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In one of our past blogs, we talked all about branding and the importance of style guides in cultivating a solid brand identity.
Style guides are what you refer to define your brand’s voice, vision, values, and overall aesthetic. They are not just merely a picture book of your logo and color palette, they are a collection of characteristics that define your organization’s brand identity.
While your branding is not only merely about aesthetics, establishing a consistent “look” is a huge part of capturing and communicating the identity of your organization, especially your church. This is specifically done through a solid logo.
Think of companies like Nike, Starbucks, and Apple. Each of these 3 has a distinct logo that sets apart its brand from the crowd. The check mark, mythological mermaid/siren, and once-bitten apple all have a strong tie to their respective brands.
Logos are the identifying symbol that conveys to onlookers what company or organization is related to a specific product, service, or other offerings. Logos are not just meant to be the label for certain goods or products, they are also used for:
Logos will be used across the board for so many things in your church’s digital and physical marketing. Getting the logo right is important because it will be seen so often! That is why there are a few key things you want to keep in mind when designing your logo or revamping your current one.
Every church has a specific “style.” This style will be determined by the geographical location of your church, the demographics of your congregation, and even your denomination.
Many denominational churches have specific symbols that are already set in stone that are to be used across all churches in the denomination. However, the ability to bring your style to these existing symbols is typically an option.
If your church has no set symbols to adhere to, it is a good idea to figure out what types of symbols you can incorporate into your logo.
Here are a few ideas we’ve seen:
Having a symbol present is not completely necessary and should only be used if it compliments your church name or brand in some way. For example, if your church’s name is The Summit, you could incorporate mountains in the logo. If the church name is Living Water, you can utilize water or waves in the logo.
Your church’s overall brand will help you determine whether you will need a symbol or not. But regardless, establishing a general style is of utmost importance. Are you more traditional or contemporary? Old school or modern? Bright and vibrant or neutral.
These are all things to consider and these elements can be fleshed out more as you consider color schemes and typography.
Color is a very important element of any church logo because color has the power to evoke emotion in the viewer. The color aesthetic you choose should again be based on the general vibe of your church and even the surrounding area.
Color theory is good to keep in mind when choosing a scheme for your logo and branding. Understanding the emotions that certain colors evoke in the viewer can help you choose your scheme.
For example, if you want to stir up feelings of calmness, pick blue. If you want to evoke feelings of youthfulness and energy, pick orange.
Keeping things simple (1-2 colors) in a logo is a generally good rule of thumb. However, if you are designing a logo for a children’s ministry it will be a different story.
Take some time to figure out what you want your colors to be for your logo and how they will best compliment your overall brand identity, logo symbols, and especially your logo typography.
Fonts can be one of the most overlooked aspects of designing a logo. But getting your logo font right is essential to keeping consistency in your overall branding.
There are 4 different types of fonts you can choose from for your logo design. Just like color, they too give off a certain vibe:
When considering which type of font to use, you want to again keep in mind your overall brand identity. If you are more young and modern, opt for a san-serif. If you are traditional, opt for a serif or script.
It is important to consider the typography of your brand's colors and symbols. They should complement each other well, evoke similar feelings, and when put all together, represent your church well.
Designers have a gut sense about when design elements clash with one another. Trusting your designer will be key as you solidify your logo within all of its puzzle pieces.
As mentioned before, your logo is going to be used in all sorts of places. You want to ensure that it is easy to transfer your logo to these different mediums. Here are a few things to consider:
Format. If you want to use your logo in all different sizes, make sure it is formatted as a scalable vector. This will ensure it doesn’t get distorted or pixelated when scaled down or blown up.
Black & white color scheme. It won't always be appropriate to use your logo with all of its brand colors. You may at times need it just a plain black or white version. Make sure your logo still translates well when it is stripped of its colors.
Alternative logo variations. You won't use the same format, shape, or size of your logo on your website as you would on your social media channels. Having alternative versions of your logo is key. Each version will still incorporate the symbols, colors, and typography but will just be formatted to best fit the medium it will be used on.
Overall, you want your logo to stand out, represent your church well, and be able to point people back to your church no matter where the logo is used. By taking the time to consider complementary symbols, colors, and typography, you will be on a fast track to having a great church logo!
If you want to get started on your logo design or even a total rebrand, our team at PMF Creative can help. Our skilled team of design professionals will work with you to develop the best possible logo for your particular church. Contact us today to get started!
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