Before we design a logo, we get clear on your brand's personality—because looks mean nothing without character.
This step draws from the discovery and strategy phases and clarifies:
We also assess practical needs:
These considerations influence complexity, layout, font/type weight, and icon development.
A logo brief gives your brand strategy a visual game plan.
It outlines:
When everything's aligned, concepting stays intentional, leading to a logo that holds up through trends and continues to resonate.
A logo brief gives your brand strategy a visual game plan.
It outlines:
When everything's aligned, concepting stays intentional, leading to a logo that holds up through trends and continues to resonate.
We typically design 3–5 logo concepts, depending on project scope. Each direction explores a different interpretation of the brand strategy, offering different approaches for the same brief and ensuring maximum creativity.
Concept types may include:
Layout variations are explored, such as:
The goal is to try on a few visual directions, stress-test the personality, and find the one that just clicks.
Not all logos require icons, but when used well, an icon adds memorability and emotional storytelling.
An effective brand icon:
Icons may be symbolic, abstract, illustrative, or highly minimal, depending on brand positioning.
Typography does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to making a logo feel distinct.
Rather than using standard typefaces without modification, we often:
This helps the wordmark feel truly unique and unmistakably yours. Keep the logo font exclusive to the logo itself — don't reuse it across other brand materials. That way, it stays special, distinctive, and never diluted — we don't want it looking like a business instead of a brand.
A strong logo must perform in real life — not just on a white background.
Selected directions are applied to real-world mockups, such as:
This proof-of-concept stage tests flexibility, legibility, and impact across touchpoints.
We start with a few strong concepts, then hone in on the one that feels right and refine it through iterative feedback.
This stage focuses on:
We recommend that brands also conduct informal or formal consumer feedback to validate direction. Because the market usually has opinions… and it's better to hear them early.
Beyond the primary logo, we often develop a supporting badge system.
Badges function as secondary marks that expand brand storytelling and flexibility. They may include:
Badge systems are especially useful in:
They create a broader brand toolkit, allowing the logo to breathe while still showing up consistently.
A complete logo identity typically includes:
Together, these form a flexible visual system rather than a single static mark.
Final deliverables include a comprehensive logo one-sheet that serves as a quick-reference brand guideline.
This includes:
This toolkit ensures consistent use across internal teams, vendors, and partners.
Revisit or refresh every 5-10 years.
Logos are designed to feel timeless, but even the strongest marks benefit from periodic updates. Most brands refine or modernize their logos every 5–10 years to stay aligned with cultural and visual trends, while maintaining recognition.
A strong logo isn't just a symbol; it's the starting point for a visual system that brings the brand's personality and story to life across every touchpoint.
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Our Mission
We craft brands that people love, because without that special feeling of surprise and delight, a product is just a product.
Based in Austin, TX
Searching for the perfect name?
Visit our sister site, shelfnaming.com. Naming is our specialty.
