Designing for Versatility

A logo is going to be a broadly used tool. The North American culture virtually guarantees that you'll place some emphasis on "image" as you communicate, even within the church. When I design a logo, I want to be sure it conveys at least one big thought or representation. Beyond that, however, I want it to be extremely versatile.

Room to include. A chuch in North America, even of moderate size, has a variety of ministries, programs and activities that encompass its overall reach and mission. A logo should be inclusive of the whole. We should not necessarily need multiple logo and identities within the church, but even if that's so, the "main logo" should be broadly representative of the church body versus a narrow segment of it. So, when looking for a logo, ask: "Can this logo represent our whole church?"

Room to grow. Ask a woman. Beyond what a church looks like today, we also know it all grow and change over time. Ministries and emphases will come and go, doors will be opened and closed. The solution is not to change logos every 2 or 3 years. A logo needs to step back and take a much longer view. The most successful logos last for decades. Be careful that the logo represents more than who your church is today, but rather, what your church can be in the future. When looking for a logo, ask, "Can this graphic represent our church in 10 years?"

Room to steward. With all the high-tech media tools available today, a logo can exist in 2D, 3D, even 4D as an animation or computer graphic that changes over time. These are nifty tricks, but be careful that your logo is not too complex or limited in its function to means that are expensive or inconvenient. It's just poor stewardship to have a logo that requires 4-color printing every time it's used--that's much more expensive that black and white, and there will be many times when black and white is completely adequate. Don't forget that even in selecting a logo, you are stewarding God's resources. When looking for a logo, ask, "Can I afford to reproduce this well in all instances?"

  

Logo Savvy: Top Brand Design Firms Share their Naming and Identity Strategies

Logo Design That Works: Secrets for Successful Logo Design (That Works Series)

The Big Book of Logos

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