Own Your Logo

One of the core requirements for any logo is that it is ownable. This means that there is something about it that is difficult for another company or organization to duplicate. Before we discuss how to own your logo (aside from simply paying your design invoice), we should define what a logo is.

A logo is a visual representation of your organization. It is typically comprised of a wordmark or an icon, or both together. Think of the word Nike (wordmark), and the swoosh (icon), or the word McDonald's (wordmark), and the golden arches (icon). Remember that a logo can be a wordmark or logo on it's own; they don't have to be used together. Often a company will introduce an icon with a wordmark, and over time the icon will become so synonymous with that brand that they can then remove the wordmark altogether and still communicate effectively to their target demographic.

So, perhaps you have an existing logo, but do you truly own it? What is it about that logo that makes it yours? If you've created it by slapping together clip-art or something you've found from the internet with your company name in a font you like (that came pre-installed on your computer), chances are your logo is not ownable. Anyone out there can recreate that logo, and may, without even seeing your version of it.

When you retain a professional design studio to develop a logo for you, one of the objectives should be how to make your logo ownable. This includes creating a unique icon, and possibly having it illustrated by a professional illustrator or photographed by a professional photographer. It also includes exploring different type treatments that will include altering fonts to style them for your specific application. Colours, placement, and size of the logo elements will all communicate different messages to your customers, so these should be explored as well. Taken together, all of these different considerations will help you to arrive at an identity that is ownable...whether or not you pay the bill.