brand. Again, avoid using all the colors of the rainbow in the logo hoping that you will make it more beautiful and more conspicuous. This will create unnecessary noise and may not deliver you very good results in the social media, where there is already a lot of distractions from the followers.

Be consistent

In as much as you are creating the logo to be used in Instagram, it should be consistent with the logo being used in other social media sites. Through consistency, people will see the same image in the different platforms and this will work strongly for your social media branding needs. If you are keen, you will notice that most of the successful brands have a simplified variation of their designs being used across all their social media outlets. Without consistency, you will miss an opportunity to connect with your audiences throughout the social channels and in the process miss an incredible opportunity to achieve effective social media branding.

Learn how to build a social media strategy here!

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Unknown to many, you don’t have to be a design geek to create a stunning logo which will drive your YouTube channel to success. All you have to do is follow certain conventions and also use trips and tricks which have been proven time and again to deliver quality logos. Presented below are a few factors worth taking into account if you want to create a magnificent YouTube logo for your channel-:

Begin by knowing what your message is

Your YouTube logo will be the brand identity for your channel for people who will be browsing YT videos. It should be designed in such a manner that people will be able to tell easily what your channel is all about. This makes it important to determine exactly the type of message you would like to share with your followers and viewers in the channel. Out of the message, it will be easy for you to decide on the other aspects of the logo such as the symbols, fonts, and colors amongst other design features.

Browse other YouTube channels

Once you have known what your congruent marketing message is, the next step is to browse other YouTube channels for more inspirations. By browsing the channels, it doesn’t imply that you lack in originality or you want to copy other people’s logo, but it is designed to give you an idea of what the top guys are doing right as far as YouTube logo design is concerned. Of great concern to you should be the leading channels in your niche, which also happens to be your greatest competitors. Have a look at their logos and pick a few cues you could use to make your logo even better than theirs.

Make a clean and functional logo

At this point, you already have an idea of the kind of message you would like to pass across to your channel visitors and you have also browsed the top channels in your niche and you now know what kind of logos are pulling the crowds in your niche. The next step is now the actual design of the logo. You have the option of doing the design on your own, which will give you lots of flexibility to translate your idea into the design.

But if you don’t have the design skills, you can outsource the creation to graphics designer, whom you will share with your inspiration so that they can transfer it to the design. Whichever option chosen, the logo must remain clean and functional since this is one of the characteristics of top performing logos in the world.

Depending on your research and the suitability of your channel, you can create the following logo types for your YouTube channel-:

Symbol or Icon logos – with this kind of a logo, a symbol or an icon is used in the design of the logo. It doesn’t include any letter like the channel name. The beauty of such logos is that they are very simple, yet powerful and remains memorable in the minds of potential clients for a very long time. Think about Apple logo for instance.

Word or Letter Mark Logos – with these logo types, letters or words are used as the primary essence of the logo. Google logo is an example of a word or letter mark logo.

Combination mark logos – with these, you use a combination of words, letters and symbols in creating your YouTube logo.

Get the colors right

The colors used in your YT channel logo are very important since colors have a way of passing different message or emotions to those who view the logo. Choose colors appropriately depending on the feelings or the emotional responses you intend to invoke from your channel visitors.

Choose the right logo sizes

YouTube recommends that your channel logo should render at 98 x 98px and you are recommended to upload sizes of about 800px x 800px. On the size still, remember that you are likely to use the logo in other social sharing sites, hence it should be versatile size that will cut across all your potential marketing platforms.

Make the logo memorable

Finally, a successful logo is one which is easily memorable. Your views should be in a position to recognize the logo easily even if they see it somewhere out of YouTube. In this manner, it becomes easier for them to remember your channel and this is very powerful for branding and marketing the channel.

Learn how to build a successful social media strategy here!

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Other than the simplicity of such brand logos, you will also discover that their designs have been targeted for specific reasons and to a particular group of people. They use colors, symbols, shapes and typography to make the logos connect well with the targeted audience. This is based on the premises that branding can’t be successful if you try to target every Tom, Dick and Harry. Here is a look at some of the unforgettable brands with awesome logo designs. Whenever you see these logos, you will never fail to recognize which companies they belong to. This is the ultimate aim of marketing and branding.

Apple

Apple will always feature whenever there are discussions on the top brand logos in the world. The tech giant has received massive success in its history. This is not just because they were able to introduce cutting edge gadgets into the market. But, also they had a clear and distinct logo that helped in identifying their products anywhere in the world. The current logo was arrived at after iterations, with the initial one having been designed by one of the founders – Steve Jobs. The logo being used by the tech giant is a simple one in the form of an apple with a bite taken off. No other company in the whole world uses a logo similar to that, and this makes the apple logo to be distinct and very powerful for the branding needs of the business.

Nike

The Nike logo is the artwork of a talented designer by the name Carolyn Davidson. So powerful is the logo that the company is known more by the logo rather than by the name. Carolyn designed the logo way back in 1971 while she was a student at Portland State University. Even though the logo has undergone several revisions, it has never dropped the Swoosh which is the trademark. Its also the main identity of the leading sportswear and accessories manufacturer. One of the strongest features of the logo is its simplicity, and this has made it be one of the remarkable logos in the whole universe.

Google

Google is another tech giant whose massive success has been attributed to amongst other things the use of a simple and memorable logo. The Google logo is a logotype, with only the name of the company and no other symbols whatsoever. For the company, the logo is not just a mere logo, but a representation of the impacts that the tech giant has had on the internet. The logo uses three primary colors and one secondary color. Thus creating a unique but memorable distinctiveness that has helped the company achieve the current levels of success it enjoys. Even having been redesigned recently, the logo has maintained it charm and effectiveness in promoting the brand of the company.

Coca-Cola

The Coca-Cola logo is another top brand logo in the world. The initial Coca-Cola logo was designed way back in 1887 by a designer known as Frank Manson Robinson. Little did he know that his humble design helps the company gain worldwide recognition and become one of the top beverage manufacturers in the universe. The logo has also undergone quite a number of revisions But it has always retained the swirly scripted fonts that have now become part of the lives of millions of people across the globe. Whenever you see the logo, you will always remember the sweet content present it the bottles. This demonstrates the power of a logo in branding because it has created a permanent reminder on the brains of the customers.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s logo wraps up for us the list of unforgettable brand logos. It is one of the most popular logos, not just in the United States, but also in the entire world. Its a popular logo even in countries where McDonald’s does not have a formidable presence. The logo is a simple design featuring two golden arches. They actually turned out to be the hallmark of the entire design and the ultimate pivot for the marketing of the company. The logo’s design also uses a conspicuous yellow color. The color is known to trigger the feelings of hunger, hence, whenever you see the logo, the yummy bites from McDonald’s will always come to mind.

Use these tips for making a logo for kid-focused brands!

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Modern logo design is one of the styles that many designers are keen on adopting in the present times. It is a slight shift in a design aimed at making logos adapt to the demands of modern design, without necessarily following any particular trend and while maintaining their effectiveness. Being a new approach, however, the concept of modernism is still not clear to many logo designers, especially the newbie who are just starting to get their hands wet with graphic design.

Whether or not you decide to use the modernism approach in logo design, you must ensure that the design maintains all the factors of an effective logo which includes everlastingness, flexibility, memorable and simplicity. If, however, you are sharp on being an expert in creating a contemporary logo, here are some killer tips to help you go along.

Think Future

When designing a modern logo, you should focus on the everlastingness of the design. As much as you are designing a logo to be used in the present times, you need to think about the future and consider all the practical ways in which the client is likely to use the logo. You should ask yourself if the logo will have the flexibility to be used in newsprint, online, large formats or enhanced on cloths.

Also, check if the logo will be changeable enough to be displayed on various devices such as mobile phones and tablets. Adopting such an angle in your thinking will give you the ability to create a logo that won’t only suit the needs of the business in the present times but also make room for future changes depending on the needs of the client.

Balance between contemporary logo fonts and historic logo fonts

One great aspect that determines the overall success of a contemporary logo is the choice of fonts. For the best results, it is highly recommended that you balance between contemporary and historic fonts. These fonts don’t appear playful and fancy as some of the modern fonts. They illustrate the authentic meaning of design when the industry was still in its infancy stages. They are also associated with exclusivity and nobility hence making it possible for them to be used in a more modern way.

For instance, you can try manipulating the scale and the spacing of the characters and see the various effects it has depended on the particular fonts you chose. Additionally, you can overlay the traditional fonts with some rational modern shapes when designing a modern logo so that you strike a balance between the old and the new.

Integrate traditional symbols

The other killer tip for creating a contemporary logo is the intelligent use of traditional symbols. An ingenious way of doing so would be to try and connect the design to a company that existed a long time ago. In this manner, you will create a sense of historical perspective in the modernism logo as well as a deeper level of symbolism which will make the logo not just unique but also memorable.

For you to achieve this, however, it will be imperative that you take adequate time for thorough research on the ancient symbols. The aim here is not to be a copycat but to achieve a deeper level of symbolism in the design of the modern logo.

Simplicity in the design

With every design project you work on, whether or not its a contemporary logo, simplicity will always prevail. Complicated logo designs are not just difficult to execute, but also, they never help the businesses in their branding needs. While creating a modern logo, therefore, you must strive to achieve simplicity by using fewer elements in the design. A common trend being adopted by designers working on these kinds of logos is to use a lot of negative space to improve legibility and also to help in directing the viewer’s eyes to the core elements of the design.

With contemporary logo design, there is always a tendency image-based, full-color graphics. You should, however, be very careful when working with such kinds of graphic for these logos. This is because in addition to driving up your printing costs, they won’t translate well into single colors such as black and white and this will make the design lose its versatility. Always remember to keep the design as simple as possible and only include the items that you feel are necessary.

No monotony in modern logo design

A good logo should be timeless. Take a look at Nike, BMW, Apple, etc. and you will understand this fact. When designing a contemporary logo, you must avoid monotony at all costs. For instance, when the logo is placed on the website, it should be able to stand alone and act as a powerful identifier, rather than depend on the website for exposure.

This calls for the proper use of colors so that the logo will blend well with the colors of the website and remain appealing to the eyes of the viewers. Such coherence is necessary to stop the logo from appearing monotonous, which might, in turn, trigger negative emotions and make people shy away from the brand.

Use these tips consistently and you will soon become a pro in creating a modern logo.

Learn if you should crowdsource a logo here!

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The logo possesses all the features prescribed by a quality design which includes appropriateness, timelessness, versatility, memorable and simplicity. Now that you know whether or not your college logo was of great design, here are some of the colleges with the best logos in the industry. I hope that your institution is part of the list.

University of Texas

If you want to know what defines a classic and timeless design in the college logos, look no further than the University of Texas longhorn logo. The logo has stood the test of time and has never undergone any changes or modifications ever since its introduction in 1961. Of all the college sports it the world, the University of Texas logo remains to be one of the most iconic sports logos. The other unique thing that makes the logo fantastic is its utilization of just a single color. Not many logos will ever manage to perform as this particular one.

University of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina logo is another timeless design that makes it to the list of the best college logos. It is a simple interlocking NC but with attention-grabbing colors together with a cheerful and playful design which immediately distinguishes it from the rest. Every time you step into a packed crowd at the Dean Dome, you will never fail to recognize the sea of the Carolina Blue, the official color of the University of North Carolina immediately. It will interest you to know that the color was adopted in the late 18th century, and it has still managed to retain its strong and endearing charm.

Ohio University

Ohio University made a slight modification to their logo, making it one of the best college logos in the country. Initially, it had a simple green paw print, but this was later on replaced by the attack cat that now represents the University’s Bobcat mascots. Though most of the alumni of the university were not pleased with the change, thinking that it was too intense, the design is distinct and easily stands out from amongst other college logos.

University of Oregon

For the University of Oregon, the logo is a simple letter “O” but with a hidden meaning. If you look keenly at the letter O, the inside represents the school track while the outside represents the school’s football field, also known as the Autzen Stadium. It is an iconic and a simple logo with only two colors of green and yellow.

University of Notre Dame

This is another logo considered as one of the best college logos in the world. It is a monogram type of logo described by the school’s official brand standards as representative, welcoming, recognizable and approachable. The institution uses the logo both for sports and academics making it reach even more people and enhancing its effectiveness in the process.

University of Miami

The University of Miami logo is the only university with a distinct letter U as the logo, despite every university having a U in their names. The logo is an iconic split U with only two colors, and it has not been modified ever since it was created way back in 1973. The logo is a perfect illustration of brilliance and minimalism in design, and this is what gives it a place in the list of the best college logos.

Clemson University

The Clemson University logo is another timeless and most recognizable logo in the education industry. The logo features a tiger’s paw print with rough edges all round it.  The paw looks very genuine, and this makes the design appear cool and composed. Again, the paw is tilted at an angle of 30 degrees or the one 1:00 p.m. the kick off time for typical football games.

Bowdoin College

The Bowdoin College logo features a timeless design of a polar bear and it has been in use for the last 100 years. Simplicity, minimalism and the use of white space are some of the attributes that make the Bowdoin College logo become among the best college logos in the United States. The university states that it intends for the logo to serve as a timeless and consistent graphic identity for the institution.

Florida International University

Florida International University logo closes our list of the ten best college logos. It is a simple design, with a panther appearing to be coming off the screen towards the reader. The teeth and the claws of the panther are all out, making an impression that it is ready to pounce on its prey. The design is simply cool and represents the true spirit of the Panthers.

Why did uber’s head of design step down? Find out here!

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The art and science of logo design trends keep on changing with each and every year. This is necessitated by the need to provide more quality and robustness in the design so that they can be in tandem with the changing behaviors of the target audiences. Additionally, the technological advancements also make certain design practices to be obsolete with time since there are new media through which to view the logos and which must also be considered in the design.

It is appalling to note that logo designs that might have looked gorgeous five years ago may not make the same impact in the present times. However, with the changing trends, it is imperative that designers stick to the core logo design principles because principles never change. A logo design based on a fad will appeal only for the present, but when your design is based on the fundamental principles, it will stand the test of time and still look awesome for decades to come.

Without much further ado, let us delve into some of the new logo design trends that are expected to dominate designs in the year 2016-:

Increased use of dynamic color palettes

In 2015, Google fired what many professionals have termed as a warning shot in the design industry when they rebranded using a functional and dynamic color palette. This is an indication that there is a major shift already going on in the design world, especially with the leading corporate organizations as they try to make their logos more appealing by using dynamic color palettes.

It is true that dynamic design is not a new concept, but when you see the giants starting to adopt it once again, it is just a matter of time before other designers pick up on these  logo design trends and we might see an influx of such logos in the year 2016.

Use of Negative Space in Logo design

There is increased adoption of the use of negative space in design, and this is expected to gain more momentum as the year wears on. The effectiveness of a log lies in its simplicity and the ability to communicate the central marketing message to the audiences. When you can achieve more than these, then you are bound to achieve more from the logo and make it very successful. Negative space gives the audience a chance to get more intelligent meanings from the logo hence it creates a huge impact on them. Additionally, negative space also has certain design advantages other than the simplicity. For instance, printing a large scale logo with negative space is less problematic as printing a similar logo without negative space. These are some of the reasons why we can expect to continue seeing more logos designed with negative space.

Handmade Logos

Handmade logos have been trending for several years now, and this is another logo design trend we can expect to continue in popularity in 2016. Handmade logos look very authentic, and they have a way of displaying a sense of intimacy or personal touch. Even within the handmade logos niche, there are some that have been designed in a manner that they look more of a “hybrid” whereas there are still others that don’t seem to be truly handmade but again they are not digital. However, within the variations, they still do a perfect job in displaying the kind of charm associated with handmade logos.

Mix and Match Logos

Mix and Match is not just a concept in the fashion design industry, but it is now one of the strong logo design trends we are looking at in 2016. It involves the mixing and matching of different typefaces as well as colors to come up truly unique and effective logo designs. It is also a new design style, but it is resurfacing at a stronger pace as designers are finding more creative and interesting ways to use the style. It has provided and alternative route to escape from the usual note connotations while at the same time introducing playfulness but in a professional manner in the design of logo.

Flat Designs

Flat design is a logo design trend that is not just about to go away but is expected to get more fans in 2016. Though considered an old style as far as logo design trends are concerned, flat designs have a unique way of providing forthright and clean designs that can easily render in most of the devices. As a logo design trend, flat designs have proven to load much faster, and they also offer a lot of flexibility to the designers through the ease of using various patterns, shadows, textures and gradients to allow for simple lines as well as great color schemes. Watch for this logo design trend as we see some of the corporate giants start to rebrand using flat designs.

See if your logo can have universal appeal here!

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Many people find it confusing to distinguish between the terms brand, identity, and a logo. These three terms are usually used interchangeably, and whereas a layman can be excused for doing so, the same case should never be for a professional designer. However, if you are in the design world and you have never fully comprehended the difference between the three words, no need to worry – even some of the most polished designers know how to apply them but cannot give the outright distinction of the three words. Below, we try to figure out the differences in these potentially confusing words as well as give an explicit explanation on when each can be applied.

Understanding what a Logo is

At its basic meaning, a logo is a mark that is used to identify a brand. The term logo originates from the Greek word Logotype, a combination of two words, logo and typos meaning word and imprint respectively. The aim of the logo is primarily to promote instant public recognition of the brand. With such a significant role, the logo plays an important in the identity system of an organization, and since people are visual beings, it is also crucial for the branding of the organization. Potential customers will have a look at the logo, which is the visual mark of the company, they then will retain its color, shape and form and remember it whenever they see it another time. A logo thus becomes associated with the brand of the company or the organization.

In most instances, a logo usually consists of an icon or a symbol together with words that can be either the company’s name or the company’s slogan or tag line. There are also several instances when a logo does not have any icon or a symbol but comprise of a logotype, which essentially is nothing but just words without any symbols.

There are some cases when a brand becomes so popular that it can be easily recognized by just the symbol or the icon. It doesn’t happen most of the time, but when it does, the respective companies usually benefit a lot from the branding prowess of such logos. For instance, the Red Cross, Apple, and Nike are examples of logos that are well known in the world over, yet they feature simple symbols with no words at all.

Identity defines how your brand is perceived by your audience

Identity dictates every possible way on how your brand is perceived by your potential audiences. Identity, also known as visual identity or visual identity system in branding refers to the visual devices that a company uses to communicate its brand to the target audience. These might include but not limited to items such as a color system, graphic designs, logos, fonts, etc. The system may or may not incorporate other collateral such as brochures, signage, and stationery as well as written content like a positioning statement.

When you search over the internet for the correct meaning of a visual brand identity system, you will be bombarded with lots of information, but all these will concur that identity, in most cases refers to the visual elements that are used to recognize a company or a business. They are majorly the physical elements that customers, as well as the potential customers of the company, come in contact with. A complete package to define a brand would, therefore, include items such as the logo, email signatures, ads, websites, business cards, employee uniforms, the package designs, the store layouts, word mark, the corporate jingle, emblem, stationery symbols, etc.

A Brand – This is a concept and not a concrete of a physical object

A brand is the biggest picture in the equation and it is the foundation of every marketing framework that a company comes up with. Essentially, a brand relates to the psychological and emotional relationship that exists between a company and their customers. As defined by a well-known branding expert Marty Neumeier, a brand is your gut feeling about a business, product or a service. It is not actually what you say it is but rather what THEY say it is. Being that a brand is a gut feeling, therefore, it simply boils down to what you feel and think the very moment you come into contact with the company in question or any of their products and services.

Over the years, it has been proven that human beings are very emotional when it comes to brands. Hence, it makes it nearly impossible to give a precise definition to the concept of brand. People accumulate such gut feelings based on different experiences depending on their interaction with the company either physically or through the phone, emails, adverts, etc.

But for a strong brand to be built, a strong foundation is needed. Human emotions are very tricky. Hence, you must get it right with the messaging and the design to clearly communicate to your customers and clients. Hopefully, this clears the air about the difference between a logo, branding, and identity.

Should you ever try a DIY Logo design? Find out here!

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If you need to start a brand from the ground up there are some excellent ways that you can showcase your brand and what you can offer for your customers. Before you begin to work on your branding one of the first steps you need to consider is how you will shape your brand for the future. The state of your brand will unfold based on your initial planning. It can take time for the public to eventually perceive your brand in the way that you intended but by working on your brand you can eventually reach a point where the idea of your branding will not only be shown in all of your logo/marketing materials, but easily explained.

Here are some top tips that you need to keep in mind when you are to start a brand from the ground up.

Gaining an understanding of your business:

Before you can begin to define the personality that will start up your brand, you need to be able to consider what is important to a brand and what makes your business so special. Understand the nature of your business inside and out before you even consider to start your brand. This will take some brainstorming and you will need to define all of the unique characteristics that can make up your corporate culture. These can range from secret product launches, offering style with affordability, a dedication to delivering high quality or fair trade goods and more. Establish the main values of your business and begin to translate this into a powerful branding message for the future. This will be the future goals of your company as well as a clearly defined corporate culture.

Sculpt a true visual identity for your brand:

Building a brand requires promotions and logos to really take off. Without these appropriate marketing materials it can be very difficult to launch a brand successfully. Think about what your business stands for and when you are building a brand, sculpt a visual identity that reflects your culture. In many cases this will require the use of a professional graphic designer. Working with a professional can ensure that a true brand identity that is consistent will be carried through with your entire brand. Changing your visual identity or brand more frequently often leads to a convoluted marketing message. Color can also play a big factor in the way that you represent your business. Picking out the right color swatches that convey the right meaning to your audience is important. A green logo or color swatch for example can be a great idea for a green/ Eco company. A blue logo is ideal for a creative agency because it spawns inspiration. Keeping these color swatches in mind can guide you forward. The same needs to be said for sculpting the visual identity of your text. The fonts you select and the way you present different texts in your marketing materials and logo can reflect your corporate culture.   A true visual identity is iconic and images that can take your company forward into the future. Think about some of the longest running brands like Audi for example. These are brands that have had the same configuration since the 1930’s because the brand knew where it wanted to go, and the images to take it there.

Build your online personality:

Today, one of the biggest aspects of building a brand is building up a buzz online. In the past a logo or branding persona for a company would be a little more difficult to build and it would require more customer representatives as well as interaction. Through the use of social media as well as creating your own website you can create a fully functional hub for your brand. By including all of the information that is needed about your corporate culture as well as starting to connect with your target market online you can work at creating a professional brand very quickly. Generating a buzz about your brand and your products can be much easier with the help of social media. This means that as soon as you have a direction, a business plan and marketing materials it is a good idea to launch on the web. Many companies today create landing websites or at least social media pages up to a year before their first product is launched. Showcasing the early startup of your company as well as early pieces of your corporate culture can really help you to gain traction in your marketplace. Building a website early attracts investors and can also help people to quickly have access to the answers they need about your brand. An about me page, a press release or even a portfolio page as well as a social media prescience is an excellent start for online brand building solutions.

By combining all of these elements of building a brand, you can work at having a more successful brand identity and eventual launch.

Read about the basics of branding for designers here!

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Breweries are among the oldest companies in the world.

A closer look at some of the most successful ones will reveal to you that it was not the content of the beer in their bottles that made people fall in love with them, but their marketing strategies and branding techniques play an enormous role in setting them apart from the crowd.

And when talking about marketing and branding, logos will always be an integral part.

By just looking at the following liquor brand logos, you will get thirsty and wish for your favorite beer immediately:

Bass Brand Logo

The Bass brand logo is one of the most famous ones you will ever come across in the beer industry.

It features the famous red triangle that you will never miss however drunk you are.

The logo is clear, distinct and highly unmistakable.

One intriguing thing about this beer brand logo is that it was the first ever to be trademarked in the United Kingdom, way back in 1876.

Budweiser

Budweiser is one of the more well known beer brands in the world and whenever you lay your eyes on the logo, you will have a strong urge to get a sip of this refreshing beer.

Other than the remarkable fonts of the writing, the logo has a seal at the center, displaying the names of the four continents – Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe, with the America resting beneath it.

Heineken

You will never fail to recognize the Heineken beer brand logo whenever you see it in any country in the world.

The bright red star in the logo stands out in an iconic way when seeing the logo.

It is suggested that now the famous star was included by the breweries in the Middle Ages, and it was believed to have mystical powers to protect the brews.

Later on, Alfred Heineken redesigned the logo to have a smiling letter “e” because he wanted it to look friendlier to the consumers.

Blue Moon Beer Logo

The blue crystal design in the Blue Moon Beer logo is a reminder that after a long day of work, everyone should gather around for some enjoyment.

Though one of the more simple logos, the logo holds meaning beyond what is shown.

Guinness

Guinness is another another beer that is known very well.

The immense popularity of the Guinness beer brand can be attributed to the quality of the drink but its logo may have something to do with bringing in its customers.

The logo has a unique type of harp – the Brian Borus Harp, which s the oldest surviving Celtic harp, and is currently being preserved at Trinity College.

Newcastle Brown Ale

Newcastle Brown Ale logo is another beer logo that will make you long for the drink whenever you see it.

The beer is one of the most profitable brands among the breweries.

It also has a strong logo to complement its marketing efforts.

The logo has a five point blue star representing the five founding breweries of Newcastle.

In the middle of the star is Newcastle’s skyline merged with the famous Tyne Bridge.

On the sides of the logo, you will see the 1928 International Breweries Award medal, which was awarded to the company during its first year of operations.

National Bohemian Beer

Seeing Mr. Boh winking at you tells you that it’s time to pick up a can of beer and enjoy.

No one knows why the National Bohemian Beer has the image of Mr. Boh with one eye, but it is suggested that you only need one eye to choose a good beer – National Bohemian Beer.

Amstel Bier Logo

Though Heineken acquired it in 1968, Amstel Bier Logo hasn’t changed a lot.

It still maintained the distinctive and contrasting colors of red, white and gold.

Being that gold is a royal color, having it in the logo would show that this drink signifies its royalty.

Besides, Amtel is a renowned brand producing one of the most loved beers in the world.

Carlsberg

Carlsberg is one of the largest brewery groups in the world with a clear and distinctive logo.

The predominant colors in the logo feature green, white, red and gold to signify energy, passion, purity, excellence and the rich tradition that the brand has inked as their own to this day.

Stella Artois

Stella Artois is one of the oldest breweries in the world, and it has been in operation since in 1366.

Surprisingly, the brewery has not altered its logo largely from the very original concept.

It still retains its authenticity and seeing it will give you the desire to have a sip of the sweet and refreshing taste of the liquor.

Check out these 6 popular crowd sourced logos!

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Having a logo that can actually transcends time is somewhat of an impossibility. While there are a number of logos that have a classic look and have been around for decades, it’s important to note that it’s tough to match the trends of tomorrow through prediction. Designing a logo using modern trends in design isn’t going to make it trendy for a new generation and will encourage at least some form of rebranding. Most logos usually remain modern for around a decade but some of the classic elements of the logo will make it through the rebranding effort to showcase your history. While no one logo design should be expected to carry you through 50 years of business, any logo should be able to get you through at least 10 years in the design industry.

Logos are art and some of the best art can transcend time. When we look back at classic painters we marvel at their talent and their skill. Looking back at classic logos there are many designers who would like to emulate the same style as well. Creating a logo that transcends time means creating something iconic and simple enough that it can be changed and rebranded multiple times into recognizable formats.

There is no way to predictably future proof a design but there are some patterns that you can follow to model the success of other logos that have had success over a long haul. It is however important to remember some of these top tips:

Very few design elements remain popular over time:

Design is consistently changing especially in logo design. A logo design that transcends time is increasingly difficult because of this factor. As programs in technology change different forms of design are drawn to the forefront of art. In the past designs had to be almost entirely hand-drawn and measured out on drafting tables, today we can bring in complex textures and computer graphics as well as utilize various scripts for scalability and customizability. As computer software continues to change we might see a trend pushing toward animated graphics custom 3d textures and more. For any promotions that include your logo and branding you should strongly remember that graphics on your packaging on your website and more should be placed in the background where as your logo and branding should always come to the forefront. This creates a consistency over time and ensures that you can include modern design elements alongside your classic logo.

Typography makes major changes as well:

While the base image or symbol that represents your logo may not change much over time, you can make drastic changes in typography to update your design. Popular type sets seem to materialize every 5 to 10 years and many of the top scripts used in logo design today are very different from that used in the 80s and 90s. If you want a modern brand you should consider regularly changing your typeset and small elements of your logo to reflect the design changes of the time. Creating a meaningful brand means creating a logo and brand that resonates with the current generation and typography can be a powerful tool for matching your logo up with the times.

Many logos don’t stand the test of time but are still functional:

Many of the oldest logos really haven’t been updated but it’s there classic look that helps them to instill trust in us. When we look at Coca-Cola and Nike for example we see that both of these companies have only done minimal changes to their logo and branding over time but it’s the background images and small design elements that have changed in order to modernize the brand. Some other classic logo designs having been so successful in this effort however:

Capitol one: Capitol one to get outdated logo and recently added a solution the year 2008. While One follow the rule of adding small design elements to keep their logo resonating with a new generation, it was too little too late and a little bit cliché as well. Capital one never really had an iconic brand that was future proof but a small design element like this one really doesn’t help the logo resonate any better with a new generation.  The capitol one Swoosh branding is a great example of how a brand can fail at creating a logo that transcends time.

Pepsi: Pepsi regularly spends money to redesign their can and their logo. While the ball symbol in red white and blue has represented Pepsi for many years, the most recent element of rebranding has almost destroyed what was a symbol capable of transcending time. The Pepsi logo is redone at least once a decade and the company changes it drastically every time. Rather than sticking with a product that works very well as an iconic logo, the company prefers a rapid and modern redesign to stay on trend and it doesn’t always work. This is not a logo that transcends time.

If you are trying to design a logo that transcends time remember that it’s an extremely difficult process. If you keep some of these top blunders and tips in mind however, you never far better chance at accomplishing this lofty goal.

Check out these classic logos for some inspiration on creating timeless logo designs. 

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