Logo Design Tips for Financial Institutions
Are you planning to put up a financial company? Could you be in charge of your company’s branding efforts? Are you thinking of redesigning your logos and other brand identity materials?
If you are aiming to accomplish any of these, then read on and learn some useful tips when creating your all-important company logo.
Money Matters
People may not readily think about advertising, marketing, or communications when talking about finance and financial institutions. However, a financial company is a brand to its own target market. Therefore, it has its own branding and communication goals that must be realized, adhered to, and cared for.
Logos are a big part of any branding strategy. It is a visual representation of a company, one that is readily seen by everyone. It is what people associate the company with. A reputable and experienced branding agency would tell you that a company’s logo is a hardworking tool that can drive interest in the company.
However, if it is incorrectly created, it can be easily ignored — and its use, drastically simplified.
To ensure that your logo works for your company, it should be a purposeful magnet that will draw your target audience in. Here are some tips that can guide you when creating an effective finance company logo:
1. Represent your brand.
Your logo would normally be the first thing that your target audience sees. It should thus be arresting enough to pique their interest. Your logo should be able to draw people in, inspire them to ask questions, and encourage them to learn more about who you are as a company, as people, and as a culture.
In the finance industry, there are three characteristics that are held in high regard: trust, reliability, and success. Your logo must be able to embody all these, so great care must be taken in its design. Research and creativity must come together to result in a logo that will convey these qualities.
While there may not be much leeway for out-of-the-box designs (since some financial institutions still lean toward conservatism), it does not mean that your logo should be staid, bland, and boring.
2. Maintain simplicity.
While you want to embody the company’s brand in a logo, you would not want to end up drawing a set of hieroglyphs. Logos that are clean, precise, and simple usually work best for finance corporations. A logo should be uncluttered and free from confusing symbols that could only bring too much visual noise. For instance, look at the signs made by Neon Mama; they are cool and simple but really stand out from the crowd.
Instead, aim to use psychological tricks and associations that will best convey your brand identity. Do not cram the logo with the full brand narrative of your company. Think how an apple or a swoosh can immediately tell people that it’s a product from Apple or Nike.
3. Mind your shapes and sizes.
The shape and size of your logo should matter. Whatever the design that you come up with, consider its clarity in whatever size adaptation or orientation it will be.
At the same time, try to use psychological and emotional associations again when thinking of a shape. Round shapes usually signify community, unity, and perfection, or layers of protection. Squares or rectangles can suggest strength, solidity, and stability. Triangles can mean innovation, energy, or the peak of success.
4. Create with color.
The psychology of color also plays a significant role in creating logos. The color of money may be used as a guide, although most financial institutions go for either blue or red.
American Express, Morgan Stanley, and Citibank are some of the institutions that use blue for their logo. This is because in color psychology, blue stands for competence, dependability, serenity, and trust. Other companies, such as Wells Fargo, Mastercard, and HSBC use red since it conveys qualities like action, energy, and vitality.
5. Establish an emotional link.
Financial company logos should also be created with the customers in mind. Since finance firms are usually seen as cold and distant, a well-thought-out logo can humanize the brand and strike a chord in their target audience’s hearts.
Establishing and maintaining strong emotional connections with customers is essential for any brand. A logo that speaks with warmth can also be used to create a certain level of trust, reliability, and stability.
At the same time, a well-crafted logo shows the quality of service that clients can expect from the company. Who would want to do entrust their money to companies who have a shabbily designed or tacky logo?
Logos Go a Long Way
Logos are not mere icons meant to differentiate one company from another. They are also a symbol of what the company stands for and what it can do for their customers. A well-designed logo will incorporate thoughtful consideration into the brand identity of a financial organization and convey an emotional connection to create lasting relationships with its intended audience.
