An effective logo design needs to be original, striking, and easily recognizable to your target market. It should also fit in with your company’s brand message. A logo can be abstract or literal but it must be able to set your company apart from its competitors. A logo of professional quality might need the expertise of a logo designer.

The Process Unfolds

Designing an effective logo is a far from simple task which needs considerable coordination between your marketing team and designer. You need to have a clear concept of the brand and an understanding of your consumers which you have to convey to the designer. The logo design process will consist of framing the concept, preparing initial sketches, freezing on a logo concept, and finalizing the format and theme colors.

What Reactions could be Determined By

Designing a logo requires a fair amount of knowledge of the psychology of your target market. People react differently to colors, fonts, the general format, and layout. Reactions could be determined by age, color, cultural differences, reactions to symbols, or personal emotions. Knowing what would appeal to your market will help significantly with a quality and sharp logo design.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when working on your logo design.

• Convey your concepts from the start. Make sure you and your logo designers are on the same page. You have to translate your concepts and needs to the designer right from the outset so both of you think on parallel lines. One of the best ways of getting your ideas across to the designer is to show samples which appeal to you. This will cut out a lot of guesswork.

• Explain your business. Very often designers are left in the dark with very sketchy information. They are forced to read your mind and translate your ideas into an effective logo design. Treat your designer like your doctor. The more you tell him the better his diagnosis.

• Detail your feedback. When the designer feels your needs have been understood, he/she will submit sample designs. If you like something, say so and give your reasons. It’s the same with samples you don’t like. Make your criticisms constructive. It will help the designer to zero in on what you are looking for.

Patience and Determination

These are a few steps which will take away much of the frustration, and help you get nearer a logo design which works for your company. It will certainly help the designer understand you better and cut out a whole heap of trial and error. With some patience and mutual cooperation you should soon fabricate just the right logo design you are looking for.

Advertising surrounds us. It is part and parcel or our existence which we take for granted. Wherever we go we see advertising, be it on hoardings or buildings, magazines and newspapers, shops and restaurants or on television and at the movies. In fact if you live in an urban area there is scarcely an area you can turn toward where you won’t be struck by an advertisement of some sort.

The Main Objective

The primary purpose of advertising is to publicize a company, product, concept, or service. There are many different advertising formats to choose from to build brand awareness and enhance product sales.

Target Marketing

Before you can decide what advertising platform is right for your company you must define your target audience. Obviously your target would be the specific group which would use or buy your product. You target audience could be defined by demographics such as gender, age, education, and income level. If you were to advertise at a venue where such a group is focused, it is called target marketing, a key to effective advertising.

The Print Media

The print media enables you to reach a target audience of a specific customer profile. The print media includes brochures, magazines, and newspapers. Advertisements in this media comprises of text and graphics. Newspaper and magazine publishers have detailed demographic information about their readers which enables marketers to customize their advertisements to appeal to this specific audience.

Covert Advertising

Broadcast advertising is radio, TV, and internet messages. The conventional broadcast ad is the commercial shown before a movie or during a break in a television program. Product placement advertising is a subtle form of promoting a product where you highlight it by its presence, so in effect the product promotes itself. Product advertising is when you have to pay for a character in a program to use your product. Product advertising is a powerful tool because if a hero/heroine uses the product it implies acceptance and certification. Words or text are not required in product advertising because the message is implicit. For example, in a TV program or movie, if the hero eats or drinks a particular product it works as an endorsement. A classic example is in American Idol where Coca Cola cups are prominently displayed on the judges’ table. Product advertising is also known as covert advertising.

Flash Advertising

Internet promotion is arguably the most recent and most powerful advertising medium. Take flash advertising as an annoying example. This is when advertisements flash on your computer screen and can be difficult to close. Annoying yes, but they’ve made their point.

Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor advertising uses hoardings, signage, and billboards. Outdoor signage also uses promotional messages on cars, buses, trailers, boats, and even planes. Outdoor advertising is particularly evident in places like stadiums at popular sporting events, where an advertisement receives high visibility.