Designing a great band logoApril 11, 2011

Your band logo is your band’s single most important marketing tool. It incorporates your whole marketing strategy with the aims of promoting immediate public recognition, inspiring loyalty with your market and communicating your message, all within a glance.

Here are some points to consider when coming up with a band logo:

Brainstorm: Take some time and really think about the type of logo that will suit your band. Try as many different styles as possible and be open to the obscure. Check out what other bands out there are doing. Take note of the different aspects they put into play and make a list of what you believe they do or don’t achieve. Your logo is essentially a way for people to visually recognise your band so take your time and don’t rush ahead. Your logo will – should – stick throughout your career.

Branding: Branding is something that must be incorporated throughout your band’s entire career and in all aspects of your. Integrate themes, colour schemes and think about your target market and how they would respond to this. Your choice of font and/or images should match your image. A chunky, stencil band logo might not work so well for The Wiggles. Or maybe it does. Whatever your choice make it work for you, follow your branding strategy and do it with conviction.

Transferability: Your logo will be used on a number of things including your social networking sites, merchandise (t-shirts, key rings) and within the media (print, web). What might look great blown up on your band website may not look as good when shrunk down to fit on a badge. Likewise, keep in mind that your logo may be changed to black and white to suit the format it is being used for. Ideally it should look just as good in black and white as it does in colour without losing impact.

Originality and legalities: The whole purpose of a band logo is to stand out from other bands. Be creative and unique. Don’t rip off other people’s work. Someone could potentially find it and take legal action against your act, plus it’ll be confusing for fans. Do some research and get aquatinted with the world of copyright, trademarks and patents.

Tips:

• Easy to read: Print out your logo, stick it on a wall, take 10 steps back and ask yourself whether it is legible and comprehensible.
• Be objective: Ask friends and family on ways, or if there are ways, to improve your logo.  Take their opinions on board and be open to criticism.
• Do not use Wordart: It is unprofessional and offensive to you, your band and your music.
• Hire an expert: If you feel that you are not capable of designing a great logo or can’t use design software, it may be a wise investment to hire a freelance graphic designer for better results.
• Design different versions: whether the logo is designed by your or a freelance designer, be sure to get the logo in different versions (e.g. stacked and horizontal layouts, with and without mottos if applicable, in .PNG and .JPG formats as well as different sizes). This will be easier than finding out down the track a website, venue or media outlet have very specific guidelines about logo files.
• Keep it simple: When in doubt go with the simplest option.

Written by Valleyarm intern Selenna Nieva