One for the most important yet often overlooked aspect of creating a new company is the logo design. The company spirit, meaning and maybe even selling point must be fitted into a small picture. As a designer it is a tough job. Compared with big graphics that tell a thousand words, telling just a few hundred words in such a small logo is no easy feat. However, once achieved, can speak volumes about a company in just one look.

In fact the best logos are those that make you look twice. The kind that has a cleverly hidden diagram or a visual double meaning. The kind that intrigue the viewer. When the visual riddle is solved, people will go “eureka”, and the logo will be etched into their minds as a reward. The “eureka” of understanding would probably be a long drawn out “orhhhh” in the Singaporean context.

If one were to look at the Night Safari logo. Feelings of mystery arise, even though one look would tell most what Night Safari is about. This is a sign of a well designed logo. The eyes tell us that it is about animals. And yet the these same eyes tell us of mystery, and the black colour reinforces our curiosity. The feelings of wanting to explore arise. All this from one simple logo.

After studying a few logos, it becomes apparent, what the rules of a good company logo are. The same formula repeats itself in every well thought out and designed logo throughout the globe. Guidelines such as:

• Keep it simple
• Engage the audience
• Make it memorable
• Relevance to company
• Good colour choice
• Versatility in showing it’s meaning

Hopefully company owners will have a good thought about their logo. Maybe even hire a good designer to help them along. Like other things in life, something as simple as a logo can go a long way.