// the job of a logo
A logo is not decoration. It is a mark of recognition. Its job is to identify — instantly, at any size, in any context. On a billboard. On a business card. On a phone screen at 32 pixels wide.
Most people think designing a logo means making something beautiful. That is secondary. The primary job is to make something recognisable and memorable. Beauty follows function.
The Nike swoosh cost $35. The Apple logo is a piece of fruit. The FedEx logo hides an arrow between the E and the x. Simplicity is not a limitation — it is the goal.
// five principles of great logos
// logos that work — and why
Nike — a single fluid stroke suggesting motion and speed. No text needed. Recognisable at any size. Designed in 1971 for $35.
Apple — a bitten apple. Simple, human, slightly playful. The bite prevents it from looking like a cherry. One detail that changes everything.
FedEx — look between the E and the x. There is an arrow pointing forward. Hidden meaning that rewards attention. You can never unsee it.
Amazon — the smile under the name goes from A to Z. Every product, delivered with a smile. Two ideas in one mark.
// what makes logos fail
Too complex — gradients, shadows, fine detail. Looks great at full size. Disappears at small sizes. Impossible to embroider or engrave.
Too trendy — built on a current style. Dates itself within years. Requires a redesign to stay relevant.
Doesn't scale — works on a website but falls apart on a business card or a pen.
Means nothing — random shapes with no connection to the brand. Forgettable by design.
Cover your logo with your thumb. Can someone still identify your brand from what's visible around it — the color, the shape, the general form? If yes, it's working. If no, it's too dependent on detail. This is how real designers test scalability before they ever open a design tool.
Find 5 logos you see every day — on your phone, your clothes, your food, your car. For each one write one sentence: what makes it work, or what makes it fail. Use the five principles as your guide. That single exercise is the beginning of design thinking — and it costs nothing.