如何设计有价值的logo
The company logo is probably the most important marketing tool on your business card or on your website. It gives your company a competitive advantage and will help you achieve company goals. This is not the role of just any logo. You must have a POWERLOGO.
公司名片或网站中的logo可能是最重要的营销工具，logo作为一种竞争优势，可以帮助公司完成预定目标。然而，并非所有logo都具备这个功能，只有效用强的logo才能发挥作用。
This article tells you the eight criteria your POWERLOGO must have to be successful.
成功的logo必须符合8个标准，文章会详细介绍这些内容。
These criteria are based on the teachings of logo design legend, Saul Bass (AT&T, Rockwell International, United Way, Alcoa, Minolta, United Airlines, Continental Airlines circa 1968 -1982 among many others). Saul's teachings were refined in university-supervised research I conducted as part of an advanced degree in Communication* which later became the premise of my best-selling book.
根据logo设计传奇人物，Saul Bass（在 1968 -1982期间，得到了AT&T, Rockwell International, United Way, Alcoa, Minolta, United Airlines, Continental Airlines的帮助）的思想，我们总结出这些标准。在高级学术交流时总结出的这些标准，后来成为这本书的主要内容。
1. Logos must be credibility-based. This is essential. It is based on a simple principle: credibility persuasion. Just as credible people are more influential, so are company logos on the business card or letterhead. Many studies in people to people communication conclude that if a person as the source of the message is competent or knowledgeable as well as trustworthy, then the message will be more readily accepted by the receiver. The person is considered credible and more influential.
Logo能够增加信誉度。这是一条基本标准，是根据信誉说服原则而确立的。我们知道，信誉度高的人更具影响力，名片或信笺上的logo也是这样。许多研究证明，如果传达信息、传授知识的人知识丰富、值得信赖，那么接受者更容易认可这些信息或知识，因为传授者信誉度高、影响力大。
The research I conducted several years ago supports my premise that if a company logo as the source of the message is also designed as competent, knowledgeable, or expert in its field of business as well as trustworthy, then the company's message will be more readily accepted by the receiver --- most often the customer. My study was the first ever to validate this premise and is the core of what we do at Powerlogos Design.
几年前我做的一项研究也证明了这个观点：如果logo设计专业、合理，信息接受者（通常会变为消费者）会更容易对公司产生信任感，进而更容易接受公司信息。我的研究首次证明了这个观点，并成为logo设计需要参考的核心内容。
Knowing "what" to put into the logo in the first place is 90 percent of the logo design job! Design is important. Content is more important.
确定logo内容之后，90%的设计工作就已经完成。设计重要，但内容更重要。
2. Logos must symbolize the company business to be credibility-based. Ok, how does a logo become credibility-based? It is easy to understand that when a computer wiz talks about the best compact to buy, he will be more influential on this subject than, say, a chef. And, if a chef talks about a new restaurant in town, he will be more influential on this subject than the computer wiz (well, in most cases).
Logo必须符合公司形象。Logo如何能够增强公司形象，提高影响力呢？我们知道，大多数情况下，电脑专家推销硬盘会比厨师更具有影响力；而厨师推销餐厅会比电脑专家更具有影响力。
The person most "expert" on the subject will be more persuasive. This is how credibility persuasion works between people assuming both are trustworthy.
专家意见更具有说服力，因为用户更信任他们，这就是信誉说服力。
How does this same principle apply to designing the company logo? The first thing a competent credibility-based logo designer does is symbolize the company business in the logo. Voila! This says that the company is an expert in that business. Like the shoe repair or key shops with their signs depicting their business. We know their business specialty. This is the key to a successful logo, but there is more.
这个法则如何利用在公司logo如何中呢？首先，具有信誉说服力的logo必须代表公司形象。这样用户会感觉到公司擅长此类业务，就像修鞋店或者配钥匙铺一样，通过标志，我们就能了解公司性质。成功的logo必须具备这一条件，当然，这并不是唯一的条件。
3. Logos must also be designed to communicate that the company is trustworthy. This gets a bit more tricky to understand, but here we go. Tom Housen of Housen Painting is a house painter. In the beginning process of creating this logo, we first symbolized "house painting," which is Tom's area of expertise. Here are examples of some of the steps we went through in the course of its development.
Logo必须体现公司的可信赖感。理解这个内容可能有点难，下面举个例子。Tom Housen是Housen装潢公司的室内装潢师。在制作logo的过程中，我们首先设计出"house painting"标志，这是Tom擅长的领域，然后我们逐渐开发出以下几个logo版本。
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Sample House Painting Logo 1
Sample House Painting Logo 2
Sample House Painting Logo 3 Sample House Painting Logo4
4. But Tom also is known for his "quality work" and his "organized, efficient service." These are two highly important trustworthy traits. An ordinary "house painting" symbol was then creatively transformed to also communicate these trustworthy traits.
Tom还以高质量的工作、有效且条理的服务著称，这两项内容是用户对此公司产生信赖感最重要的原因。简单的"house painting"标志创造性地成为传递可信性的元素。
This is where the expertise symbol couples with trustworthy traits to become a great, credibility-based logo
这样的logo就是成功的logo，能够提高公司信誉度。
Credibility-based House Painting Logo
5. All companies have different trustworthy traits. An airline might want to communicate "highly technological" and "efficient service." A public transportation system, "professional" and "friendly." An antique shop, "been around a long time" and "neighborly." A website designer, "cutting-edge knowledge" and "highly creative."
不同的公司存在不同的可信赖因素，航空公司可能需要提供高科技信息以及有效服务；公交系统需要提供专业以及礼貌服务；古董店可能需要强调历史悠久以及意义重大；网站设计者需要强调专业技术以及创造性。
And a bank, "stable."
银行网站需要强调稳定性。
Other trustworthy attributes include: large, conservative, innovative, exciting, dynamic and traditional. They always support the company being expert in what it does. They are also a true statement about the company.
其它可信赖的属性包括：规模大、稳妥、创新、令人兴奋、动态、传统。网站需要表现公司的专业性，表现公司的真实状态。
A third prong of company credibility is forward thinking. This is a company which is innovative. Recent research indicates that this is a high enough attribute to be included with expert and trustworthy. Being innovative is accomplished when a designer makes the whole logo come alive with a contemporary motif.
理念先进的公司是创新的公司。近来调查显示，创新能够增强网站专业性与信赖性，而主题生动的logo就是一种创新形式。
Besides Housen Painting, several examples of credibility-based logos are at the end of this paper.
除了Housen Painting以外，文章还会介绍其它几个能够增加信誉度的logo。
6. Logos must be planned. A great logo doesn't come out of thin air. It has a basis for being. Logos have content and they have design form. Content and design must work together to communicate what the logo is to "say." This requires a plan.
Logo需要合理安排。成功的logo不会无中生有，会有存在的基础。Logo需要包含内容以及设计形式，并且两者要合理组织在一起，这就需要正确规划、安排。
Our planning process is based on substance. We want to know what content and what design form the logo is to "say" to be effective.
设计过程必须以物质为基础，那么内容与形式如何搭配呢？
Power logos Design first asks our clients to fill out a questionnaire. When we analyze the questionnaire what do we look for? We look for traits which make this client credible.
设计logo之前，首先对客户进行调查，总结有效内容，即能让客户产生信任感的因素。
This becomes the logo design strategy which we include in our Logo Planning Report. The report actually verbally describes the client's ideal logo, its content and design form. Our design team uses this plan as a guide to design client logos. We refer back to this plan when our final logo is presented for approval as a basis for judgment.
这项内容应该成为logo计划报告中的一项内容，这项报告其实描述了客户理想的logo形象、logo内容与logo形式。Logo设计团队根据这项报告进行设计，并且在设计完毕时，需要参考这项报告。
7. Logos must use the symbol over (or beside on the left) the company name. There are three trade marking systems almost all logos fit into:
Logo旁边必须出现公司名称。所有logo不排除以下三种形式：
There is the name only:
只出现名字：
There is the monogram:
字母组合：
There is the symbol over the name:
公司名称附带公司标志：
8. The first two trademarking systems limit the company in expressing its area of expertise and trustworthy attributes. The name and monogram trademarking systems are intended only to be just what they are: a name and a monogram - with little or no credibility traits. The more a designer takes the name or monogram and tries to add credibility traits, the less recognizable the name or monogram become.
前两个形象标志，不能很好地说明公司的专业性、可信赖性。名称与字母组合能够说明公司内容，而不能增加公司信誉度。网站设计者越希望在名称与字母组合中添加可信性元素，名称与字母组合的识别性越差。
Only the symbol over the company name allows credibility communication to be effective. Further, the symbol over (or beside to the left of) the company name is the only trademarking system which communicates well on the Internet.
只有公司名称附带公司标志的logo能够增加用户对公司的信赖感。而且，这种logo是网络中唯一能够增进沟通的形象标志。
Besides being credibility-based, the logo must also be bold, express authority, and be interesting --- in an instant! All this without losing the prime objective that the logo must be credibility-based. This is quite an undertaking for a graphic designer.
logo不仅要能增强公司信誉度，还要醒目，有特点，能够表现权威性。网站设计者需要实现这些目标。
9. Logos must communicate, communicate, communicate. Here are the most common mistakes:
logo必须能够沟通用户。Logo设计中经常出现以下错误：
o Adding too much to the symbology so that the whole logo is confused and cluttered. Less is more. Often designers have to explain each detail in the logo. There should not have be an explanation that the “O” stands for the sun rising; the “wiggly lines” stand for “the lush landscape”; the “spaces between the wiggly lines” stand for the water flowing through the landscape; the “red” color stands for…etc.
网站内容太多，显得拥挤、混乱。网站设计者经常需要介绍logo中的所有细节内容，其实没有必要解释：“O”代表初升的太阳；“波状线”代表美丽的景色；“波状线”之间的空白代表风景中的流水等。
Everything in a logo must be simple and evident. A great logo needs no explanation.
logo内容应该简单、明显，高质量的logo不需要进行说明。
o Making the name font compete with the symbol. This is the font that is a design statement in and of itself. It is always complex. The name font should always be simple, supporting the symbology. The symbol carries the burden of communicating credibility. Not the name font.
公司名称字体与公司标志设计不合理。公司名称字体应该简单，支持公司形象，而公司标志应该能够增加公司信誉度。
o Placing the company name within the symbol. The name and symbol must always be separated, with the symbol over or beside to the left of the name. Otherwise, the visual confusion is obvious. Many logos have the name curl around the symbol, causing the head and eye to follow each letter to read the whole name. We call this “visual gymnastics.”
公司名称出现在公司标志中。名称与标志应该分离，后者应该出现在前者的上方或者左侧，否则，会产生明显的视觉混乱。很多logo中，公司名称围绕在标志周围，浏览者必须全神贯注才能了解公司名称，我们称这种现象为“视觉训炼”。
10. Logos must be very prominent in application. Frequency and consistency are the key points here.
logo安排在醒目的位置，频繁性与一致性是其重要特征。
Frequency means that all areas of public contact must be utilized: Business cards. Stationery. Forms. Trucks and vehicles. Shop or office signs. Site signs. Employee caps, shirts and uniforms. Giveaways. Brochures. Advertisements. Proposal covers.
频繁性是指充分利用所有宣传材料：名片、信纸、交通工具、商店、办公室、网站、员工帽、员工衬衣、员工制服、免费样品、宣传册、广告、意见卡封面等。
Basic psychology tells us that the more frequent we experience something, the more likely we will remember it. And it should be the same, or consistent, each time.
心理学常识告诉我们：我们看到某事物的次数越多，越容易记住它，当然，必须是相同的事物。
Consistency is the most common breakdown in logo application. Try this. Put up a "logo wall" somewhere in your office with all areas of current logo application. More often than not, this is normally a hodge-podge -- as either no one is responsible or implementation just happened without consideration as to the logo working as a brand communication system.
一致性是logo运用中需要注意的重要因素。在办公室中张贴logo宣传画，或者经常观察logo，检测logo是否能够增加信誉度。只有能够有特色的logo才能吸引更多的用户。
The cure is to appoint a "Keeper of the Logo" with responsibility for applying the logo to all possible applications (frequency) and do it each time the same way (consistency). A Logo Design Implementation Guideline is often prepared to assist in this important requirement.
这就需要指派专人负责logo应用、宣传，这些人员要保证logo一致性。公司也要制定《logo执行规则》，以达到理想效果。
The result is integrated brand promotion which gives the logo, as a key member of the overall brand, important equity and awareness.
logo作为重要的形象宣传内容，可以增加品牌知名度。
It also demonstrates the importance the company places on the management of resources. By managing the logo well, the company is often considered to be well managed in all areas.
logo管理能体现公司的管理策略。Logo管理好的公司被认为是经营有方的公司。
Feng Shui followers rejoice. Having consistency means having order and alignment, reducing clutter. Energy flows from a living, meaningful logo that perks up the senses when used frequently in ready reach and in your control. This is positive workflow within and outside your workspace.
一致性意味着有规则，不会混乱。生动、有特色的logo能够增进与客户的沟通，这是公司工作范围之外的内容。
11. The logo symbol and name must work together. Logo symbology and the company name must both express credibility traits. The symbology is a "visual" expression of company credibility. The name is a "verbal" expression of company credibility. Names like Mail Boxes Etc., The Closet Factory, and United Parcel Service are all good descriptive of the company's expertise. They are therefore credible names.
logo标志与公司名称合理搭配。Logo标志与公司名称必须能够传达可信性信息，标志传达视觉信息，名称传达语言信息。类似于Mail Boxes Etc（信函寄送）、Closet Factory（橱柜厂）、United Parcel Service（包裹寄送公司）等名称，很好地传达了公司专业性，这些都是能够增加公司信誉度的名称。
On the other hand, names like Cebit, Retrospex and Hebasco do not describe the company business, thus negating the opportunity to express their expertise in their respective fields. These names are also hard to remember.
另一方面，类似于Cebit、Retrospex、Hebasco的名称，并没有很好地描述公司专业性，因此也很难让用户记住。
Trustworthy attributes can also be incorporated into a company's name. Names like Compaq for the personal computer is not only descriptive, but with the "q" at the end suggests "high technology." Zippy's Restaurants sound like a quick place to get a meal. Le Nouveau Riche Gourmand restaurant connotes something more formal. And better to check the wallet before going in.
公司名称中可以融入可信赖性因素。例如，Compaq（个人电脑公司名称）不仅描述了公司专业性，而且结尾字母“q”能显示公司的“高科技”；Zippy's餐馆能传达一种快速就餐的信息；Le Nouveau Riche Gourmand传达出一种“正式”的信息，并且传递出“消费高”的信息。
Company names should also have longevity, as they are what we recall as the company brand. If the credibility-based logos which express the brand image are in the symbology, then the name must support the symbology for the entire logo to be effective. (Already well-established names excepted.)
公司名称必须长久，因为名称是用户回忆的内容。如果logo能够形象表述品牌内容，公司名称必须能够使用户对logo产生深刻的印象。
The following logos are credibility-based. A brief description tells why they are particularly great logos.
下面是几个可信性强的logo，我们简单介绍一下它们为何属于高质量的logo。
(Royal Guide Dogs Assn., Australia. Kato Purnall Partners Design) （Royal Guide Dogs协会，澳大利亚，Kato Purnall工作室设计）
Comment: This is an Australian company engaged in training guide dogs for the blind. What a creative logo! It expresses the company's expertise in a dramatic, simple logo form. Like many credibility-based logos, it conveys the company's trustworthy attributes too. I would trust them to provide me a guide dog fully trained and healthy. The contemporary form speaks of their cutting edge training techniques. The logo says this is a very professional company providing a special need. Anything less would be questionable.
评价：这个公司的工作内容是训练能够导盲的狗，logo的确很有创意。通过生动、简单的形式，logo体现了公司专业性，也体现出公司的可信性（类似于其它可信性logo）。我相信公司会提供训练良好、健康的狗，这个logo让用户相信公司拥有先进技术、公司服务专业、能够提供这种特殊服务。
(Access Referral Network. Powerlogos Design/Cygnus Advertising) （Access职业分配咨询网）
Comment: This company is one-stop website to locate professionals and needed information about them. Providing information through a single website portal is this company's field of expertise. This is the main symbolism. The company is also highly professional, cutting-edge, competent, efficient and provides quality information. The contemporary yet stable design motif non-verbally expresses these trustworthy traits. The logo is very strong with high impact. This is a must for companies on the internet.
评价：此网站提供专业、用户需要的信息，网站通过一个网站入口提供信息，这可以体现网站专业性。通过logo，我们可以意识到公司专业、有效，可以提供高质量的信息。此标志可以传递可信性信息，并且能产生强烈效果，公司网站必须要有这种效果。
(Errands Unlimited. Bud Linschoten Design)（中介服务公司，Bud Linschoten设计）
Comment: The company name and design form symbolize its area of expertise. The whimsical execution of the form suggests that this is a fast service, friendly yet efficient company to do business with ---- three good trustworthy attributes for an errands company. The overall design style is contemporary.
评价：公司名称与logo都可以说明公司的专业技能。通过logo，我们可以察觉公司可以提供快捷、优质、效率高的服务，这三个特征可以增强服务公司的可信性。而且，这个外观设计具有时代感。
(Mitch’s Landscaping. Gardner Design)（Mitch园林设计，Gardner设计）
Comment: The grass blades form an “M” symbolizing the company’s expertise while personalizing the owner’s first name giving it a sense of trustworthiness that the owner stands behind his work. It is a forward-thinking, contemporary, cutting edge design --- no pun intended.
评价：小草组成的M标志，传递出公司的专业技术，并且这个M是公司名称的首写字母，能体现设计者的专业性。这个logo设计构思新颖、切合主题，并且很有时代感。
(Bergelectric Corp. The Weller Institute for the Cure of Design)（Bergelectric公司，Weller协会设计）
Comment: The company name and electric plug symbolize its area of expertise. The contemporary shape suggests the company is efficient and knows what it is doing, adding to its trustworthiness.
评价：公司名称与电插头形象，说明公司的工作领域。富有时代感的形象说明公司效率高，增加了公司可信性。
The following logos are not credibility-based.
下面几个logo可信性差。
Comment: Unlike the AT&T logo which is credibility-based as it communicates "world-wide communication", Verizon does not express its area of expertise, which is also worldwide communication. The "V" swoosh doesn't communicate anything except "V" as in "Victory" as one company executive explained. It is slightly trustworthy expressing "technology" and "efficiency". It is also slightly a contemporary design form. The AT&T logo is blue --- a good "technology" or "electronic" color while Verizon is red.
评价：此logo不同于AT&T公司的logo，并不能增强公司的信誉度，也不能说明公司的工作领域。“V”是一个胜利的标志，并不能很好地表现公司技术先进，工作效率高，而且这个logo设计缺乏时代感。AT&T公司logo为蓝色（象征技术或者电子的颜色），而Verizon公司logo为红色。
Comment: Avaya's slogan is "communication without boundaries". It is also in the communication business which is its area of expertise. This is not expressed. The company name does not help to understand the company business. It is also not trustworthy or contemporary looking.
评价：Avaya公司口号是“交流无界线”，这个口号可以利用在公司擅长的交流业务中，但logo中并没有表现这一点。公司名称并不能帮助用户理解公司性质、内容，logo外观也不能增加公司可信性。
Comment: This company is worldwide, but neither the name nor other symbologies express the company business, therefore lacking expertise. It is also a dated form looking "slow" and "sluggish" two trustworthy attributes which are probably not intended. It is also not contemporary.
评价：此企业属于跨国企业，但公司名称以及其它标志并不能传达这个信息，也不能使用户了解公司的专业工作领域。Logo形式显得缓慢、迟钝，缺少时代感。
Comment: This is a good company name with appropriate symbology expressing the company business and therefore giving the company expertise. It is also highly “likable” but lacks other dimensions of being trustworthy for a moving company such as “highly efficient”, “latest packing techniques”, or “on time”…. These attributes could have been expressed just by making the whole design contemporary --- which is also lacking.
评价：公司名称与标志搭配合理，能够说明公司的业务，logo设计也很生动，但不能增加公司可信性，例如：不能说明效率高、技术先进、时间准等内容。高质量的logo应该能够说明以上特征。
