You would not believe how many times per week I am asked “Can you make the logo bigger?” It seems no matter how big a logo is already, people always want it bigger...But that’s not always a good thing.
But first off, I’ve got to admit that this was me back in 2005 with my first business card. I had the logo taking up the entirety of one side of the business card... I think it was a pride thing.
To answer the question: Yes... I can make the logo bigger. But the real question is “SHOULD you make the logo bigger?”
Is bigger better when it comes to logos on a card or flyer? Will making the logo bigger help prospective customers recognise you or notice you more? Will the logo being bigger convince them that you are a trustworthy company worthy of their business? Will the bigger logo increase the return on your printing investment?
My pretty well educated answer to this question is “probably not”. As long as your logo is big enough to be read and be noticed, it is probably big enough.
I have a few golden rules about logos that I follow when designing printed marketing.
1. - The Logo is NEVER the Headline
A headline of an advertisment is what gets read, If the headline catches people’s attention they will read more. Think about how unsuccessful magazines would be if they didn’t use catchy headlines to compel people to read articles. I also believe that business cards should have a headline rather than making the logo the headline... No offense, but your business name is a pretty crappy headline.
2. - Once Per Page
I can’t think of any good reason why a logo should appear more than once per page on any piece of marketing. Ideally the logo is there to make you look professional, for branding purposes, and also it’s hopefully close to the contact details so it is easy for people to take action.
3. - Can We Fit Something Better
I firmly believe that if there is something more effective than a logo that you can include on a piece of marketing, you should not be worried about shrinking the logo to fi t it in. An example would be if you needed to shrink your logo to include your guarantee or a testimonial it would probably be worthwhile.
If you follow these rules, it will stop you going “logo” crazy.
If you look at these two cards below, one has a big logo, the other has a smaller logo with other copy.
Which card would motivate you more?
