With your brand competing against thousands of other companies in your industry, your logo means more than you know. Your colors, images, graphics, fonts, and more determine the overall success of your business.

But sometimes, you encounter a bad logo (or, worse, your logo leaves much to be desired). Even some of the world’s leading brands are guilty of bad logo design.

Avoid this bad branding by steering clear of these damaging mistakes with your company logo.

1. Starbucks, 1971

Starting off with one of the worst logos in recent history, Starbucks has come a long way since their inception.

Long before they were the biggest coffeehouse chain in America, they were a simple coffee bean retailer. That didn’t stop them from scaring the heck out of customers with their ugly brown mermaid selling coffee, tea, and spices. There was also a brown belt behind the logo, so it looked like they had the championship belt in the Bad Company Logos division.

Thankfully, when they implemented espresso drinks on their menu they rebranded, saying goodbye to the brown and the portly mermaid for a simpler one. Make sure your colors evoke better emotions than brown. Plus, don’t have characters or graphics that scare the wits out of your audience.

2. Pepsi

Now you might be thinking, “These guys are world-famous! How could they possibly have a bad logo?” To which we say, “You haven’t looked at it long enough.”

In fact, you can use the logo as a way to curb your appetite for a sugary soda. On par with what will happen to you if you consume their drinks, Pepsi’s red, white, and blue logo gives the slight appearance of a fat person.

You read that right: Put a head and arms in the red, legs in the blue, and a belly button in the white, and you have a cute fat guy with his stomach protruding from his shirt. While they aren’t keeping any secrets from the public, perhaps it’s best to keep your logo from any negative connotations.

3. The 2012 London Olympics

By far one of the worst logos ever created is not by a company, but by an event.

Back in 2012, London was honored with hosting the Olympics. They took this honor and consequently flushed it down the toilet with their horrendous logo. With zero of London’s famous landmarks, as well as backlash for looking like a distorted Swastika (or something even less savory), the logo was a complete flop.

Instead of using abhorrent typography and ambiguous shapes, make your logo as clear as day. As we can see, room for interpretation is not always the best for your brand.

4. Microsoft Bing

We’ve never met a Microsoft logo we did like. Bing, the search engine nobody uses and never will, is no exception to logo failure.

In 2009, it received the award for “worst-designed logo of the year,” and with great reason. The typography is an absolute eyesore, the colors are unattractive, and the overall unprofessional appeal would be why nobody uses Bing.

Typography and color are major factors in brand logo success. Do research to find what your industry and competition use, as well as audience testing, to figure out what emotions work best for your brand.

But, for everyone’s sake, be the opposite of Bing.

5. Flightning

Odds are, you’ve never heard of this company. And a quick search online turns up zero results for a company with this brand name. Maybe that’s because their logo was straight up awful.

Stating the obvious, this is a deliberate mockery of both Facebook and Twitter. Whoever developed this logo gives a whole new meaning to lazy; the “f” has the same typography as Facebook, the outline of the square too. The color seems to be a blend of the two social media monsters, and the only real difference is the “f” is at an unfortunate angle.

Perhaps the “f” is pointing down, as in “this ugly logo should be burned to the ground.”

Don’t make a cheap imitation logo. Be original and unique.

6. British Telecom

There must have been a mistake or lack of communication with this terrible logo. Ugly doesn’t even cut it with British Telecom, or “BT.”

Apparently, the company has altered their logo a whopping four times in the past 30 years. This is not good for any brand.

The abbreviation isn’t the problem, per se. What is a problem is the color…or, colors. BT is in a sans serif typeface, splashed with a potent combination of red, pink, blue, and green.

Ever heard of a successful company with that kind of color wheel? Yeah, we haven’t either.

This goes against what’s known as “inherent logic,” which is immediately understanding or “getting” what the design is trying to accomplish. With BT, it’s anyone’s guess what they’re attempting to convey.

To curtail bad branding, have a logo that people can comprehend and do NOT mix colors that have no business being mixed.

7. Bodega

Woof. Startups have a tough time as it is with getting adequate funding and quality design, but dang, Bodega was way off with their bad logo design.

It’s rather unfortunate: The Spanish meaning of “bodega” is a small Hispanic grocery store, or essentially what Bodega the company is trying to get rid of. Using a cat as part of their logo throws this gentrification mission in the face of immigrant-owned establishments.

This is, quite frankly, irresponsible and culturally insensitive.

We hope this goes without saying, but never ostracize or mock any race, gender, nationality, or disability in your logo. Excluding people with your bad logo is a one-way ticket to declining business.

Don’t Fall Victim to Bad Logo Design

As you can see in these seven examples, having a bad logo is quite common. The only way companies can salvage their brand reputation is by continuously improving their logo design.

Make sure you aren’t advertising an ugly logo by keeping updated with current trends, doing market research, and basically having some common sense.

If you have a bad logo design and need help establishing your brand as an authority, check out our sleek and simple Online Logo Maker tool.

Designing a logo isn’t exactly rocket science, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Even the most experienced graphic designers have trouble coming up with the right symbol to represent an entire company.

A logo has to be original, bold, and easy to memorize.

Luckily, there are many tricks and tools available to make logo design easier. Whether you’re a professional visual artist or an entrepreneur trying to build a business from scratch, you should start your creative process with standard graphic design rules. This builds a strong foundation for the final logo design to be something incredible.

Here are the key principles you need to know to guide your logo-making process.

1. Start with the Basics

Every creative project begins with brainstorming. When building a logo, the first stage has nothing to do with an online logo maker or software program. The final digital design begins on paper.

Get a plain sheet of paper out and sketch ideas. Write down the words you want to be associated with your brand and let these offer some guidance for whatever you draw.

You can use symbols that represent your services and products, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box, too. Maybe the final logo has nothing to do with what you offer, but what you want to stand for or where your company is based.

The more personal you can get, the better. But, it all begins with what you put on paper then develop further with the help of other graphic design rules.

2. Find the Perfect Font

Once you have a foundation established for your logo, play with the font.

This goes for logos that are just one or two words, as well as logos that are mostly symbols. Logos made to spell out company names or values need to be legible and standout among competitors. Logos that are just symbols – like a classic swoosh or a set of golden arches – will sometimes be accompanied by the company names (i.e. – Nike and McDonald’s).

Whatever your final design looks like, make sure you have the perfect font to match.

3. Play with Colors and Shapes

As you’re deciding on the font you want for your logo, try out different shapes and colors, too. These two graphic design rules are interchangeable in the design process.

Sometimes the shapes come first in order to set a foundation, and then the typeface is chosen to pair certain lines and curves. Sometimes, the font comes first and helps determine the other shapes in the logo. Still, the main objective is to create a design that combines every detail in a seamless, stunning fashion.

This isn’t just about turning heads, either. It’s about making consumers and competitors alike feel something. The colors and shapes you include in the final design will have a major effect on the values and emotions associated with the logo.

4. Keep Everything Clean

Deciding on fonts, colors, and shapes is often the longest part of the logo-making process. You can be an expert on all the graphic design rules in the world, but you still have to get everything just right. One way to ensure the logo is coming together well is to keep everything clean.

What does “clean” mean, though?

It means your gradients should blend well and each line should be sharp and significant. It means the spacing between each letter should be thought out and there should be one guiding principle that is clear to recognize. A clean logo is one that is bold and timeless but doesn’t try too hard.

5. Make Sure the Logo Can Scale

Another variation of a “clean logo design” is a design that can scale.

To be able to scale means the logo will fit well anywhere you put it. The final edit should be able to go on your website as well as your social media posts. It will sometimes need to be blown up for billboards and promotional posters, then used as a smaller version for business cards and company apparel.

Every time, though, the logo should be consistent. Of all the graphic design rules you use, this is arguably the most important. The last thing you want to do is create a logo that looks stunning online, then blurred or difficult to understand when printed.

Keep this from happening by saving the final edit in high-resolution. If you can save it as a vector, even better. Vectors are pretty much impossible to make blurry or confusing; they scale perfectly for car wraps and business signs as well as for pens and stamps.

6. Always Think About the Brand

Last but not least, always keep your brand at the front of your mind.

Many new business owners mistake a logo as the brand itself. This is a costly error; a brand is so much more! Branding refers to everything from your marketing tools to the quality of service provided in addition to your logo.

In short, the brand of a business is everything users associate with the company. The logo is often what makes these feelings and experiences come to mind as users notice it on various mediums. When a person sees your logo on their screen, on a street sign, or walking past someone using your product, what do you want them to think?

That should be what guides your design process from start to finish. Consumers interact with a wide range of companies day in and day out. The right logo can be what makes them stop and feel something, which begins to create a dialogue with current and potential users alike.

Using Graphic Design Rules for Beautiful Logo Design

Ready to see what the power of great design can do? Wonderful – stick to the graphic design rules mentioned above and you’re sure to create a logo that’s worth showing off.

This may take a few hours or a few days. You may know in your gut the final design looks perfect, or you may need to ask for insights and further ideas from business partners. Either way, the process will result in a beautiful logo.

For more advice to help you every step of the way, check out some more of our blog posts today.

Your logo is the icon of your business that lets people know who you are. So why would you want to invest in logo redesign?

Believe it or not, there are times when it makes sense to alter your logo, or even start from scratch. Even globally recognized brands update their logo occasionally.

While logo redesign can be risky, it can also be rewarding when performed correctly.

Take a look at seven key benefits that a new logo can bring your business.

#1 – Logo Redesign Keeps Your Image Fresh and Modern

Logos tend to be based on current design trends. Shape, color, font, and other elements are usually dead giveaways as to when the logo was created.

Updating your logo to reflect the current times can serve a few different benefits.

For starters, it shows people you’re not resting your laurels. Rather, you’re actively engaged in what’s happening around you.

It also demonstrates your resiliency and flexibility. You’re not resistant to change, but can keep up with changing markets, tastes, and consumer needs and preferences.

Finally, a new logo can make your brand appear fresh and cutting-edge. What looked great twenty years ago won’t usually have the same impact today. It’s an easy, cost-efficient way to give your brand a boost.

#2 – A New Design Can Attract Attention to Your Brand

When you introduce a new logo in your business, it’s hard for others not to notice.

The right logo will get people talking about your brand. It’s also a great opportunity to build some PR and ignite conversations surrounding your redesign.

Having people notice and comment on your new logo gives you countless brand impressions. Take this surge in publicity to help people learn more about your company and what the new design means for those you serve.

#3 – You Can Use Your Logo to Raise Awareness

Lacoste once changed its iconic crocodile logo in lieu of 10 different animals to raise awareness for endangered species. Each of the 10 animals were members of the endangered species list.

Interestingly, each shirt adorned with one of these new animals was released in limited supply. The number for each was based on the number of how many of each animal remains in the wild.

For example, there were only 157 Kakapo Parrots left, so Lacoste printed 157 shirts with the parrot logo.

In total, there were only 1,775 shirts produced, an alarmingly low number for a group of 10 species.

Many saw the move as risky and controversial, but it certainly attracted attention to the brand.

You can use your own logo to raise awareness for a cause. For example, you can add a ribbon to raise cancer awareness. A subtle nuance won’t alter the overall design, but it can add that little something extra so people will know there’s something fueling the change.

#4 – Change Your Logo for Rebranding Purposes

If you’re undergoing a rebranding strategy, a logo redesign makes perfect sense.

Rebranding itself isn’t a decision to take lightly. It’s an opportunity to connect with new audiences, reshape your image, and highlight your company’s new products and values.

BP’s iconic green and yellow logo saw a drastic redesign in 2003 when it switched from its badge-style logo to a beautiful Helios image.

The Helios resembled a sunflower that sported traditional BP colors. The home run was the imagery linking it to cleaner, better energy and a focus on BP’s environmental soundness.

Logo design should be a part of any rebranding efforts. While you might not be changing your business name, you can alter your logo’s color, font, and other stylings to reflect the new you.

#5 – Tailor Your Logo to New Markets

A new logo can help you break into new markets by appealing to different audience segments.

This one will take a little bit of research to find out what certain audience segments are most responsive to.

Using your new logo to reflect your company’s values and promote yourself correctly can spur new business growth.

Consider using the psychology of color and shape when tailoring your new logo. These elements can have a huge effect on the type of customer your logo will attract. It will also ensure your new design promotes the brand image you’re expecting.

#6 – Simplify Your Logo for Better Visibility

Some logos are complicated. Too much detail can get lost in translation, which makes them less effective.

Complex logos aren’t necessarily a bad thing. For example, Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s classic logo with the lion and elegant framework has remained unchanged for decades.

But printing such a complex logo can prove difficult. You likely won’t retain many of the fine details that make it so unique, which could prevent your logo from being as effective as you expect.

Simplifying a detailed logo can make your message stand stronger. Your audience can immediately recognize what your logo is trying to say.

Remember, it’s not a gallery painting. People aren’t going to stare at your logo for minutes at a time trying to figure it out (unless they’re logo enthusiasts).

#7 – A New Logo Can Boost Your Revenue

All of the above benefits of logo redesign can ultimately lead to an increase in profits.

When people start talking about your new logo, your brand receives exposure. It gives people a chance to learn more about you, your products, your services, and your company values.

By appealing to new audiences, you’re able to share your brand and products with more people than you were before.

Redesigning your logo can also help create top of mind awareness. It makes people think about your company and what you offer. As a result, you could experience an increase in sales, website traffic, social media engagement.

Yes, your new logo can be that powerful.

Wrap Up

Getting a good logo doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive.

Our online logo maker allows you to create a high-quality logo quickly and easily. Its simple user interface means anyone can be a logo designer, even if you don’t have a background in design.

Try it yourself for free and get your new logo today!

Making a beautiful logo is a fundamental part of running any business.

Whether you operate in the financial sector, run a travel company, manage a local restaurant, or do home renovations, the right logo can help you stand out. This is something that goes on everything from your company’s branded apparel to business cards and unique promotional items.

Promotional items include classic tools like pens and stress balls, but also distinct pieces that you can give out, like custom coins or special pins. If you’re exploring the option of making custom challenge coins, you can’t pursue this idea without the proper logo.

That’s where we come in. Our design system is here to help you turn your current logo into something that is coin-ready, considering challenge coins are pretty small!

First, though, you need to know a thing or two about logo design.

Below are all the tips you need.

1. Try to Be Timeless

No matter if you’re building a logo from scratch or manipulating your current logo to something that is suitable for custom coins, focus on one thing: being timeless.

This is the only way your logo will be remembered. Many people collect custom challenge coins because they are fun, unique items that are hard to come across. But, they don’t always remember the company that provided a certain coin in the first place.

That’s why your logo design matters so much. The more memorable your logo is, the more likely someone is to remember the actual products and services offered by the company a logo represents.

2. Brainstorm, Brainstorm, Brainstorm

How do you come up with a timeless logo?

By taking the brainstorming stage of the design process seriously. Take a moment to sketch out a few logo ideas before you start the digital version. This helps you get out of your head and visualize which ideas work and which don’t.

To make the brainstorming process even more effective, draw a circle around each logo. This allows you to conceptualize how it will look on the custom coins you want to create.

3. Manipulate Colors and Shapes

Once you have a few quality design ideas, develop them even further.

Take your sketches from pen and paper to a digital screen. Use the online tools provided to play with different colors and shapes. The shapes you use don’t have to be exact representations of a square, triangle, or so on.

But, using shapes as a basic outline for the design of your logo makes a big difference. This puts the concept of shape psychology to work. In logo design, certain shapes can exude a sense of trust, balance, or community – depending on what you want your company’s custom coins to stand for.

Similarly, there’s also a different set of color psychology for logo design. Educate yourself on these matters in order to send a message that is loud and clear (and effective!) to your audience.

4. Make Something Eye-Catching

While you’re figuring out how to relay your company values or purpose through shapes and colors, make sure the logo as a whole can turn heads.

If you aren’t creating a design that is eye-catching, you won’t get the results you’re looking for. Think about how your logo will stand out among many others. This goes for when it’s used on challenge coins, lanyards, and all other kinds of promotions.

Wherever you put your logo, it has to be easy to notice.

5. Brand Your Heart Out

It’s one thing for someone to notice your logo and another for them to recognize it as part of your brand. This is especially true if you have one variation of a logo for regular business purposes and another for your custom coins and other promotional items.

To build brand recognition, you have to make a logo that is a clear representation of your brand. A brand is a complex thing to identify. It’s both the signature colors of your company, as well as the products you offer and the quality of service you provide.

All of these details have to be summed up in your logo.

It can sound like a hard thing to do. But the longer you work at it, the more your brand will become front and center of your logo design.

6. Add a Special Touch

To further encourage brand recognition, think outside the box.

There is bound to be an element of your company that is entirely unique, no matter how many competitors or the amount of exposure you have. Think about things like office traditions and phrases that guide your culture.

Does your company have some sort of mascot or another internal symbol that isn’t necessarily a part of your logo yet? Add it to the design you’ve created and see how much more unique the overall look of the logo becomes.

7. Consider Use and Placement

At the end of the day, regardless of what your logo looks like, it’s going to have a limited amount of space when placed on custom coins. Keep this in mind throughout your design process.

The final version of your logo should be something that is scalable down to the smallest coin, and up to a big poster or even a billboard, too. The best way to achieve this is to keep it from being too busy.

A simple design turns heads when displayed on small pieces and is easy to understand. More so, it’s a classic look that can be used on bigger canvases, too.

8. Don’t Be Afraid to Edit

Throughout the logo-making process, you’re going to make plenty of edits.

This may have you thinking that once all the pieces come together, you’re done. In reality, the “final version” of your logo will go through many edits before it is actually complete.

It’s true that edits can be time-consuming. But, the more attention you pay to the small details and the effort you put into tweaking them, the better the true final edit will be.

Design Your New Logo for Your Custom Coins

Whether you’re building a logo for custom coins or figuring out how to display your logo for bigger uses, you need the right system to do so. Having access to a logo maker turns edits from a big hassle into a simple design process.

To discover just how easy logo making can be, click here.