London Logo Design Blog » UK Brand Logos

UK Logo Design Trends

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:52 +0000

The UK is known for timeless designs that transcend fashion, but this does not mean that there are not always new trends sweeping the nation. Logo design is a very style-oriented field, especially for people who are in fields where keeping a modern image is important. Here are a few trends that seem to be gathering momentum right now. If you are not already seeing a lot of these motifs and themes, you probably will be seeing them soon!

Minimalism. Minimalism has been popular in UK design for the better part of a century, but it remains very much in style. It can be just perfect for giving a modern and professional feeling to a logo design. However, these logos are much more difficult to design than many other types, so be sure you talk to a logo designer about this.

Signature logos. This type of logo design is rather common in the UK, but it seems to be getting more so. This is especially true in companies that are named after the business owner. If you think about it, your signature is a logo of sorts, so using it in an actual logo makes sense. This motif is also common in design oriented fields; a signature logo is sleek, modern and appealing without being complicated or dated.

Three Dimensional logos. Three dimensional logo deigns have been available for years, but it is only recently that they have been such high quality and low cost. Three dimensional logos can represent technological superiority, but they also can suggest other emotions depending on the exact design. They are especially appropriate for modern, techy, even geeky brands.

Punctuation Inspiration. We use punctuation every day in writing, but it has been absent in the UK logo design world until very recently. However, we are beginning to see it pop up in logos around us, and it is easy to see why. Punctuation helps us set the tone for sentences and allows us to be very clear; why would this principle be any different in logo design? Punctuation logo design can feel clever and be very expressive.

Text-Only logos. One way to be simple and timeless in design is to use text only. This gives your logo design a professional and sophisticated feeling, while ensuring that you will be able to use the logo through a variety of times and fads. However, one drawback is that these can seem cold and less friendly than logos which bright and pretty images. Also, if not handled correctly, these can be less memorable for the customer base.

Whether to follow a trend or to choose a more timeless design is a completely personal decision. The type that will be most effective for your company and your consumer base depends on the unique aspects of your brand and your market. If you have any questions about the type of logo that will work best for your company, talk to a professional UK logo designer.

Could a Low Point for High Street Be a New Beginning for You?

Logo Design Company London — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:08:38 +0000

The BBC recently reported that June was a particularly disastrous month for UK high street business. We are seeing unprecedented job losses in big names such as Habitat, Carpetright, and Thornton’s. Indeed, the economic downturn may be a death knoll for many big brands—but what does it mean for UK small business?

The answer to this question depends a lot on how you are riding out the economy. Some small businesses are not doing much better than their high street competition. However, small businesses in the UK have several advantages. Here are just a few:

Flexibility in branding and logo design. A large business cannot change with the times, at least not as quickly as a small business. If you need a new logo and other visual elements to appeal to the new UK customer, you can have them on your signs in just a few weeks. There are no committees. Small businesses can effect change quickly and are thus more flexible.
Flexibility in products and services. Another key advantage that arises from being small is the ability to respond to market changes in the UK quickly. You don’t have policies and procedures that must be observed; you can begin selling a new item as soon as you identify the need.
Local brand. At a time when many people are choosing local small businesses, you are just that. You have the immense appeal of being a part of the local economy and a part of your local community. If this is important to your consumer base, you should consider making this part of your brand and logo design.
Personal touch. That personal touch can be very important. People in the UK love to buy from a familiar face, and as a small business owner, you can be that person!
Knowledge of your market. You know your market better than any multinational corporation ever could. You interact with them on a daily basis, after all! Small business owners tend to be a part of their target market themselves, making it very easy to identify and meet your customers’ needs.
Less liabilities. Huge businesses have equally huge overhead. While you don’t have the profits of the large companies, you don’t have their bills either. Most small businesses are inherently lean operations, carrying low inventory and small amounts of staff. That advantage can become even more so during economic downturns. It’s relatively easy for you to cut back a little here and there; a large business does not have that option.

Business experts are predicting that up to 10,000 retail jobs may be lost this summer, but your job can be a little safer if you accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. Consider whether your logo design, brand, product line and other elements are just right for your business, and then move forward. With so many big name stores closing, you may just find that you have a little less competition! If you are interested in reading the dire forecast for High Street, you can read more about it here.

Davenport Woods London

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:28:56 +0000

It’s hard to think of an industry more brand oriented than interior design. This field is all about appearances. It’s important that all logo and graphic design related to an interior design company be the very best, created by a professional. It is also important for the logo to be a reflection of the company’s style and work. This ensures that customers will know exactly what to expect from the business.

The New Davenport Woods London logo design meets these criteria. It is simple, sophisticated, and recognizable, an excellent representation of British design. The image is symmetrical, combining the friendliness of the circular shape with a star for excellence. The thin lines create a simple, unassuming feeling that is balanced by the upper case letters with serifs. Having the letters entirely the same size adds to the sense of order and sophistication that this logo design seems to portray.

Why no colour? There are several instances in which a black and white logo can be the best choice. First, it helps the logo survive the test of time. Colours can be either dated or stylish; very few are neutral or classic in nature. Using a colourless logo helps a logo design to have a more timeless feeling and also to avoid clashing with customer tastes and sensibilities. This is particularly important in consultancy logo design.

The use of shape here is classic and sophisticated. The layered images take advantage of a current logo design trend (layered images) while maintaining a clean and sophisticated feeling. In addition, the associations linked with the star and circle shapes an included. If you look closely, the shape appears to have been created by several keyhole shapes, which may be an accident but also may refer to the homes that the firm decorates.

We like the bespoke font so much that we feel it deserves more than just a mention. Luxury details combine with unexpected accents such as the lack of a crossbar on the A. The font is a redrawn and reimagined version of Baskerville, an old favourite, but it feel unique and upscale enough to add to the sophisticated feeling of the logo design.

The Davenport Woods London website is a seamless fit with the logo design and brand. The website is simple in basic hues, with an emphasis on photography and easy navigation. Many business owners make the huge mistake of selecting a new logo design but not having the website redesigned as well. If your logo design is a first impression, your business website is certainly your calling card. It should have a style and a feeling similar to your logo design to give clients a comprehensive and seamless experience.

How much can we say about a rather simple black and white logo? As you can see, even the simplest logos can have a lot of rationale and reasoning behind their outwardly basic façade. In this case, a simple and sophisticated logo is the perfect representative of a business centered on simplicity and timeless style.

Liberated New Logo Design While Expanding in the UK

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:08:41 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

We reported Starbucks’ plans to unveil a new logo design several months ago, but the time has finally come to see it in action. If you haven’t visited a Starbucks lately, you might be surprised by the change. The well-known brand siren has had its own women’s liberation movement and become the sole representative of the international coffee chain. In addition, the coffee brown that was a huge part of the company brand has been dropped to place more emphasis on the eco-friendly green that is now the sole logo design color.

This change comes with more subtle changes to the food and drink brand as well. Every store in the UK has been remodeled to be more ‘local’ in feel, with each location unique and designed to appeal specifically to locals. These changes come in response to several different conditions. First, the company is celebrating their fortieth year in business. Second, they, like many UK businesses, are struggling to maintain profits in an unfriendly market.

The new Starbucks look was unveiled recently in Knightbridge. In addition to a more fashionable and locally appealing design, this location is one of the first coffee shops in the UK to incorporate ‘green’ living into almost every aspect of its design. In addition to the fair trade coffee in recycled paper cups, the store was created with reclaimed materials and includes the latest technology to reduce both electric and water consumption.

Despite a challenging economy in the UK and abroad, the forecast always seems to be sunny for Starbucks. The company now owns more than 700 shops in the UK and is introducing new lines at almost every turn, from the limited edition Reserve blend with rare types of beans to the Starbucks Petites—small treats packaged for sharing.

By creating shops with a more local feel, Starbucks is attempting to reach out to a dwindling market. With many UK households feeling the economic pinch that seems to define our times, the company must present a friendlier, more approachable image than ever before. The company is rising to this challenge with a marketing campaign that presents their products and locations as a ‘pause button’. As the new strapline says: You and Starbucks. It’s bigger than coffee.

Starbucks has also created a new programme to reach out to UK youth within the communities in which it is present. This will be kicked off on 5 April with celebrations across the UK with the intention of helping youth in the UK develop new skills and take initiative in their own communities. This programme just may strengthen the coffee company’s presence in the UK despite the austerity that marks this era.

If you have not seen the new Starbucks logo design or the latest advertising campaign, you probably will soon. The new logo design will be featured on signage as well as on the coffee cups and other store merchandise.

Whether you need a new logo design to celebrate an anniversary or an entirely new brand to keep up with a changing customer base, there was never a better time to think about what your company’s design says about you.

Copyright Infringement Never Pays

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:16:12 +0000

Copyright infringement may be illegal, but it is still very common. It is not uncommon to see a company copy another UK logo design, name, or other brand aspects to avoid paying for professional design and branding services. However, copyright infringement never pays in the long run. The latest example of this principle is a UK high court ruling in favour of Hasbro UK.

Hasbro is a US company with a wide range of products in the UK including early childhood staple Play Doh. While the modelling dough is not expensive by any means, several competitors have sprung up offering choices that are less expensive or present different benefits. One of these is UK toy brand Yummy Dough, which sells edible dough products.

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but copyright infringement is not. The problem with Yummy Dough in this case was not the name, but the strapline. Hasbro UK maintained that the phrase “the edible play dough” was a little close for comfort to Play Doh’s name.

Although the court case only took eight days, the suit was actually filed almost one year ago, in March 2010. Yummy Dough, which is made in Germany and distributed by UK company MAPS Toys, claimed that ‘play dough’ is an inherently descriptive term and thus was subject to fair use. Hasbro UK did not agree, and ultimately neither did the UK high court. The court ruled that the term was too similar to the Play Doh name to be fair game.

The real question was not whether this strapline was similar to that of Hasbro’s product; anyone could see that this is the case. The decision hinged on whether the strapline would in some way imply a connection between the two brands—that is, whether customers would perceive Yummy Dough as somehow related to Play Doh because of the wording. The courts felt that this might happen and thus ruled to uphold Play Doh’s exclusive rights to the term.

This decision may not make it to the front page of the Times, but it underscores the importance of professional branding and logo design services. An ethical and professional UK agency would have immediately seen the similarity to the Hasbro brand and thus avoided using that exact wording. Logo designers are experts not just on design, but on how to use UK logo design and branding within the boundaries of fair use and the law. Outside of any court rulings, it simply is not right to use someone else’s brand for your own profit.

Don’t make this mistake with your own company, because it almost never pays. If you need branding services, including UK logo design, strapline writing, and any other related services, consult with a UK professional. Your company and your products deserve their own unique brand, one that will appeal to your customers without putting your company in the awkward position of defending your choices in high court.

5 Ways to use Facebook to Grab the UK Market

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:28:08 +0000

Facebook has taken off in the UK, with millions of people in the nation checking in daily with their profile. However, many UK brands have not caught on. While there are many UK businesses that are maintaining a presence on this and other social networking sites, few are using their Facebook account to its best advantage.

Facebook can be an inexpensive and highly effective way to build your brand and get your UK logo design onto the computer screens of your target customers—but you have to take the right steps. Here are five simple ways to increase your fans and your brand loyalty.

Offer more.

Are you still using your Facebook page to talk at your customers? It’s a good start, but you should be offering more. Give customers a reason to become fans and check back often by offering special promotions, exclusive brand information, and entertainment. If you can invest in having a game, even a simple one, created for your business, this is one of the top ways to reach your customers. Consider the success of Farmville and other Facebook games. Regardless of what you offer, make sure it is targeted directly at your consumer base and has high value to them.
Direct traffic.

Facebook can be a great way not just to build brand loyalty, but to funnel visitors to your website and other web presences. However, many small businesses neglect to link between their different sites. You should have a Facebook icon in a conspicuous place on your website, but also vice versa.
Research your market.

Facebook offers a valuable glimpse into the hearts and minds of your customers. You can post polls, post questions, and even get customer feedback on new products without ever spending a penny. This can help you to guide your business in a way that aligns with the market’s needs. Crowdsourcing may not be an effective way to design a logo, but it is a great way to get to know your crowd.
Go mobile.

“Check-ins” are one of the most recent Facebook fads, offering special deals to customers that log on to their Facebook when they are physically at a store location. This allows you to get to know your actual customers—the people who are buying from you. You can track what posts and content actually drives people to your stores. A feature called Facebook Deals even allows you to start your own loyalty programme, with points awarded for check-ins and other interactions.
Close the deal.

Facebook can be valuable not just as a way to build your brand, but as an actual means of sales. You can use the social networking site to create an e-store that is more fully functional than a traditional e-commerce site. Your fans can communicate about the products and even let their Facebook friends see their purchases. UK retailer ASOS offers their full range on Facebook, and many UK retailers will soon be following suit.

Montblanc Diversifies into New Frontiers

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:25:59 +0000

How often do you use an ink pen? If you are like most people in the UK, you are using them less and less, preferring digital technology instead. Indeed, we use traditional writing instruments far less often than we used to. No one knows this better than the European luxury pen maker Montblanc.

For more than a century the maker has dominated its market. Named for the tallest peak in the Alps, the company has an international empire and sells its products in seventy nations. The logo design, which has been in use since 1910, is recognized as a sign of quality and luxury all over the globe. However, even the best brand is worthless if customers have little use for your products.

This is the position that inspired Montblanc to begin offering other products. Diverse products, such as leather goods, jewellery, and watches were also offered. Until recently, the maker offered these products as a ‘side range’ that was secondary to the major product: writing utensils. Now, however, the company plans to put all of its energy and branding power behind their watches.

The watches have been very popular since their introduction in 1995. In fact, they are now coming close to exceeding the sales and profits for the company’s signature pens. For this reason, Montblanc is rethinking their brand. Instead of being associated with pens, Montblanc wants for you (and others in the UK market) to connect their brand with high end watches.

Like the pens, the Montblanc watches are made entirely by hand. The brand sells several thousand every year. The watches have recently come into fashion with major UK celebrities, in part because of the marketing efforts that the company is putting into this range. Rather than marketing to the masses via traditional means, the pen-marker (or watchmaker) is carefully selecting opportunities that maintain the luxury feel of the brand. For example, the company gives away a Montblanc de la Culture award every year with prizes that include company products and a donation to the charity of the winner’s choice. Is it a coincidence that Prince Charles will be the award recipient this year as the company is focusing more effort on marketing in the UK?

The luxury goods market is feeling the same economic squeeze that is affecting smaller UK businesses. In addition to a smaller customer base, the price of precious metals needed for both pen and watch construction has increased over the past year. The result will be even higher prices, which is substantial for an already premium-priced product. However, solidifying the public’s perception of the brand and maintaining roots in the UK luxury market will likely help the company get through these hard times.

Although it began as a small business, Montblanc is now owned by luxury goods super-corporation Richemont, which also owns Cartier. The company is no stranger to branding and logo design. In fact, you may soon be seeing the Montblanc logo design in a UK shop window near you.

The First Brand Placed in the UK?

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:17:58 +0000

Television viewers all over the UK and indeed the world have been watching as the new Ofcom rules take effect allowing product placement (with certain rules and conditions) in our nation. Who will be the first brand to pay to have their logo design featured prominently on a UK programme? In this case, winner of the race is European beverage brand Nescafe.

The company has paid £100,000 for the product placement. A Dolce Gusto coffee machine bearing the Nescafe brand will be placed conspicuously in the on-air kitchen area of the set of ITV’s popular The Morning. The deal is only for three months and shows exactly how lucrative product placement will be for television programmes that choose to use this alternative form of advertising.

This means that viewers of The Morning will be among the first to see the layered P logo that Ofcom created especially for product placement on their television screens.

How will this affect coffee drinkers in the UK? In the United States, product placement has proven to be very effective, as many people wish to emulate the lifestyles of their favourite television characters and stars. In addition, because DVR allows many to skip commercials, this ensures that programmes can get the funding that they need to continue production. However, there are few regulations regarding this alternate form of television marketing in the US, which means that viewers are virtually bombarded with marketing messages even as they watch their favourite programmes. UK viewers of American shows have likely noticed the difference.

UK brands have felt the DVR crunch as well. As a result, advertisement revenues for many programmes were declining. Ofcom responded in December by allowing product placement, allowing the placements but with a more stringent set of rules than those used across the Atlantic. Other countries that restrict or ban product placement are likely watching to see if the regulations can maintain the integrity of television programming in the UK while opening up a vital new funding source.

Companies are watching as well. If Nescafe’s £100,000 proves to be well-spent, it will be merely a drop in the bucket when it comes to product placement fees. Will the UK market be as responsive to brand placement on television as other national markets have been? This is the question that brands in the UK are asking.

In addition to the Ofcom rules, there are a few other rules that should be followed when marketing a UK logo design in any unconventional manner. First, the logo design and brand in question must be top-notch and professional, ready to reach a wide market. Second, the placement must be planned so that it reaches the target audience in the most effective way possible. Last, while saturating the public with a logo design is effective, it should be done in a way that does not turn the audience off. If you have a television commercial that you simply hate, you know what we are talking about. However, if the right brand is placed in the right way, product placement could be the UK branding and marketing method of the future.

The Name Says It All

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:17:36 +0000

Although there are endless choices when it comes to UK logo design and branding, the most basic choice boils down to the very essence of a logo. Do you go with an image that reflects your company in a pictorial manner or do you choose a logotype that lets your name say it all? While there is no right answer to this question, we recently noticed that the best known names in UK fashion tend to choose a logo that is simply the name of the company in a distinctive font.

A good example of this principle is Burberry. The company has used several images with their name throughout the years—150 years to be exact. They are heavily associated with their distinctive plaid as well as the image of a knight on horseback in full charge. However, in the new millennium, the clothier and leather goods giant switched to a logo that uses their name alone in a basic font with serifs. Is it a coincidence that this is the ten year period in which the company has found the most international success?

Marks & Spencer is another, albeit very different, example of a word-only UK fashion logo. The retail superstore sells a variety of goods, but they are the largest clothing seller in the UK. Instead of traditional type with serifs that we see in the Burberry logo, M&S uses thin, modern lettering with an upscale yet familiar feeling.

If you need a more modern example, consider Coast. This fashion retailer lacks the long history of the previous two brands, but it is still considered a fashionable and premium brand for women in the UK. This clothier uses even friendlier lower case letters, usually in a royal purple. This hints at the feminine yet chic feeling of the brand.

There are a few reasons that UK clothing brands lean toward text-only logos. First, these logos are simple enough to work well in a variety of settings, from huge billboards to tiny clothing tags. This is crucial to brand recognition—if you are the maker of a person’s favourite pair of trousers, you want for them to remember it every time they wear put them on. Second, it offers higher versatility than an image might offer. What image could encompass all of Burberry’s diverse operations? This may be the reason that the logo design for this company seems to get simpler every time the designer expands their line.

Last, text only logos are more traditional. The UK upscale fashion market tends to lean toward brands with a sense of history, so tradition is important in these brands.

We aren’t saying that every brand needs a text-only logo; we enjoy designing unique images and feel that they are often the best choice in UK logo design. However, these logos work perfectly for the brands that they represent, even without a picture to represent them. There are many different styles of UK logo design; the only way to find the one that is perfect for your company is to consult a professional logo designer.

Skoda Modernises Their UK Logo Design

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:56:57 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

Skoda has one of the more recognisable auto logo designs in the UK, but this is about to change. Beginning in 2012, there will be a new image on the popular autos.

According to the company, the new logo design comes as part of a planned new corporate brand and identity aimed at making the cars feel a little more modern. Models such as the Fabia and the Yeti have been relatively popular in the UK, contributing heavily to the 41,000 cars that Skoda sold in the UK last year. While this is more than a ten per cent increase over the previous year, it nonetheless represents only a two per cent share of the lucrative UK market.

The brand previously used the strap-line, “manufacturer of happy drivers.” However, the global strap-line was “simply clever.” The global strap-line will be used in the UK now to reflect the brand’s change of image. This will also help the company maintain more brand continuity from nation to nation and simplify their internal marketing processes.

The new UK logo design was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March. The changes to the logo are rather minimal—the winged arrow has been made more prominent—but the company has hinted at a completely new brand in store, including a new font. These changes, Skoda hopes, will create a more contemporary image that will win the auto company more sales and hence a larger market share. Four multimedia marketing campaigns are also coming to the UK, including television advertisements for the Yeti and an appearance at the Goodwood Motor Show.

This is merely the beginning of the changes that Skoda has in store. The brand plans to add fourteen dealerships in the UK along with two new models, including a larger family car. These new additions will take place over a two-year time frame. However, the new logo will be used on 2012 models.

This is the perfect time to refresh the brand and logo design to choices that will be more enticing to UK customers. Few businesses are as competitive and brand-oriented as the automobile industry. Many people choose a car for the marque alone and are willing to pay much more for a brand that is perceived as upscale and premium. However, having a professional UK logo design and brand is essential for businesses in every sector.

Another factor that makes 2011 a perfect year for rebranding is the economy. While many in the UK are still feeling the effects of the recession, especially with Government Austerity cutting services left and right, most economic experts believe that we are on the brink of an upturn. The repositioning of Skoda will make it a more popular choice just as more people in the UK feel inclined to make large purchases such as a new car.

How is your business dealing with the recession? While it is tempting to cut marketing and branding services when revenues dwindle, this is actually one of the times when these factors become even more crucial to your success.

London Logo Design Blog » UK Brand Logos

UK Logo Design Trends

Could a Low Point for High Street Be a New Beginning for You?

Davenport Woods London

Liberated New Logo Design While Expanding in the UK

Copyright Infringement Never Pays

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