Logo design is the most misunderstood and mysterious type of graphic design there is. Everyone has an opinion on what makes a successful logo, but none of them pan out.

The following are the most common misconceptions about logo design, which should be avoided at all costs:

1. The logo should be relevant to the business it represents.

Why should a logo reflect a firm?

A logo’s purpose is only identification; it’s not meant to tell a story. We recognize nations by their flags, royal houses by their coats of arms, and businesses by their logos. They exist only to help their owners stand out in a crowd. Nor any fewer details, not anymore.

A company’s logo should reflect the values and principles that the company was founded on. It’s the only marketing tool not meant to increase sales but to unite and inspire the people who work for the firm.

2. A logo must incorporate a symbol.

Honestly, no. Some of the most recognizable logos have only well-designed typography and no visual elements.

Yet this does not preclude the use of symbols within logos. Apple, Nike, and Pepsi are a few examples of companies whose logos have become as recognizable and omnipresent as their names.

The takeaway: if you need to symbolize anything significant to the firm, use a symbol. If that’s the case, you might want to look at alternative fonts.

3. If your logo is great, it’s okay to only show the symbol

• Repetition is the key to learning and memory.
• Repetition is the key to learning and memorizing new material.
• Repetition is the key to memorization.

You can learn so much via repetition that you can identify a single particle of sand in the Sahara after staring at it every day for several years. However, spending a lot of money on marketing is necessary for logos to succeed.

This is why it’s critical to recognize that the Nike and Apple logos do not have magical powers – they are merely symbols that have been repeated so many times in the media that it’s difficult not to identify them with these companies.

Not many businesses, sadly, get to reap the benefits of an infinite advertising budget. No matter how well-designed the symbol is, if the company’s name isn’t included, no one will recognize it or care what it represents.

4. A logo must adhere to industry standards.

The majority of real estate company logos inspire feelings of dread and monotony. There’s a home, a tree, and perhaps a hill or a sunset. Ingenious creators often include a secret clue that unlocks further content.

Just like how nine out of ten fashion logos are pretentious and sophisticated (black and white, exquisite font, minimal symbols/graphics), so are most websites selling clothing. They all appear to be reserving color for their clothing.

We’re all guilty of conforming to the unspoken standards for logo design across all industries. However, nothing is more detrimental to a startup’s image than a logo that looks like everyone else’s.

5. A logo must be “timeless.”

After hearing this one repeatedly, I began to wonder whether a time machine existed.

You can’t design a logo with the purpose of it being timeless; all you can do is make sure it doesn’t rely too much on passing trends like swooshes and glossy finishes.

The logos themselves are aging, just as everything else. In order to keep up with changing fashions, they may need to get plastic surgery. Shell, IBM, Xerox, Volkswagen, and Coca-Cola are just a few companies that have revised and updated their logos several times.

6. A logo must be appealing.

A logo isn’t there to be pretty to look at; it’s there to become a hallmark that stands for the company’s values. No one’s opinion of the businesses or groups represented by a logo can be pinned on how they feel about the logo itself.

Customers aren’t interested in a company’s logo but rather in the services it can provide. While you should follow certain fundamental design rules while creating your logo, you shouldn’t wait for someone’s stamp of approval before unveiling it.

The time to act is now.

Therefore, how should a logo be designed?

The answer is “it depends,” which may or may not please you.

Everything depends on the customer, their background, and their goals. Is this a new player in the market aiming to draw a crowd? Is this a well-established company that wants to appear timeless? Perhaps they’ve been around for a while, but all they really need is a redesign.

A logo, like a signature, reveals a great deal about the sender and not much about the recipient.

Remember it, and you will succeed.