A logo needs to be memorable and easy to duplicate. Highly detailed logos can prove to be difficult in both cases. When someone looks at a company logo, it needs to be a symbol of the company it represents. As Microsoft uses five colors in its makeup, people recognize the image as that belonging to PC compatible software.
1. Ink Prices
The cost of producing an image in multiple colors is far more expensive than one that consists of one or two. From a printing standpoint, each detail requires various shades and gradients in order to reproduce the effect. The cost may be minimal for one or two letter-heads, but could begin to escalate in mass production. Even the printing of signs and posters can cost between five and ten times more than they need to.
2. Iconic Imagery
Anyone who has a smartphone knows the image of the apple with a missing piece or the little green robot. Both of these images represent quality of products to the respective owners. The logos used by Apple and Google have made a profound impact in how consumers purchase their products and are void of high detail in either image.
3. Time Span
Whether it is printing or developing the logo’s image, detail will be at the expense of time. This could be the time it takes a developer to create the image or duplication. Any graphic designer loves to create extravagant imagery, but a logo doesn’t need such practices. As time is money in most cases, a simple design could save money on your advertising budget by reducing the man-hours needed to create your iconic representation.
4. Association of Memory
As long as the marketing department does its job well, even the simplest of images can be effective. An image with which your consumers can associate your specific product or service is all that is needed. For instance, Google’s green robot is associated with anything Android. People associate the Android robot with smartphones and tablets without giving it a second thought. It is how we look for items at the store when shopping. Most people will know what they are looking for at a retail store by just the logo.
Your logo doesn’t need to be extravagant in order to produce the intended result. While it can be fun at times to design an elaborate image full of detail, it’s not practical to use such an image in full-scale production. As long as your image is memorable to the customer, it will be a success.
