How to choose a logo

[Tudor-rose]

Hi all,

So I'm not actually a designer I am a client who is having a logo designed and I now have 3 designs all have their pros and cons and I can not decide how to pick one. I have a business that is steadily growing as an equine nutritionist helping people to figure out what to feed their horses. I decided to send the potential logos to some horse owning friends and past clients and there is a clear split as to which ones they prefer.

I thought I would come to a group of folks who do this all the time. What advice can you give with regards to picking a logo that you hope down the line will create a brand for your company?

I have one logo that seems too simple but gets across the message that balance is important to what I do. I have another that is very professional looking and very artistic but doesn't capture the issue of balance so well and neither really scream nutrition. Although both include an image of a horse.

Is it possible to meet all design brief criteria? And if not, how do you decide which parts of the brief to let go?

I can post the logos if needed I just wasn't sure what the etiquette is for posting someones work.

Thanks!

[10thWay]

Hello, it would be good to see a low res. version for each logo. As a personal preference. I always go for simplicity with a twist (maybe a modified font or similar) 1 or 2 colours max (possibly solid colours not gradients). Another thing to remember is that a logo shouldn't need to tell the whole story. For example: the gap logo does not have any images of jeans, tees and jumpers,,, but it's simple well balanced and easy to remember.

[Tudor-rose]

I have attached the 3 versions of the logo as jpegs.

You raise a good point about the logo not needing to say everything. In fact many of the major brands say nothing, what do Gap, adidas, nike, virgin mean anyway! At this point if they ever meant anything no one can remember anyway!

Hey where in Devon are you? I grew up in Tavistock.

[CYoung]

I quite like the 3rd one. It has a traditional look to it. The other two look a bit 90's in my opinion.

I would try and brighten up the olive colour on the second text line and the horse illustration if it were me.

Hope this helps

[Tudor-rose]

Thanks CYoung we are working on the horse in 3 to make it more friendly he looks a bit too much like an angry bronc right now. So you don't feel that the fact that #3 does not suggest balance in any way is an issue? It does appear professional and individualized and the horses head will hopefully end up looking more like the head of a horse who is in motion which should suggest performance a bit better. It doesn't really scream what I do but as has been said that is not always necessary?

Thanks again!

[CYoung]

You must remember a logo doesn't tell the full story, but it needs to look professional, and by bundling lots of elements often makes it look a bit messy.

Look at it from my point of view - I design stationary, offer printing, web design. I can't have my logo with business cards, flyers, a picture of a website. But I have an emblem which is essentially a star shape with a 'Y' shaded in which represents the first letter of my surname.

- I'm not saying my logo is what people should tailor theirs to, its just my style I suppose. But I think people here will agree saying that you don't need to add everything about your business into the logo.

[am:pm graphics]

I prefer 3 but pleased you said you are going to make it look less agressive! I also think a slightly brighter colour or colours would be good. Not sure of the wheat..perhaps makes it a little too much..

Pauline

[pcbranding]

Hello. Good advice so far that a logo doesn't have to literally spell out, by depicting either visually or with straplines, what your company does. The letter, flyer or brochure will have the detail that tells people what it is you do.
Think of big brands: Guinness (Harp) - gold on black, Nike (Swoosh/tick), Gap (good one!), Mulberry (Bush/tree), Heinz (framed graphic detail)....all of which conjour up an image of a lifestyle/service, but none of them actually say...nice stout, sports equipment, fashion/clothing...

Be brave and choose the one that you think is strongest and you 'like' rather than second-guessing what you think the client wants to see. I should imagine your market is very specific/focussed and so a professional, sophisticated logo will reflect a level of quality that potential customers can expect. A logo isn't a mini billboard - it's a flagpost to your company/service. It's more important to get it out there.

No. 3 is the best of the 3 options. The others try too hard to cram in all of the elements.

[Tudor-rose]

So I just got the following revision back from the designer for #3. Certainly the horse looks more friendly and looks to be in motion. Additionally as the horse is not a weaker image the text stands out more. However I think the swirls under the horse are too strong and need to be more refined? I also miss the additional swirl that used to be between the Q of equilibrate and the wheat. But perhaps it is cleaner this way? The horse needs a bit of tweaking but as a horse person I can handle that one

What are you thoughts? Is this an improvement?

[Tudor-rose]

That should say "now the horse is a weaker image"