How to create a company logo and how to specify it

Evolution is better than revolution when it comes to logos

At PUXdesign, we have been creating and redesigning logos since 2005, and through this experience, we know the best approach. Thanks to our expertise, we can advise you on how to create a logo efficiently and affordably, as well as how to use it. We will assist with the preparation of all applications, whether it is a website ,  e-shop ,  printed materials , or even  vehicle wraps .

The process is the same whether creating a new logo or redesigning an existing one. In the latter case, we advocate for the idea that it is better to take the path of evolution rather than revolution. This means modernizing the logo instead of completely discarding the old one. The logo is your brand, under which customers have known you for years, and it represents the quality of your services. Even if you or those around you find the logo unappealing or outdated, its imprint in the subconscious of your customers is firmly linked to your services.

And then there are trends — where the old and seemingly outdated styles come back into fashion over time, and it only takes a slight refinement (especially considering the practicality of its use in the modern world, rather than immediately visible changes). Therefore, from our experience, it is not wise to dazzle with an entirely new visual. While this approach can make sense in certain cases, it is significantly more challenging (and expensive) to teach customers to adapt to a new logo again.

When creating or modernizing a logo, we ask who you are, why you are changing it, who your customers are, and how you use the logo

At the beginning, you will introduce us to your activities and the history of your visual presentation

• Are you a large corporation, a smaller company, or a freelancer?
• Are we creating a logo for your business identity or for a specific product?
• Are you launching a completely new project or are you an established company?
• Are you a company selling air conditioning or a bowling club?
• Who is your competition?
• What visual identity have you had so far?
• Why do you want a change if it is a logo redesign?

Since we strive to be efficient and save your money, we also have some practical questions

• Which logos of other companies do you like and why?
• What colors do you prefer? Do you already have a developed CI or an existing logo manual?
• Do you want a text-based logo or one with a symbol?
• What should such a symbol express? 
• How do customers perceive you and where do they encounter your logo? At what moment and with what emotions?

A very important set of questions concerns future work with the logo

• What visual outputs do you use or plan to use?
• Business cards, catalogs, website, vehicle wraps, letterheads,...?

There can be dozens of applications, and we can handle each of them because  graphic work is our daily bread. However, we need you to think about this and describe your future intentions before we start creating or redesigning the logo.
The created logo should withstand even ten years when applied to something we did not anticipate at the beginning. Nevertheless, awareness of the future use of the logo is key — it allows us to test the logo during preparation on the mentioned outputs, and it will make it much easier for you to decide when you see the logo in the specific context of a business card, web banner, or shelf in your store.
We can also qualifiedly test new visuals directly on your target customer group who will encounter them.

We most often create logos in three rounds

We usually design the logo in three rounds/iterations

• In the first round, the goal is to bring as many ideas to the table as possible, sketching a larger number of variations. Several graphic designers are involved to ensure a high diversity of ideas. These are truly ideas and options, so the logos are not detailed. However, you have the opportunity to choose from a wide spectrum.
• After a joint discussion with you, we will select the preferred versions for the second round and develop them in more detail, trying different color combinations, looking for a suitable complementary font for the logo, and working with it in various applications.
• During the next revision with you, we aim to choose the winning solution, which we refine to perfection in the third round. The finished logo is delivered in the form of a logo manual — this has several pages and shows how the logo should (not) be used, what color variations are allowed, protective zones, what the black and white or negative versions look like, and what font you should use with the logo in print or on the web. The logo manual ensures that by following it, your logo will always be used correctly and consistently in any future implementation, whether you collaborate with us or anyone else.

We will, of course, provide you with all the logo formats you might need in the future

• jpg, png, heic — rasters,
• ai, pdf, eps, svg — vectors,
• these formats will be in several color spaces — CMYK and RGB,
• for web use (RGB) and for print (CMYK) and Pantone (print) — ensuring the same shade every time.

The collaboration rounds can (and often are) more than three when creating a logo. It depends on the budget you can afford for the logo and the variety of designs you want to consider throughout the process. We are completely open in this regard — at the beginning, we will agree on a financial framework and will keep you updated on how much money we have already spent. Want more ideas or to experiment with colors? Want to combine some variations and see how they will look at your reception? Just let us know, and we will arrange it.

Feedback on the Journey to a Perfect Logo

Your active collaboration is essential in the logo creation process. Without feedback, we cannot progress effectively. Feedback should be as specific as possible, even though we understand that this may not be easy for you. The recommendation is clear: let’s talk, write, call, and communicate. This article was created during the coronavirus period — we are still designing logos successfully during this time. We conduct video conferences where we virtually shake hands and, most importantly, share screens with designs and discuss them. It turns out that this is not a problem.
However, a response like “I don’t like this” is not enough. We appreciate when you invest emotions into the collaboration, but we need you to translate those feelings into specific terms. And we will help with that! We know how to ask you questions and elicit feedback that will move both us and your logo toward perfection. We need to figure out together what exactly bothers you about the logo, what is missing, or what doesn’t seem right. Is it the colors, the shape of the logo, the font, or the way it is used?
Formulate as specifically as possible what you feel is lacking or obstructing in the logo. Feel free to draw on a piece of paper how you envision it differently. We are not playing games and want to understand you — that’s why it’s important to communicate openly. The more detailed the feedback is, the better our next output will be, which can ultimately shorten iterations and speed up the entire design process.

Talk directly to the designer and heed their advice

Customers sometimes shyly ask us if we will allow them to discuss the logo directly with the designer. And we say — of course! Who else would you want to talk to about it but its creator? The designer needs peace to work, so calling them every ten minutes with a new idea is not the best way to achieve a great logo. But if you give them space to incorporate your ideas along with theirs and then schedule a meeting or video conference, rest assured they will be happy to discuss the designs with you.
Try to perceive the designer's recommendations and trust that they are advising you well. They have certainly created more logos in their lifetime than you have and, above all, they think several steps ahead — considering how the logo will look on a large billboard or a tiny pen and striving to create it so that it is clearly readable and looks representative in both cases. This is crucial for a logo. They also ensure that it looks good not only in color but also in monochrome, as it often happens that someone prints your letterhead on a black-and-white printer.
So discuss with the designer, ask them challenging questions, and show them your ideas or other logos that you like.

How much does it cost to create a new logo or redesign a logo

What budget is needed for logo creation is naturally one of the most common questions. We are open and do not play games — we will spend a certain amount of time on your logo and would like to be compensated for it. And this time can vary greatly.

When you have limited funds, be objective when submitting logos and during revisions, and strive to lead the entire collaboration towards a goal. We typically create basic logos in the range of 5,000 to 15,000 CZK, always depending on the actual time spent.
If you want to play around more with the logo, are a larger company, and have many ideas for different implementations, it might be good to develop more proposals in the first round and thoroughly explore further options for adjustments, color tuning, and font choices in subsequent rounds. There can be several rounds of discussions. We would be happy to prepare a comparison of options so you can see them side by side and assess everything, discuss it with business partners or trusted individuals in your circle. Then expect that our work will require significantly more effort, and the price may rise to 20,000, 30,000, or even 50,000 CZK. For the invested money, you will receive adequate value in return.
We would also be pleased if you collaborate with us after the logo is completed on creating  print materials ,  website ,  e-shop , or  customer portal . And if you want to read more, we recommend the article where we discuss how to create a logo for a sports club.