With the logo starts the story… of a brand. The logo defines the identity of a brand, it tells people Who they are (the company), What they do, and above all, how they do things, what is their manner of tackling problems, and solving issues.
The role of a logo is to help sustain public recognition. Wherever it is seen, the company and the brand are associated with that logo, and all communication is tracked back to its source. That is why creating a successful logo is no easy task. It involves a lot of responsibility, professionalism, and inspiration. A good logo presentation can help create an identity for any business – no matter how unique its product line might be, If you want to make your logo presentation unique and eye-catching, just check out this google slides brand presentation theme
That is why creating a successful logo is no easy task. It involves a lot of responsibility, professionalism plus a great dose of inspiration.
Analysis of the circle
Contrasting with other shapes, the circle expresses perfection, and continuity through its infinitely going line.
Some of the psychological implications of circles are:
- Wholesomeness
- Connection with the earth; it goes hand in hand with earthy symbols
- Minimalism and refinement
- Perfection
- Wellness
- Completeness
- Order
- Infinity
- Oneness
- Universal
- Partnership
- Positive emotions
- Femininity.
Circles differ widely from angular shapes, triangles, rectangles, etc. in that they lack toughness, straight directions and shape blockings. Angular shapes convey a sense of security, traditionalism, strength, etc. Circles transmit a sense of power in another way. And this way is detailed below.
Circular logos are usually combined with other elements, that give them personality and consistency. Some of them are well-known, which makes them come over the basic shape and color. This means the brand identity has had the desired effect on people’s minds, and that they have been long prepared to assimilate it the right way.
Circular logos combined with different elements
There are several tools for creating brands, each of them giving you possibilities to play with the logo components, in different formats.
Some examples of playing with form, color, and concepts:
- Abstract logo
Unlike the other types of logos, the abstract logo is made up of geometric shapes. They can be iconic or combined marks, in that they have only graphics or combine graphics and letters. They are truly unique and are pretty recognizable as distinct for the brand they represent.
- Mascot logo
A mascot logo has a central character depicted in vivid colors, and that is charismatic. It appeals to young people, families, and children.
- Emblem logo
Name and symbol are included in the form of an emblem. It is a logotype preferred by schools, colleges, institutions, but also other businesses.
As you can see, the latter two examples have circular forms. They have certain implications of the circle and its iconic style.
Next, we’ll accompany you through an adventure of contemplating logos in the form of circles with different elements added to it.
Circular logos with stars
The European Union’s logo – flag is a circle made up of stars. The stars represent the countries that are part of the organization.
Another example is of a logo with a circle of stars used in a wider set of an emblem. It is appropriate for educational institutions.
This might be a logo for sports, like in the example below. It is, in fact, an emblem logo with a circular frame with stars around it enclosing a ball and crossed bats.
The ring of stars is the uttermost expression of perfection, met standards of excellence and brilliance. Moreover, it is representative of infinity in what it has as limitless, aspirations, and high expectations.
Circular logos with fonts
The first is a combined logo, where the circle is continued with the circularity of the brand name. Together, the geometric form and typography, enclose the initials of the brand name.
The second is a logo for an event: the Olympic games of 2020. It incorporates the traditional Olympics logo, the event name and an added circle made up of small geometrical shapes:
Silver Tree Events defines its identity through the brand name and, on top of it, a circle enclosing a growing tree.
The latter is a good example of a circular logo with a name, whose circle is full of consistency challenging the mind to interpret it.
In some cases, the text itself can be the circle. It is written in a circular form and encloses the graphics that also contain rounded shapes.
Starbucks also has such a logo with circular text. It encloses the mermaid in a whirl of text that is memorable all the more it is associated with that particular graphics.
Black and White Circular Logos
There’s no better example that comes in handy, than the logo for WordPress. It’s designed in black and white and it’s a circular logo encompassing the big initial letter that starts the name of the brand.
Another great example of a back and white circular logo is that of Mercedes Benz.
BMW, another car brand, has a circular logo where black and white are predominant.
Circular logos with colors
There’s no better way to give consistency to a circle than to fill it with color. Above is an example of a logo that makes use of vivid, fleshy colors, thus being easy to remember – the logo for Firefox.
Vodafone also has a circular logo that is filled in with one single vivid color. It is iconic, abstract and most of all, widely accepted as the symbol of the phone company.
The Sony Eriksson logo is an abstract one, designed in a circular form where the green color prevails. It is widely recognized as it became the distinctive mark of Sony Eriksson.
Xbox also has a circular logo that’s made its way to people’s minds. It uses green wiped out in 4 parts by white stripes.
Spotify applies shapes in the form of radio waves onto a green circle. It is suggestive of what Spotify represents and is easy to remember by people who are exposed to this logo.
A good example of a yellow circular logo is the logo of Tide. It is made up of concentric circles with yellow alternating with orange. In the middle, the name of the brand stands out in a completely different color.
The Atlas circular logo has a very simple design. It combines white with orange, text with shape and gives the form of a company that should be taken seriously.
However, the orange circle conveys a sense of youthfulness and optimism, and dynamism as well.
Another example of a circular orange logo is that of Via Delivers, a translations company. The orange circle wraps the text in a playful color. The text itself plays upon the suggestions of a V and a reversed V (A). Turned upside down, the logo will keep the same meaning.
Circular logos with dots
In the form of molecules, the logo of Mozzaika transforms the circular shape into a bigger molecule. It connects shape and text through the use of particular colors, thus offering coherence between the circular form and the text.
Another form of circular logo includes familiarity and ease of access in its connotations. It is a logo taken from the Etsy shop, and it wonderfully expresses friendliness in a circular logo that looks like an invitation to a teacup.
Circular rainbow logos
A rainbow in a circular form? Yes, there are circular logos that adopt this way. This is the case with the first example above, where the rainbow is circled in a whirlpool of color.
Another example presents multiple circles so arranged that they form a larger circle (or round flower). The circles are filled with color, and convey a sense of joy and optimism.
The Google Chrome logo makes use of complementary colors and mixes them in a filled circle having the form of a wheel.
Minimalist circular logos
The first logo above exemplifies the use of minimal graphics for creating elaborate forms made up of shape and text, and initials. It also proves that, although the inner and the outer circles are incomplete, people will tend to fill in the gaps and perceive a circular logo.
The example below shows that simple is not always less, in terms of logo design. A simple circle does nothing else but showcase the brand name, which is written in a trendy font.
The anatomy of a logo
Let’s break down the examples above, by identifying the 4 components every logo has. It is all about professionalism here, as professionalism is the basis on which to build with creativity and inspiration.
So, if we were to keep ourselves on the side of professionalism, there are several components that a logo includes:
- The heart (mission, vision, values, core concepts)
A concept will take form from analyzing the fundamental values associated with the brand. They are found in the company’s vision and mission and trace its identity back to the reason why it actually exists.
- The brandmark (the visual graphics of the brand’s heart)
The brandmark is the visual representation of the logo’s heart, precisely the form the core concept eventually takes. It will serve as the passport to people’s attention, and hence, to the audience’s mind.
- The voice (the font used in logos)
Different fonts are associated with different tonalities a message can be wrapped in. The chosen font for the logo will be the tone of voice a company says to people “We are…”.
- The accessories (the colors used for the logo)
Certainly, colors have some psychological implications and they have to be carefully selected for the logo. However, they are not central to a brand’s logo, which comes to say that they fall into the accessories category.
Important to note! A logo’s effectiveness is judged first by its legibility. It has to be easily read by consumers, it has to be recognizable in any type of format, and even in black and white.
Tools for creating circular logos
If you are in search of the perfect logo for your brand, you should check the suggestions some tools like Canva or Tailor Brands have to offer you.
You can make comparisons among different shapes and graphical representations and select what best suits your company.
Note that:
! Our brains are inclined to fill in the gaps, whenever we see an incomplete shape. Think of the 2 “circles” in Chanel’s logo:
! When choosing to create a circular logo, think of ways to intensify the circle, make it more prominent and visually obvious to the audience. It will have a bigger impact and will be easier remembered.
! As you intensify a circle for your future circular logo, also think of creating a visual hierarchy. As a result, some elements will be more noticeable than others, and they will serve as the spearhead of the brand’s identity.
! If you have already given a visual hierarchy of the items in a circular logo, chances are you will be successful in priming the desired concept in people’s minds. For instance, in the Burger King’s logo, the graphics are suggestive of a feast with… burgers. The colors are vivid and leave no room for interpreting the logo otherwise than related to this food company.
A closing word
Circular logos are widely used, and widely recognized through their force of impact. However, it implies a lot of creativity to give life to a simple circle in branding design.
Starting from the association of an inner circle with an outer circle, and going towards giving complexity, intensity, elaborate shapes and color to the logo, all belongs to the process of circular logo design. Professionalism, as already stated, makes a good part of the job, but circular logos design also involves inspiration and freedom of imagination to be successful. Ready to get started?
