Medical logo design - common mistakes to avoid
The purpose of a
well-designed medical logo is to represent the practice and its brand in visually impactful way. A good logo achieves true brand recognition, which is not an easy task. An effective medical logo should ideally reflect the practice’s specialty in a polished, professional way. First impressions count, so be sure to avoid these common logo design mistakes:
The logo contains stock art
Medical logos should be distinctive, original and exclusive. With stock art, you risk copying someone else’s design and looking less unique. If you are using stock art, there’s a very good chance someone else is using the same image, which does not make your logo distinctive and memorable. Stock art is too generic and can result in a lower brand recall value. The purpose of your logo should be for people to associate it with your business or brand, and stock art defeats that purpose.
Overly complex
Intricate designs lose detail from afar and print poorly on different scales. The resulting logo could end up looking more like a mistake than what it was intended to. If there is too much detail in a healthcare logo, the viewer has that much more information to absorb so it’s best to simplify the design. Much like the Nike Swoosh, McDonald’s famous arches and Apple’s simple, classic “apple”, a
medical logo should be simple, memorable, distinct and uncomplicated, easily reproducible at any size.
Relies on color for its effect
The
best medical logo design starts in black and white, with color added later. This way, the viewer can focus on the shape and concept instead of distracting special effects. If it primarily requires color or special effects, it is not an effective logo. Drop shadows, embossing, or other styles only add to the distraction. A good logo should be able to stand on its own, with variations that work well in any color, even grayscale. This makes the logo more versatile and easily recognizable in different layouts.
Poor choice of font
The icon and font should enhance and not overpower each other. A poor font choice can easily ruin a good logo. Each element should match evenly and yet stand out on its own. It should work with the design and make sense with the concept of the logo. A rounded, bubble-like logo would work best with similarly designed font or one with rounded letters. Highly styled or fancy logos end up being harder to read and that happens, viewers will misread the logo. Keep in mind scale reproduction for those times that the logo will need to be minimized. How legible is it? If it’s not, then it needs to be reworked.
Has too many fonts
Too many fonts create clutter and sensory overload. Use no more than two fonts for better visibility and brand recognition. The font choice should be deliberate and look unified or else it looks sloppy and reflects poorly on the brand.
Logo is too generic
Cookie-cutter logo designs are not unique. Your medical logo should distinctively represent your practice. The logo should incorporate your brand. If it’s too general, it could apply to any other business than your own. Good logo should convey a specific message about the practice, staff, physicians and values. The logo should tell the visitor that they have arrived at the right place and are not confused about what the practice represents.
The logo does not fit the practice specialty
Know your audience. Your medical logo should convey to visitors your practice’s mission and services instantly. It should give your brand a polished, professional look. Modern or funky designs are not appropriate for serious healthcare specialties. Remember, your patients are looking to you as a subject matter expert. Your logo should reflect your experience, commitment and dedication. A good logo can accomplish all of these tasks.
