Designing a logo is an art that requires much more than creativity and aesthetics. It is a symbol that defines the visual identity of a commercial enterprise, considered as the most important and crucial element of branding. For tailoring a good logo, other than artistic skills, commercial understanding and marketing perspective are essential.

No matter the nature of the brand, all successful corporate logos follow five rules of thumb- Simplicity, Flexibility, Longevity, Memorability and Relevance.

Simplicity– Most difficult task is to Keep it Simple enough to be memorable and yet creative and unique. A creative expert will always advocate a straightforward and uncomplicated logo with an eternal impression.

Johnson & Johnson– one of the most popular and well-know typographical logo, it was based on the founding brother James Wood Johnson’s handwriting signature. Direct and basic, it is considered as one of the most iconic and identifiable brand logos.

Accenture– Outsourcing and consultation firm Accenture’s logo has taken a unique way of expressing their image. The lower case letter’s suggest that the company is approachable and accessible since primarily it deals with human relations. A “greater-than” symbol is placed above the letter “t”, signifying larger results and enhanced future. Despite the creative contemplation’s it’s forthright, neat and expressive.

Memorability– Adding Memorizing Value to a logo for an ever lasting impression is a tricky task. Remembrance is the trademark of an effective insignia.

Nike– A logo that is synonymous with sportswear, it is the finest example of an insignia with memorizing value. The logo’s influence is so phenomenon that many experts credit the company’s success to the symbol.  Today Nike can be identified with just the “Swoosh” or the tag line slogan “Just Do It”. Nike is named after the Greek goddess of victory, the logo is the representation of the wing of the goddess called Swoosh.

Lacoste–  Founder and famous tennis players Rene Lacoste received the title “Crocodile” by the American press hence the logo of the French clothing company was modeled after him. He received the title after his bet with the Captain of the French Davis Cup team. The captain swore to gift Rene a crocodile skin suitcase if he would successfully win a team match.

Versatility is a fundamental ingredient for a good logo. Keeping in mind the commercial aspect, it should be visibly clear across all print mediums and web applications. The emblem should have the ability to be flexibility enough to be able to be scaled down or up and still retain its identity.

Dell’s logos is flexible to it core, its uniqueness is the tilted “E” which symbolized the company’s founder Michael Dell’s wish to “turn the world on its ear”. The circle signifies the globe.

Puma‘s logo is as flexible as its depiction, a leaping Puma that signifies the smart and energetic nature of the sportswear company’s.

Relevance– An expressive logo should reflect the company’s practice. It need not have a direct visual element an abstract link to the product would only help to convey more about the product to the audience.

Harley Davidson– A spirited and authoritative logo for the motorcycle manufacturers is suitably fashioned for its target audience. The graphic mark uses bold and skewed typography over a shield crossed with a bar, designed akin to the characteristics of male youth.

Nasa– The foremost Space research agency’s main insignia showcases complex and intricate space elements in a neat and crisp manner. Contrasting shades against the color blue, stars and free flowing orbital path are the right ingredients for depicting space science.

Timeless– Logos of brands with history evolve with time as per the changes in market trends and the company’s practices. Established brand posses the ability to go through few alterations with time yet retaining their original meaning.

Chanel– A basic yet artistic logo of tangled and conflicting letters “C” was designed by Coco Chanel herself on her name “Coco Chanel”. One of the oldest logo in the fashion history, it is amongst few that hasn’t been altered over the years.

Coca Cola’s has gone through faint modifications since its creation 1885 and remains unique in its design.