How to Create a Logo With Impact

by Brad, Senior Designer | January 14, 2014 |
6 minutes read

Let’s be honest for a minute. You can get a logo for a fiver on the internet. You can probably get one for free if you ask your nephew, who “knows a bit of Photoshop.”

But there is a massive difference between a graphic and a brand.

Your logo is often the very first interaction a potential client has with your business. It’s your silent ambassador. If it looks cheap, rushed, or confused, customers will subconsciously assume your business is too. Conversely, a strategic, professional identity builds instant trust, authority, and—ultimately—brand equity.

We first touched on this topic on the blog way back in 2014. But the digital landscape has shifted massively since then. Back then, we worried about how logos looked on business cards. Today, your logo needs to work as a 16-pixel browser favicon, a mobile app button, a social media avatar, and a massive billboard.

Here is the Platform81 guide to creating a logo with genuine impact in the modern market.

1. Uniqueness: Avoid the Clichés

We all have our brand heroes. It is tempting to look at a competitor or a market leader and say, “I want something like that.”

Fight that temptation.

If you are a tech company, you don’t need a cloud icon. If you are a dentist, you don’t need a tooth icon. The goal of a logo is differentiation. You want to own a distinct space in your customer’s mind. It’s not just a drawing; it’s about understanding the power of branding to create a lasting emotional connection.

When we start a design project, we look at your competitors not to copy them, but to ensure we are designing something that stands apart from the noise. Your brand has a unique personality; your logo must be the visual shorthand for that personality.

2. Adaptability: The “Favicon Test”

In the old days, a complex crest or a detailed illustration was fine. Today, “Simplicity is Key” isn’t just a design cliché; it’s a technical requirement.

Your logo must be “responsive.” This means it needs to look as good on a massive 27-inch iMac monitor as it does on a cracked smartphone screen. When we approach web development, the logo is often the starting point for the entire site’s UI, so it has to work technically.

Ask yourself these questions:

Does this logo work in pure black and white (for receipts or single-colour print)?
Does it work when reversed (white logo on a dark background)?
The Favicon Test: If you shrink it down to the tiny icon in a browser tab, is it still recognisable?

If your logo relies on complex gradients, shadows, or intricate illustrations to make sense, it will fail in the digital space.

3. Appropriateness: Speaking Your Audience’s Language

As a long-term investment, your company logo should reflect your business’s values. However, it’s not just about what you like; it’s about what your audience expects.

This is where Colour Psychology comes into play. Colours create instant judgements in the brain before we even read the text.

Blue: Often denotes trust, security, and corporate stability (think banks and tech).
Red: Energy, urgency, and hunger (think fast food and clearance sales).
Green: Growth, health, and finance.

However, context is everything. A bright pink, graffiti-style font might be perfect for a creative agency or a skate shop, but it would be disastrous for a solicitor dealing with wills and probate. In a crowded market, a unique visual identity that hits the right note is the best way to help your business stand out.

4. Consistency Across Channels

In 2025, your logo rarely sits alone. It lives in a chaotic digital ecosystem. It needs to look just as good on a billboard as it does on your social media marketing profiles.

We often see businesses using a long, rectangular logo. That’s fine for a website header, but what happens when you try to squash it into a circular Instagram profile picture? It becomes unreadable.

A professional identity system will often include “variations” of the logo:

Primary Logo: The full version with text and icon.
Stacked Version: For narrower spaces.
Brand Mark (Icon): For social avatars and favicons.

Having these assets ready ensures you look professional, no matter the platform.

5. Timelessness vs. Trends

Every year, there is a new design trend. One year it’s “flat design,” the next it’s “retro 80s,” the next it’s “3D gradients.”

Designing based on a trend is a dangerous game. It looks cutting-edge for six months, and then it looks dated. A solid logo should last for at least 10 years before needing a refresh.

If you want a logo that lasts, you need professional graphic design services that look at the bigger picture. Think of the world’s biggest brands: Nike, Apple, FedEx. They don’t chase trends. They rely on solid geometry, perfect typography, and balance. We aim to build you a “future-proof” foundation that evolves with your company, rather than a design that anchors you to a specific year.

6. Communicative: What Do You Stand For?

Finally, a logo is a tool for communication. Describe who you are, what you do, and what you stand for with your design.

The typography (font) you choose does the heavy lifting here. A serif font (with the little feet on the letters) feels traditional and established. A sans-serif font feels modern and clean. A handwritten script feels human and personal.

Get the design right from the start, and you can’t go wrong. Working with a professional service means less is left to chance and more to experienced strategy.