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  • Wah Lung

What Makes a Bad Logo? 6 Logo Mistakes to Avoid




Your business logo is your number one tool for making an impression. Don't make it a bad one. Read here to learn 6 bad logo design mistakes to avoid.


Did you know that more than 90% of people around the globe can recognize the Coca-Cola logo? That means that no matter where you go, a logo can translate across different cultures, countries, and language barriers like no other.

Don't know how to avoid sketching out a bad logo design?

In case you didn't know, your business logo is your number one tool for making an impression. Don't make it a bad one. To prevent this, read here to learn six bad logo design mistakes to avoid!

1. Too Much Typography

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when designing a logo is to overdo the amount of typography that you use in your sketch. Since a good logo design depends on its typography, it's best to keep your typography as simple as you can while still showing viewers your message.

For this to happen, your logo typography has to be as minimal as possible. So, do your best to avoid the following mistakes:

  • Using too many fonts or weights

  • Using predictable, crazy, or ultra-thin fonts

Instead, be sure to pay closer attention to sizing, spacing, and kerning. Not to mention that using the right fronts from the start is the best way to make your logo stand out from the crowd as well.

2. Choosing Bad Fonts

Whether your logo will be placed on woven labels or metal accessories, you don't want a bad company logo to scare potential customers away. As we mentioned above, choosing the wrong font can be a major logo mistake. In a nutshell, you should take as long as you need to find the right font for your brand.

To get the job done right, spend most of your time researching all the different funds that you use for your special project. Next, narrow them down as far as you can until you see one that fits with your logo mark.

There's nothing wrong with creating your own font, modifying one, or purchasing one either. In addition to this, consider how the font of your logo can spread across the rest of your brand along with your other imagery and fonts.

3. Picking Abstract Designs

Want to avoid designing an ugly logo?

One of the biggest things that bad logos have in common is being too abstract or too complex for its target audience. As you may already know, the simplest logos are the most recognizable for people around the world. However, it can't be so simple that it becomes unrecognizable among a sea of similar-looking brands.

To make it more memorable, your logo design has to be as versatile as possible. This means that it can be applied across a wide variety of mediums, which include everything from:

  • Postage stamps

  • Billboards

  • Clothing accessories

Just don't make it too complicated!

4. Relying on Special Colors

If your logo design needs special effects or colors to make it stand out, it's not exactly as strong as you might think it is. To avoid this, work out your logo design in black and white first. Next, feel free to add in the special effects or colors that you need later on in the design process.

This allows you to focus on the concept and the shape of your logo design instead of its special effects. In addition to this, be sure to avoid the following mistakes:

  • Using drop shadows

  • Overdoing embossing

  • Layering too many styles to gloss up logos

To be quite honest with you, the best logos stand out on their own. To make various styles of your logo, be sure to try out a greyscale design as well.

5. Using Overdone Visuals

For those of you who are trying to make your logos as unique as possible, do your best to prevent yourself from using overdone visuals such as:

  • Light bulbs for ideas

  • Speech bubbles for discussion

  • Swooshes for dynamism

Usually, these cliche visuals are the first objects to pop into a graphic designer's mind. However, this is the same reason why these trite ideas should be tossed in the trash. Essentially, there is absolutely no way that your logo will stand out from the rest with such a basic design.

Rather, coming up with an original design and idea is the best way to avoid these run-of-the-mill designs!

6. Stealing a Logo Design

Last but not least, one of the biggest logo mistakes you can make is stealing a design. Besides this, copying or borrowing a design is a huge misstep as well.

As a matter of fact, it's surprising how often a designer makes mistakes like:

  • Seeing an idea that they like

  • Doing a quick mirror

  • Creating a color swap

  • Using a word change

  • Calling an idea their own

Not only is this an illegal and unethical idea, but it can also lead to a lawsuit later on down the road. Avoid using clip or stock art too.

Don't Make These Bad Logo Mistakes

Not sure how to avoid these bad logo mistakes?

When it comes to poorly designed logos, we know exactly what you need to do to make your logo a good one. From using a simple design to creating a unique image, there are so many ways to avoid making these rookie graphic designer mistakes.

Now, the only hard part will be choosing the right logo for you!

On the hunt for a clothing label manufacturer that you can trust? If yes, don't hesitate to contact our team of experts today!

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