Bad Logos: From Mishap to Masterpiece

Logos help to establish brand identity through the use of visual communication and creativity. Solid logos are often synonymous with a brand or company, serving as an image that gets burned into consumers’ brains.

Not every logo is successful in this way, though. 

In this article, we’ll discuss bad logos — how they’re defined, how they’re created and how you can avoid them.

Who Makes Bad Logos, and Why?

There are a number of ways that bad logos can be created. 

They might come from designers with no background in the area. They might come from a designer trying something new and “out there.” They might even come from bad choices that businesses make in the design process.

Bad logos might be created due to inexperience of the person or people designing them, or because of budget constraints at a company. It could be due to rushing the process to save costs or meet deadlines. 

Logos that get created in these situations are poor, because they don’t resonate.

Pro Tip: Invest in appropriate tools to help you create your logo. That could be hiring a professional designer, or it could be using GraphicSprings’ amazing logo creation tool.

What Defines a Bad Logo?

Bad logos don’t convey intended messages well, and this can happen for a number of reasons.

Bad choices can happen with colors, imagery and designs. For instance, the font’s text needs to be legible, so make sure to choose a typography that’s easy to read.

Key Takeaway: Don’t overthink font design.

How Do Bad Logos Come About?

Most of the time, bad logos don’t result from one single bad choice but by a few choices. A lack of competitor research is a common one, though misconceptions about branding and not following principles of balance and symmetry are others.

You should always take into consideration the ways in which a logo will look in different places. If it’s not high quality printed and online, for example, it will be inconsistent.

Pro Tip: Set aside enough time for the design process. Conduct market research and know who your target audience is.

Grow from Mistakes

It’s best to avoid leaving a bad impression. Unfortunately, bad logos do that, harming reputations and scaring people off.

Always be looking for any signs that your logo may not be performing well. Is it memorable? Does it resonate? Does it speak to your identity?

As soon as you identify these things, immediately redesign the logo to make it better.

Key Takeaway: Always assess the quality of your logo and whether it still matches where your business is. 

Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Logos

Below are some common mistakes that people make when they create bad logos. Pay attention to these, as it can help you avoid doing the same thing …

1. Too Complicated: Shy away from intricate designs. They might look nice, but they are often hard to understand and reproduce.
2. Not Versatile: Logos need to work on various mediums, including billboards, business cards, swag and digital sites.
3. Illegible Fonts: Typography is often overlooked, but if people can’t read the text on your logo, it’s going to miss the point.
4. Bad Colors: Colors can evoke emotions in people, but you want to choose ones that evoke the emotions you are looking for.
5. No Research: You need to know what your competitors are doing and who your target audience is so you can design a logo to help you stand out.

Pro Tip: When you’re designing a logo, check back at this list to make sure you aren’t falling prey to these common mistakes of others.

Famous Companies Make Mistakes, Too

Many well-known companies have made the mistake of bad logos, and have paid for it. Here are some examples of rebranding mistakes by major companies …

1. Gap: Back in 2010, clothing company Gap tried out a new logo. People all over criticized it because it departed so much from the established identity the brand had. Gap changed course and scrapped the new design in a week.
2. Tropicana: Just a year before, Tropicana fell flat with a new minimalist logo. It fell way short,  resulting in sales dropping in just two months. The new design differed significantly from the familiar elements of the original, causing confusion.
3. PepsiCo: Tropicana’s parent company also faced significant backlash. Consumers loved the original straw in the orange, and despised the new look. PepsiCo suffered as a result — if even in the short run.

Key Takeaway: Everyone makes mistakes, even major companies. Don’t repeat the ills they have done. 

Building Great Logos

Impactful logos balance strategic thinking with creativity. They also take into consideration the basic principles of branding. 

Here are some of the things you need to pay attention to when creating your logo …

1. Simplicity: Clean and uncluttered
2. Relevance: Reflect values and identity
3. Versatility: Work well on platforms and sizes
4. Memorability: Stick in one’s mind
5. Typography/Color: Evoke the desired emotions

Where to Find Logo Solutionss

We at GraphicSpring know the importance of good logos. Our platform is very easy to use and can get you inspired. Browse ideas, create your own logo or hire our designers to do it for you.

Wrapping Up

Avoid making some of the most common mistakes of bad logo design. Learn from what others have done and focus on effective principles of design.

By doing that, you can create an impactful logo that will stand the test of time.