We get asked this question a lot, and to be honest, there’s no short answer, because a logo means different things to different people.
What do we mean by a logo?
Your logo is a flag that reminds people of what you do. It is a symbol or visual representation of your company. It is a vessel for meaning and becomes powerful over time with repeated use. Think of iconic logos such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and Apple. As clever as their design might be, the main reason for their longevity and familiarity is their continued and consistent use.
What do you get from us?
The logos we create are designed to work in all media – online and offline, digital and print. We design everything from scratch. We don’t use clip art, stock sites or any off-the-shelf designs. Everything we do is fully bespoke and customised to each client. We are not a high street print shop; we are a professional branding agency.
As part of our logo design package, we provide:
- A minimum of three logo concepts to choose from
- Up to two sets of edits (if required) to finalise the chosen design
- Full range of file formats suitable for print, web and in-house usage
- Brand guidelines that outline the exact use of your logo, colours and fonts
How much do we charge?
Our prices typically range from €990 to €1,980 (ex VAT), depending on your exact requirements. Of course, we don’t like to use the term ‘charge’ or ‘cost’. We prefer the term ‘value’ or ‘investment’ because of the enormously positive contribution that a professionally designed brand identity can make to a business.
Why do we charge so much?
Like most things in life, you get what you pay for, and with us, you get a professional service from expert designers. Also, and more importantly, you’re not just paying for our time, you’re paying for our experience. We’ve been designing brands for nearly 40 years, so we know what works (and what doesn’t).
What is our process for designing a logo?
We’ve developed a unique process for designing logos that ensures a successful outcome. There are six stages:
1. Understanding
We start by getting to know the client. We get them to fill out a creative brief and then go through it with them to make sure we know what they want. In some instances, we may recommend a brainstorm session with the key stakeholders to discuss the issues in more depth. We also research the market and competition to inform our thinking.
2. Colour
Colour is used to express character and personality. There is a whole psychology to it which makes it very important. We spend a lot of time exploring different options and creating a suitable colour palette. The brain reads colour before content so is crucial for brand perception and recognition.
3. Typography
Typography conveys a subliminal message and is the core building block to your logo. There are thousands of fonts to choose from, many with subtle but distinct differences. Typography can convey feeling and reflect positioning. It should work equally well in black and white as well as full colour.
4. Brandmark
Brandmarks are as varied as the businesses themselves. Some are just letters and words; others include images or symbols. Whatever they are, they need to embody the brand personality and emotionally connect with the audience you’re targeting. We always try to find the right balance.
5. Concepts
We review many ideas before assembling a shortlist to show the client. We only present ideas that we are 100% happy with. Clients sometimes ask us in advance ‘What if we don’t like any of them?’ Thankfully that rarely happens because we involve our clients in the design process from the beginning.
6. Completion
After we receive your feedback, we make whatever edits are required and finalise the design. We then provide the new logo in all the formats you need: AI/EPS – for print and signage, JPG – for inhouse usage (e.g. Microsoft Word, PowerPoint) and PNG/SVG – for web and email.
Can you get it cheaper?
Yes, you will always find someone who can design a logo for cheaper, but you have to ask why? Are they a ‘one-man band?’ If so, what happens if they go under a bus? Will you be left high and dry? Also, how much experience do they have? If they’re just starting out, they may charge you less just to get the work and build their portfolio.
Furthermore, do they understand what they’re talking about? Do they have previous examples and case studies to back up their claims? Finally, how keen are they? If they’re too keen, it might be because they don’t have much work and are a bit desperate.
In short then, you need to be careful. Compare apples with apples and make sure you know what you’re getting. It’s always best paying a proper price. That way you won’t have to pay twice. A company logo is too important to leave to amateurs. It needs to be reassuringly expensive.
