An effective yet good looking logo can be a challenge to some.  Creating a logo is probably the most important step in branding yourself, your business or organization as this basic item is used almost everywhere you make, publish or broadcast yourself.  I have found that applying the five principles of versatility, appropriateness, stability, timelessness and simplicity really help to draw out a more effective logo in the end.  Here I will discuss how to think about these principles when creating your own logo or a logo for someone else.

Versatile – A versatile logo is one that looks as good blown up on a billboard or poster as it does on letterhead or a business card, and is as effective in black and white as it is in color.

Appropriate – An appropriate logo effective targets its intended audience. A logo with a speaker is a great idea for a music store, but the same would not work for a funeral home or law office.

Memorable – A memorable logo is exactly what you think it is.  It is a branding that is unique and simple, which makes it easy to remember and associate with the entity it represents.  Think of the Nike swoosh.

Timeless – A great logo is timeless, it has stood the test of time and won.  When going for a timeless logo ask yourself if this logo will be relevant and effective in one year, what about100 years?

Simple – The last, but definitely not the least principle is simplicity.  Simplicity in the end helps to make a logo more versatile, memorable and timeless.   Great simple logos have a unique feature but not a whole lot of other elements to clutter it or to make it go astray.

I hope this helps along the way.  Some may say that it is too easy to create a logo, and honestly with time and practice, it does get easier, just remember the basics down the road.