The history of logo design is an interesting one. The first logos can be dated back to decades ago when businesses began to start using graphic arts to depict their brand in ways that made them set apart from other businesses online.
But when we speak of logo design, we’re usually referring to the way that logos are used within websites and web content. Logos have a history that is much deeper than the online environment.
Logo design goes back to the early 1950s in America when businesses begin to create branding to symbolize their products and services to the world. This happened long before there was the internet as we know it today and long before anyone begins to become concerned about how they would promote their brand online.
The Advent of Ad Agencies
Ad agencies greatly influenced the early use of logos in the United States. Companies used logos to symbolize a brand that ran a TV advertising campaign or to use as an asset to increase sales in the “real world” environment. It appeared on all sorts of material goods such as personalized stationery, hats, T-shirts, and bumper stickers, to name a few.
The fact that logo design goes back to as early as the 1950s (when TV was invented and made public to the world), indicates that it has and remains a visual art that is intended to help shape public opinion about the importance of a given brand or company.
The First Logos: Longer Ago than You Think!
It might surprise you to know, but the first logo designers and creators were most likely the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians are known to have used ancient hieroglyphics to tell stories, to proclaim their greatness to the world, and to record their history. We could see some of the ancient hieroglyphics symbols as the precursor to the modern-day logo and possibly even learned some lessons from them.
Early Greek and Roman Symbols
Other cultures are also known to have created something that resembles the modern logo such as the Greeks and ancient Romans who often use symbols to indicate everything from the changing seasons to their state of war with their enemies.
Logo Design and Technology
You could say that logo making and design has been around for centuries and even thousands of years but the internet, and other technological advances have led to the more prevalent and assertive use of a logo. This has arisen as a need to identify brand among a growing sea of other brands has increased, in which one must stand out to survive.
Logos on Center Stage
The use of the company logo to brand a company’s identity has become increasingly important. There has been a paradigm shift from using the logo to communicate and to be symbolic of the company’s standings to an out-and-out front and center identity of the brand. It is one of the few assets that people encounter online before they leave your site or decide to check out your other credentials.
Examples of Logo Genius
There are some companies today who are worth noting who have used their logo to benefit their company to so great an extent that we cannot avoid discussing them. One example is Steve Jobs with Apple and how he and his business partner Steve Wozniak developed a brand that people believe they could not live without.
Apple: The Making of a Legend
In retrospect, we see that this phenomenon occurred primarily because Apple indeed does make quality products. However, the idea that one brand is better than all of the others with pretty much everything they make is more an example of excellent ingenious marketing on the part of Steve Jobs and Apple rather than any real quality or value.
This Evolution did not occur overnight, but it all started with two guys named Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs who decided that the logo of the Apple being the first fruits of life from the Garden of Eden would be the identity of their product line.
There was something powerful about eating the “forbidden fruit” of the Bible and the fact that the name and the logo were so simple that it was destined to become a household word. This technique has worked for them, needless to say, and their logo has indeed played a significant role in this amazing feat.
Logos: Then and Now
One thing is for sure: a logo is important. In the online environment as well as the offline environment, a logo stands alone as the major proclaimers of your brand and your credibility. It may sometimes be the only thing that people know about your brand if they decide not to take action and investigate further.
Your logo can speak volumes about the identity that you wish to convey to a faceless audience. But it has to be done in a way that does this professionally and with your business ideas at heart. To do it in any other way or with less fiber is not doing justice to your brand or your logo.
How to Create a Logo that Wins
The best way to create a great logo is to first have a great brand. No matter how good the Apple logo was, they wouldn’t have sold so many iPods, iPhones, and iPads if there wasn’t great quality behind it. People will see through a farce a mile away. Always be authentic and truthful and transparent with your audience, and you will win customers for life who will become brand ambassadors for your company ideals.
How Your Logo Works for You
Once you have a great brand and a great business model, you will want to advertise it and promote it through your logo. When you need a great logo and nothing short of great will do, see the professionals at logodesignteam.com. At Logo Design Team, we understand just like Steve Jobs and Apple did years ago, that the logo is an introduction to your brand. They work together seamlessly, and neither can stand alone. They speak to the customer who may only see your logo and nothing else. It may be your one shot at convincing them that your brand is worth looking into where they come in via mobile devices or traditional desktop sites.
So think about what you want your brand to say for your logo and let your logo speak for you. We can help with this. Check out our site at logodesignteam.com and look at our portfolios then contact us for a free estimate. We can work with you and discuss how to promote the personality of your brand to a waiting audience.
Remember when Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name?” he was being sarcastic. Will knew, as the rest of us know, that everything is in a name and your logo is the face that speaks for your brand.
Make it unique. It may be your only chance to speak to the millions of visitors who see your logo. What do they go away thinking about your brand? Does it reflect what your company is about or did your logo only serve to get the attention of your target audience for five seconds of fame and then lose it? You can’t take chances with your logo. It’s just too important.
If your logo needs help, contact us. We understand logo design. It’s what we do.
