Introduction About Symbols and Their Impact in Logo Design

A logo design is consists of three elements —font, color, and symbol. While the first two elements are easy to choose, most logo designers stuck picking the right symbol.

This is because the choice of symbol totally changes with the type of industry. For example, a logo for a software firm and a fast-food chain will be completely different, and so will be their corporate identities. But picking a symbol for the industry-specific is quite tricky.

Designers should know well about symbols, their types, etc. so that they can solidify their client’s brand image.

What is a symbol?

In the graphic design world, a symbol is actually a combination of graphic elements that depict something to us- in other words, a picture that narrates a story. Kenneth Burke—a twentieth-century critic and theorist—described humans as symbol making, symbol-using, and symbol misusing animal”. The designer’s interest should lie in how to use them.

What are the different types of symbols?

Typically, symbols are of two types— representational and abstract. While objects or things, and animals come under the representational category, an abstract symbol is based on contemporary arts and shapes—for example, swoosh, triangle, and box. Each symbol carries a specific meaning, which you need to know being a designer.

Which symbol is ideal for your logo design project?

It is difficult to answer. Sometimes, a symbol or the entire logo design doesn’t resemble its business; for example, Apple and Nike. They use abstract symbols in their logo generation process, and no one can guess which business they represent by seeing them.

But if you want to show brand identity through the logo, you should write down your client’s core business values, target audience, and the way they want to project their companies. Once done, you’ll be in a better position to decide which symbols to use in your client’s logo design.

Impact of symbols in logo design

Today, businesses are more readily acknowledged for what they personify than who they are. This makes symbols more and more vital while their use is increasingly becoming complex.

Some people argue that a logo is nothing but a symbol, but it’s not that simple. A logo becomes the symbol of the company’s identity. At the same time, the company uses pre-existing symbols to accomplish its job. If done correctly, companies can use symbols to make use of the most unconscious-level of human aspiration, thus when integrated into a logo design, a symbol will beautifully create a connection between a company and that the company would want to represent.

How symbols influence branding

Branding is essential for business, for collective identities, social life, and modern- day human experience. It lets the audience/people to recognize, organize, embody, and make sense of the world.

From a psychoanalytical point of view, building brands is linked to knowing how a human is conveying and expressing feelings through symbols. It is all about how human minds conceive a particular symbol and how they work to make within us a sense of satisfaction.

Since the market is fiercely competitive today, your brand must also be competing. And therefore, make sure the symbols you use for representing the brands are powerful. The association that people make through the symbols is vital in how they finally categorize their brands.

Tips on how to use symbols in logo designs and brands

1. Storytelling

Make sure the symbol that you chose for the logo design narrates your brand’s true story. Do comprehensive research in order to find the right symbol in your logo design. If you’re creating a logo using an online logo maker, you can get plenty of symbols and icons in the library to choose from.

2. Conflicts of interest

Don’t make your custom logo design messy by using multiple symbols as the practice may lead to conflicting ideas. It’s ok to combine forces but don’t overload on symbols or couple symbols that create friction. Don’t forget—your aim should be to convey a unified message.

3. International perspectives

You also need to analyze the symbols that you’re planning to include in your logo design. Examine the symbols keeping in mind the target audience, client, and even beyond the audience’s normal social and cultural contexts. What a symbol symbolizes in one culture might not be what it symbolizes in another. This is critical for businesses looking to build international identities and brands.

4. Symbols that interact

Each component that visually represents the brand comes to define it—this is the common idea behind the logo and brand. The primary objective is to make the audience understand who the company is and like to associate the brand into their lives.

5. Clarify the communication

All thoughtfully-designed logo conveys a unique message. If you use symbols wisely, they will powerfully communicate your brand message. A smart symbolic component in a logo can describe everything, but the designer must express one thing well instead of many ideas poorly.