How logo unifies us

An effective logo can be considered as a company’s greatest asset. In the era of globalization, corporate identification has become the need of the day. The world is awash with many monograms and icons as well as logos. The task of a professional logo designer is to take what is commonly available- images, letterforms and geometric shapes- and turn them into distinctive logos. This is not simply a corporate decoration, but a vital part in the company’s business ventures and its continued success.

The requirement of a logo stems from human kind’s desire to claim ownership. This can be considered as a result of pride and hope of immortality. This takes the form of drawings in childhood. A signature unique to each individual is born. A logo is simply an extrapolation of these acts. The difference: it is collective rather than individualistic.

Logo designing came into its own after the technology of printing was invented in the fifteenth century. It had decidedly pedestrian origins. The first printed books were considered inferior to written manuscripts. There was no desire to assert ownership of the product. However, with the rapid popularity of the printed book, printers began to mark their work. The latter part of the fifteenth century saw the first prototype in Italy. The first logo was the orb and cross mark. The design symbolized earth and faith. It became one of the most recognizable marks used by printers.

Logo designing first came into national prominence in the middle of the eighteenth century. In that period, the first factory to manufacture Sevres porcelain was set up in France. The king at that time decreed a royal monopoly in the production of porcelain. Every piece manufactured was carefully marked to avoid duplicity. Successive kings redesigned the mark to suit their reigns. The logo came into existence in this manner.

The value of logo increased with the advent of industrial revolution. The value of identification came into existence and trademarks became important for visual recognition. This came into stark focus after the Second World War. Companies with a global footprint began to use the logo to send a unified message. Advertising agencies boomed during this era and logos began to proliferate. Concepts of logo design, like simplicity and negative space began to conceptualized and implemented.

Logo can be termed as a product of identity evolution. The logo is increasingly seen and portrayed as a team effort and where it is the end product of the combined project process. It provides not only a clear vision to the external audience, but also a cohesive intent to the internal audience. A logo is handled by in-house departments, web designers and even outside advertising agencies. The role of a concerned professional logo designer is to create an ownership feeling not only by the company owner and employees, but also among the audience.