Just as brand strategy informs creative decisions, your name informs your logo design.
Your logo visually broadcasts your name’s significance and symbolically implants the name in consumers’ minds. That means creating a logo out of a name isn’t something to do on a whim. It takes time and thoughtful effort.
But how do you translate a fantastic name into an incredible community bank or credit union logo?
The Baseline
Like your name, logos should embody the essence of the whole brand. Logos accomplish this task through color, type and graphic representation. These visual elements are more than pretty designs…they’re personality traits.
Take color, for example. A name (or brand) exuding optimism might include yellow in the logo, while one emphasizing trust is more likely to use blue.
Your community bank or credit union logo should also resonate with the target audience in the same way your name does. You carefully considered whether you were targeting blue collar workers, young families, legacy consumers and so on with your name. Do the same with your logo.
Is the design too conceptual or highbrow for your niche? Ditch it. Is it too bland for your excitable younger audience? Change it.
Remember: your logo is an extension of your name and brand personality. Don’t give people the wrong impression.
The Logo Design Categories
Names translate into community bank or credit union logos in a variety of ways. There are four main design categories:
- Type Logos – These logos include your name (likely stylized) as part of the logo. Netflix, eBay and Exxon are good examples of type logos. Great for name recognition, these logos are ideal for shorter or distinct names. Different fonts on type logos represent different brand traits, so don’t choose one at random.
- Monogram Logos – Like type logos, monogram logos use lettering. But they’re focused on organization initials rather than full names. This streamlines brands with longer names and makes them simple to understand. Think HP, HBO or IBM. A good industry example we designed is the Credit Union of Texas (CUTX) logo.
- Descriptive/Visual Representation – Descriptive logos draw a direct line between the image and the name, triggering immediate recognition. Target’s logo is a target. Apple’s logo is an apple. The image suggests the name without the use of type.
- Conceptual Logos – Conceptual logos target a brand’s mission or purpose more than its name. Allstate’s logo tells consumers they’re safe, secure and "in good hands." This logo type can still connect to your name, but it’s not as straightforward. In other words, what does your name represent?
The Throughline
Regardless of your community bank or credit union logo, it should be clean and easy to see in all settings. It’s dynamic, and you can shrink its size without losing the logo’s viability. Your logo should seamlessly represent your brand on business cards, websites and mobile devices.
Are you looking for an updated community bank or credit union logo to seamlessly represent your name and brand? Book a free consultation with On The Mark Strategies now to get started.
