Delving into the world of logo design

Well-executed commercial symbols can turbocharge a brand or organisation's image and, by extension, profits hugely. In some cases, it can even make or break the venture, which is why most corporations throughout modern history have outsourced the design of their logo(s) to specialist marketing companies such as Abbott Mead Vickers. Some key aspects to a logo are integral for it to be successful: being memorable, describable, scalable, and recognisable even without colour. To illustrate this point and aid me in my quest for the perfect logo for the brand that is myself, I have selected three logos which, in my opinion, are iconic.

BMW ('Bayerische Motoren Werke')

Now this is a prime example of a compact, scalable design. The thick, black roundel contrasts well with the alternating blue and white centre pattern that makes for a characteristic colour scheme.With an easily legible font and text size, it is about the only aspect that has clearly changed. In its most recent iteration, the logo has been given a kind of 3D treatment whereby it now features some tone and is now visually more 'shiny', evoking a more premium feeling. The resultant texture is now more akin to a round piece of metal (i.e. an actual badge) rather than the flat, fabric-like textures of yesteryear.

Shell ('Royal Dutch Shell')

The Shell logo is brilliantly minimalist. The modern iterations feature a striking yellow/red combination for the simplified, geometric representation of a shell, which makes it instantly recognisable to most people; this coupled to the lack of tone means this logo has a very solid, 2D feel to it. Being composed of only two colours also means it can be easily adapted in white and black. Despite the simplification, the red spikes still give the impression of an undulating surface.

Volkswagen

Reproducibility at its best. The Volkswagen logo has been refined to great effect over the years, and the result is a roundel that envelops the two initials V and W using simple, geometric lines. The calm combination of white and blue works well in combination with this clean layout of shapes. Similarly to the BMW logo, the VW logo has gained tone and texture in modern times in the form of a lighter left side and a darker right as well as the application of some bevel effect, respectively. This has resulted in a rounded and metallic feel, which is more than appropriate for an automaker.