The Great versus The Grey in the Real World

In a previous article we talked about the secrets of a great logo design.

Remember, Logo The Great? 

  • - easy to describe
  • - easy to remember
  • - distinctive, unique, not similar to any other logo design
  • - appropriate, conforming to the image of the company it stands for
  • - simple but not simplistic
  • - inspiring trust for what is behind it
  • - versatile
  • - looking good without colors
  • - timeless, not necessarily trendy

I'm not going to give you a list for The Grey, because it can't be the opposite of The Great. It actually can be close to a good logo design. It could be easy to describe and to remember but could be similar to some other logo. Or it could be something very original, very unique but too hard to describe and hence it is forgotten easily. It could be a great logo but not for Wonka's Chocolate Factory... 

Opposite characteristics of each aspect from the Great's list would indeed make the worst logo design which definitely doesn't "feel" right even to the untrained eye.

But now we will turn to the real life. In reality, the concept of a "great logo design" is an ideal that happens rarely and that can be really appreciated only by the great logo designers that live up in the crystal towers of their logo design castles.

It may or may not be a well-defined thing in the heads of the clients who will decide in the end what they want to go with. There may be given much sound logo design advice, in the end the clients will decide what is great for them. And let's admit it: if the business is good, the logo will just follow in the footsteps of the popularity of the business, be it Great or Grey. In time it could even be changed. 

So, what is the deal? Should you go for excellence? Should you strive for The Great? I think you should when possible. And that is because you are excellent deep inside and satisfied only when even if only for the excellent version of yourself, you achieve what is great, what is the best. The most will not understand, but you and a handful of logo designers like you, will.