How to design a timeless logo (+24 inspiring examples)

Published on May 27, 2024

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A logo is usually the first interaction a customer has with your business. Research shows that, on average, a person sees around 5,000 logos per day. Insane? Absolutely. But at the same time, the data is clear about one thing: the importance of a brand’s logo is higher than ever. User surveys show that a company’s branding is closely related to trust, conveys a brand’s personality, and can significantly impact buyers’ decisions.

With these findings in mind, only a couple of questions remain: how do we create a successful logo, and where do we start?

This situation is probably familiar to every designer, but no worries, we have your back. In this post, we will dive deeper into what makes a good logo, how to approach creating one, where to get design inspiration ideas, and showcase the best examples from top current logo designers.

Good luck trying to stand out in Times Square. Owen Barker ©

The importance of a good logo design

First, let’s dive deeper into the statistics. The good news is that, for once, the data is unanimous about something: the logo’s design is incredibly important. According to statistics, 73% of customers say they are more likely to trust and make a purchase from a brand they recognize. Furthermore, 42% of people feel that a brand’s personality can be understood from its logo.

This is great news for graphic designers. Once we know for a fact that logo design is important and worth investing in, it’s easier to communicate this value to our clients. But at the same time, the stakes are also higher, since a brand’s reputation is closely linked to its visual identity. This means one thing — it’s crucial to focus on quality.

Did you know that the first Apple logo featured Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree?

What elements make a logo design memorable and timeless?

Of course, we all heard the stories of iconic logo examples by McDonald’s, Nike, Starbucks, Adidas, etc. Some of them were meticulously designed from the start, while others began as simple 20$ sketches that evolved over time until they were completely transformed. But what is the secret behind a logo design that might one day become a classic?

Here’s what our creative director Eyal has to say about:

*First, I strongly believe that a good logo should focus on simplicity, making it both memorable and versatile. A high quality logo looks great at any size, from a tiny website favicon to a large billboard.**Memorability is also key — unique designs help people easily remember the brand in a very visually busy world.**However, I’m not a huge fan of chasing the latest industry trends. By avoiding fast-changing fashions and staying true to your own ideas, a logo can remain more effective over time.*You can call it an unpopular opinion, but I don’t believe that a logo has to be conventionally beautiful to be effective. Many successful logos aren’t particularly attractive at first glance but excel in functionality and brand representation in the long run.

— Eyal Zuri, Creative Director of Muzli

Blue is by far the most popular colour choice for logos.

How to find inspiration ideas for designing your logo?

When the industry is saturated with logos, creating a fresh design becomes a challenging task. However, there are several approaches that could help you develop an initial concept if you’re feeling stuck. Here are some useful tips from industry leaders:

Delve into your brand history: Explore the founders’ motivations behind starting the business or brand. What specific tone of voice does the business use to communicate with customers? What feelings are associated with this brand? What are their ambitions for the future?
Analyze iconic logo examples: Take time to study what made the iconic logos we see today special. Was it the standout bright color? The distinctive and memorable shape? Or perhaps it was the incorporated relatable symbol?
Observe the world around you: Remember, design happens not only in your browser window. Look for inspiration in everyday surroundings. Perhaps there’s a line in car design that resonates with you? What about that famous building you pass by everyday? What about your clothing? Or nature? Inspiration is everywhere.
Seek inspiration from top graphic designers: Explore not only iconic logo designs from industry giants but also discover what current talent has to offer. Platforms like Muzli are excellent for finding inspiration and understanding the current state of the design field.

Stages of creating a professional logo

Once you have a clear idea what the brand wants to communicate, what their associations should be and what art direction you want to go, it’s time to go to the design itself. The standard logo creation process includes these steps:

Conceptualization: Freely explore the visual ideas that the research phase brought you. Sketch out rough concepts or create mood boards to explore different visual directions.

Design Development: Once a concept is chosen, designers should start refining the design. This involves creating digital mockups, experimentation with typography, colors, shapes, and symbols.

Feedback and Revision: Designers present the initial logo concepts to the client for feedback. Based on the feedback received, revisions are made.

Finalization: Once the final design is agreed upon, the final touches are made: creating different file formats, various color combinations for different applications. The finalized logo files are delivered to the client, who then implements the logo across various materials.

After completing these steps and using the logo in the ‘real world’ for some time, it’s very important not to forget to evaluate its effectiveness in achieving the brand’s goals.

Can I skip it all and use a logo generator instead?

As you can see, creating a logo design can become a tedious process that involves a lot of different steps. At the same time, today it’s easier than ever to generate a logo with just a few clicks by employing one of the dozens of logo generators. We know, it sounds too good to be true. But are they worth it?

The answer is not that simple. It depends. If you are just starting out in your business and do not have enough experience to create a quality logo yourself and no additional budget to invest for professional logo design services, then an online logo maker can be a quick and easy (even if pretty generic) solution. However, keep in mind that changing a logo and undergoing a rebranding in a later stage of the business might require more effort and be a pretty costly process. Also, online generators vary in quality and pricing, so don’t forget to do your research.

Alternatively, these generators could be used as an inspiration source for drafting your logo design ideas. It’s a very quick and efficient way to decide: Do you prefer your name in red or blue? Should the font be very clean and minimalistic or fancy and handwritten? Is it just your brand name, or do you want to include additional design elements, too?

We gave one of the generators a go. What do you think about the results?

Perfect? By no means. But it’s way easier to imagine the final result when you have a solid sketch in front of your eyes.

Logo design inspiration sources:

If, after reading these tips, you are still feeling stuck, we have handpicked the best modern logo design ideas from industry leaders to get your creativity flowing.

If you want even more, check out Muzli — a free browser extension that curates and showcases the best design content from all over the web.

25 fresh and modern logos for your inspiration:

Tired of big corporation logos mentioned in lists like this? Yup, we feel you, that’s why why picked some fresh logos from upcoming studios ant brands.

Wood Mood by No5 Istanbul