Logo Design

What does logo design do for your brand?

Logo design is the work of gathering your brand’s name and character into a single mark. A good logo says the same thing on a storefront sign, on a product label, in the corner of a website and in a small profile image on a phone screen. On this page, we explain how a logo is designed, what we ask from you and what you receive at delivery.

A logo alone does not make a brand, yet it is the most often seen and most repeated part of one. Customers first know you by your name and this mark, and as they experience your service they load the mark with meaning. That is why the goal in logo design is a simple, distinctive mark that will gain meaning over time, rather than a picture that explains everything.

What should a logo say, and what should it not?

An expectation we often meet is that the logo should picture the work the brand does. Yet many well-known marks around the world do not show the product; they carry a feeling, an attitude or a special form of a letter. In logo design, the real question is not “What are we drawing?” but “How does this mark set us apart from the others?”

This does not mean the logo has to be meaningless. The story of the brand name, the place it was founded or a detail of the product can inspire the mark, as long as the result stays simple and works without needing an explanation.

The difference between a logo and a corporate identity

A logo is the signature of the brand. The color palette, typefaces, business cards, letterhead, social media templates and the brand guidelines that explain how to use them fall under corporate identity design. If you only need a logo, this page is for you; if you want to build a whole visual system around the logo, we can plan the two services together.

When do you need logo design?

Logo design comes up when you are founding a new company, moving to your first product packaging, launching a second brand or when your current logo becomes unreadable on small screens. If you sell products, settling how the logo behaves on labels and boxes before the packaging design process prevents corrections later on.

How does the professional logo design process work?

Professional logo design work starts by asking the right questions before any drawing begins. The steps below go in the same order on every project; the number of concepts and revision rounds are settled at the quote stage.

1. Brief and intro

We talk about what your brand does, who it speaks to and how it defines itself. We make clear with examples what adjectives such as “trustworthy”, “friendly” and “bold” mean to you. The logos you like and the ones you definitely do not want are also a great guide at this stage.

2. Research

We study the logos, colors and symbols of the brands in your industry. The aim is not to imitate them but to see the common clichés and find the space that will set you apart. First-thought solutions, such as a tooth for a dental clinic or a roof icon for a real estate office, often lose the brand in the crowd.

3. Concept and sketch

We first develop ideas with quick sketches. At this stage, we focus on form, proportion and the strength of the idea rather than color and detail. An idea that does not work in black and white will not get stronger when color is added.

4. Digital drawing and fine-tuning

The chosen concepts are drawn as vectors; line weights, letter spacing and optical balance are adjusted one by one. In logo design, these small-looking adjustments decide whether the mark will be readable at small sizes. Then we prepare color alternatives and real-use examples.

5. Presentation and feedback

We show the logo not on an empty page but in real contexts such as a storefront sign, business card, product label, website and social media profile. This way you make the decision not on abstract liking but on how the logo will look in real life. We apply your feedback in the next round and approve the final version together.

Who makes the decision?

In a professional logo design process, the topic that wastes the most time is leaving unclear who holds the decision. We suggest that the people who will decide join the presentations from the start, and that the evaluation is made not on personal taste but on the brief we write together in the first call. Opinions from people around you are valuable, but if they do not represent your target audience, they are not enough on their own to change direction.

6. Delivery

The approved logo is delivered as a file set prepared for different usage needs. We describe the contents of this set separately below.

Logo types: which one suits you?

The right logo type is different for every brand. The choice is set by the length of the brand name, how it is pronounced, the habits of the industry and where the logo will be used.

• Wordmark: The brand name written in custom typography. It is a strong option for short and memorable names.
• Lettermark (monogram): Made of the initials of long names. It works well in small spaces, but may take time to be recognized.
• Symbol: A mark independent of text. It stands out in square areas such as app icons and profile images.
• Combination mark: A symbol and text used together. It gives flexibility; when needed, the two parts can also be used separately.
• Emblem: A badge-style logo where the text sits inside a shape. It gives a classic look; care is needed about losing detail at small sizes.

Logo versions for different sizes

It is not always possible to use a single logo in the same form everywhere. The full logo can be used on a wide sign, a horizontal version in a narrow website header, and only the symbol on a social media profile or in a browser tab. Planning these versions from the start during logo design prevents having to look for a separate solution for each channel later.

For a newly founded brand that is not yet known, a wordmark or a combination mark that includes the brand name is usually more functional. Being recognized from the symbol alone requires the brand to be visible for a long time and often.

We often settle together which type suits you in the research stage of the logo design process. Sometimes the first sketches show that a type not thought of at the start fits the brand better; that is why we begin by keeping the type open for discussion.

Technical criteria of a good logo design

It is not enough for a logo to look good; it has to work without breaking at different sizes, colors and materials. In our professional logo design work, we test every concept against these criteria:

• Scalability: It should be readable both as a small icon in a browser tab and on a sign on a building facade.
• Working in one color: It should not lose its meaning in a stamp, laser engraving, embroidery or one-color print.
• Negative use: It should keep the same balance in a light color on a dark background.
• Simplicity: Unnecessary details blur together at small sizes; every line should do a job.
• Distinctiveness: It should not be confused with other logos in the industry.
• Durability: A form that can be used for years should be sought, instead of leaning on short-lived trends.

Small size and cropping tests

Social media platforms mostly show the profile image inside a circle, and browsers fit the site icon into a very small square. If logo design is approved without being tried in these spaces, it is only noticed later that thin lines disappear or the text cannot be read. That is why we test each concept in circle, square and very small sizes.

Use in motion

Logos now appear not only on printed surfaces but also in video intros, social media content and while a website loads. A logo with a simple form and clear parts is also better suited to being turned into a short animation later. If you plan to use it in motion, telling us at the logo design stage helps us build the parts of the mark accordingly.

Different needs by industry

A restaurant’s logo lives on the sign, the menu and the packaging; a manufacturer’s logo on the product surface, as embossing or engraving; a consulting firm’s logo mostly on screens and in presentations. Where the logo will be seen most directly affects decisions about form and level of detail. This is why we start professional logo design work by drawing up this list of uses.

Typography and typeface licenses

The typeface used in a logo shapes the personality of the mark at least as much as the symbol. Most commercial typefaces are subject to licenses, and logo use is regulated separately under some licenses. That is why we either work with typefaces whose license allows use in a logo or draw the letters specially for the logo.

Choosing colors

Color is the layer added last in logo design but discussed the most. The color decision is set together by industry habits, the tones competitors use and the surfaces the logo will be printed on. Keeping in mind that a tone that looks vivid on screen can look dull in print, we define the digital and printed equivalent of each color.

Delivery, use and trademark registration

When the logo design is approved, the work does not end; the right files are needed so the logo can be used correctly at the print shop, by the sign maker, by the web developer and by the social media manager. We prepare the delivery set with these different users in mind.

The file set we deliver

• Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF): Can be enlarged without loss of quality for print shops, signs and large-scale printing.
• Image files (PNG, JPG): Transparent and background versions for everyday uses such as presentations, email and social media.
• Color versions: Full color, one color, black and white (negative) uses.
• Layout versions: Horizontal, vertical and variations made of only the symbol or only the text.
• Color codes: RGB and HEX for screens, CMYK for print and Pantone equivalents when needed.
• Short usage note: A page summarizing the smallest size the logo can be used at, the space to leave around it and the applications to avoid.

A detailed brand guide with the color palette, corporate typefaces and printed and digital templates is part of the corporate identity work. The short note we prepare for logo design does not replace that guide, but it prevents most of the mistakes made in everyday use.

Logo design and trademark registration

A logo being original is the first condition for using it with confidence. In Turkey, trademark and logo registration is done by applying to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office; the definition of a trademark and the basic information about applying are on the TÜRKPATENT trademark page. Registration is made by choosing the classes of goods and services the logo will be used for.

We suggest checking whether similar versions of your brand name are already registered before starting the design, and getting help from a trademark attorney at the application stage. During the design process, we focus on producing a mark that is distinctive and does not recall other brands; the legal assessment is the job of the specialist.

First steps after logo design

When the new logo is approved, the first job is to take the old versions out of circulation. Updating together and quickly the areas that are seen every day, such as the website header and site icon, social media profile images, email signatures and your Google Business Profile, prevents the brand from appearing with two different faces. Sharing the files from a single folder with your team and suppliers also prevents the wrong version from being used.

Adapting an existing logo to digital channels

An existing logo can sometimes be strengthened without being redrawn, just by adjusting how it is used. In the Dora Moda project, we adapted the use of the brand’s gold-detailed logo to digital channels and handled it together with a website design built on dark tones.

Logo refresh and common mistakes

Signs that it is time for a refresh

The need for a logo refresh most often comes not from a change of taste but from practical problems in everyday use. If you are living through a few of the situations below, it may be time to review your current logo design:

• The logo cannot be read at small sizes or on a phone screen.
• Different versions are circulating in different places.
• You have no vector source file and a low-resolution image is used every time.
• The brand’s service area or target audience has changed clearly.
• The logo is often confused with another brand in the industry.

Refresh or redesign from scratch?

If your logo looks dated, you do not always need to start from zero. If there is a mark your customers recognize, keeping it while simplifying its lines, updating its typography and fixing its small-size problems is often the better path. If the brand is changing direction, opening to a new audience or changing its name, a new logo design from scratch may make more sense.

In a refresh decision, it is also necessary to consider where the logo has been used so far. If there are channels that take time to change, such as signs, vehicle wraps and printed stock, planning the transition in stages keeps the time the brand appears with two different logos short.

What determines the scope of logo design?

Price and schedule are shaped by the scope of the work. When preparing a quote, we go through the headings below with you.

• The number of concepts presented and the number of revision rounds
• Whether a ready-made typeface will be used or the letters will be drawn specially
• The logo versions and file formats needed
• Whether you want an existing logo refreshed or a mark from scratch
• Whether extra applications such as business cards, social media or packaging are in scope

Common mistakes

• Judging the logo only on a large screen and not trying it at small sizes
• Trying to fit everything the brand does into a single symbol
• Applying a recently popular trend one to one
• Taking inspiration from ready-made templates or other brands and using a similar mark
• Not taking the source files and settling for low-resolution images only
• Leaving the decision to one person’s taste in color

What to prepare before we start

• The exact spelling of the brand name and the slogan, if there is one
• Three or five adjectives that describe your brand and a short description of your target audience
• Logos in your industry that you like and dislike
• The main places the logo will be used: sign, packaging, web, social media, vehicle
• Colors or symbols you do not want to use

Frequently asked questions

How long does logo design take to complete?

The time varies with the number of concepts, the feedback rounds and your decision process. We settle the schedule after the brief call and share it with the quote.

How many different logo proposals do you present?

The number of concepts and revisions is set at the quote stage, based on the scope of the project. A small number of well-thought-out proposals lets you make a sounder decision than a large number of shallow options.

Do I need to register my logo?

Registration is not mandatory, but it is the way to protect your brand against use by others. The application is made to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office; a registered trademark is protected for ten years from the application date and can be renewed.

Is a logo generated with AI enough?

AI tools can produce ideas quickly, but the outputs are usually not vector and can cause problems at small sizes. The originality check, technical fine-tuning and file preparation in a professional logo design process do not happen automatically with these tools.

What is the difference between a professional logo design service and a ready-made template logo?

Ready-made template logos can be used by other businesses at the same time, which creates a risk in terms of distinctiveness and registration. A professional logo design process starts from an idea specific to your brand, goes through technical tests and is delivered with a complete file set.

Should I get only a logo, or a corporate identity?

If you are just starting and will not produce many printed or digital materials soon, a logo alone may be enough. If you want to look consistent on many channels, from business cards to social media, a corporate identity project is the better starting point.

Let’s design your brand’s mark together

Tell us about your brand, your target audience and what you expect from the logo; let’s decide the right path for you together. For a brief call, you can write to us through our contact page.