Most educational institutions have one thing in common: an easily recognizable college logo. If yours does not, or if you are a new institution, now is the time to get the logo that you need in place. Your logo can be used to communicate the morals, values, and other attributes that define your institution. Even small start-up schools can now afford a professional logo design, however, since the cost of getting a professionally designed logo has never been cheaper.
Challenges of Logo Design
It can be a challenge to come up with the right logo design for your school. This is why it is best to leave college logo design to the professionals who have been trained for creating logos. Every successful college logo shares a few commonalities that are worth noting when you are working with your designer, including:
-Simplistic elements. Choosing a logo that is easy to remember is important. A design that is simplistic by nature is one that will stick in the memory of those who are viewing it. They will be able to recall it again easily. When they see it printed somewhere, they will automatically associate it with you. For example, if you see the blue letters of "UK" with a wildcat's head peaking around the corner, then you automatically associate it with one of the nation's leading universities, the University of Kentucky. While this design may not be the most ingenious, this symbol has become symbolic for a winning basketball team and a school that produces doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. You will see it printed on everything from campus buildings to tee shirts in the bookstore.
-Good looks whether in color or black and white. If you are familiar with the logo for the University of Kentucky, you would probably recognize it even if you were to see it printed in black and white, such as in a print ad or on an envelope from the school. This is another hallmark of a great college logo. You don't have to print it in color in order to know which school sent it out. It keeps its elemental design even if you take away the Kentucky blue and the brown of the wildcat near the letters "U" and "K". Your logo should have this same ability.
-Retains its meaning whether in small scale or large. Since you never know what purpose you may have for your college logo on down the road, it is important that you choose a design that can be scaled up or down as desired. It should accomplish this feat without losing any clarity or meaning. In other words, whether you choose to print it on a large sign on the campus lawn or emblazon the side of a promotional freebie pen in the student life office, your logo should still remain readable and recognizable to those in your niche.
When working with a logo designer to come up with an effective college logo, pay attention to these essential elements and you will find that the result is a logo that will help to identify your college for years into the future.
