Before you design a logo: 5 questions to answer first

Most logo problems don't start in the design. They start before it. A brand owner asks for "something classy" without knowing what they want to say — and gets a nice logo that has nothing to do with the brand. These are the questions I ask every client before I draw a single line.

1. What does your brand do, in one sentence?

If you can't say it in a sentence, a logo can't say it in a shape. "We make ice cream" is weak. "We turn every scoop into a good family moment" has a personality — and you can build an idea from it.

2. Who needs to love it?

The logo isn't for you; it's for your customer. If your audience is kids and families, rounded shapes and happy colours will work. If you sell to companies, you'll need something calmer and clearer. Write down your ideal customer, their age and what they like.

3. What should people feel when they see it?

Pick three words, no more. For Uncle Zein they were Playful, Friendly and Memorable. Every decision after that — type, colour, the shape of the mascot — had to serve those three words. Anything that didn't got cut.

4. Where will the logo live?

A logo printed on a big sign is a different job from a logo that mostly lives as a tiny profile picture. List every place: social, packaging, signage, business cards, uniforms, website. A smart logo comes with versions — full, horizontal, a small icon, and a one-colour version.

5. Who are your competitors — and how will you look different?

Open your five closest competitors side by side. You'll usually find the same colours and the same ideas. Not so you can copy them — so you can find the empty space nobody owns. If they're all blue, red will get you noticed at first glance.

The result

Answer these before you start and your designer works towards a clear goal instead of guessing. Fewer revisions, a shorter timeline, and a logo made for your brand — not a nice logo that could sit on anything.