One area of corporate communications wrapped in mystery and romance is logo design. Everyone knows the story of Alan Fleming doodling the CN logo on a napkin aboard a plane. Well, they do if they are Canadian designers.
Nevertheless it epitomizes the stereotype of a common misconception, that logo design is a magical thing that "happens" and is so "easy" anyone can do it, with a computer.
What the legend fails to elaborate on is the work that preceded and followed the doodle, how does the symbol represent the organization, how bold should the lines be, how long should the line segments be, the radius of the corners, how will it be embroidered on coveralls and engraved on corner office stationery, what colour scheme, typographic standards?
Corporate Identity is the plan of how the logo will be applied in different contexts.
The practical question of the application of the design requires the attention of all the stakeholders including management, plant, staff and production facilities. This area of corporate identity is commonly referred to as "branding". Branding is the gestalt of the company as viewed through the corporate identity matrix.
Every commission is different, but most involve a meeting for discovery, a visual audit of existing materials if any, and a marketing audit that covers target market and other public exposure the logo might receive. This is incorporated into a design brief which also details strategic objectives and plans.
Once discovery is complete work begins on design. Depending on the objectives one or a number of concepts are elaborated for presentation.
Often in the process, new names present themselves. It is obviously of great benefit to a product or company if it can be given a different and memorable name.
If a symbol is created it will be provided with a rationale that interprets the components of the symbol and their archetypical meaning including shape references, cultural and demographic associations, colour and response, key and inferred messages.
Many companies don't need a logo, but a simpler, standard corporate signature is an old-school practical solution that has served products like "Polaroid" and "Sharpie" for a long time.
signagedesignage.com logo.
White Tiger Development Corporation.
creativeprocess.biz and brandasset.net brand strategy.
The Gift Horse logo.