Research Summary. One of the first things that pop into consumers’ brains when thinking about a particular brand is its one-of-a-kind logo. A company’s logo can draw in a huge customer base or send them running in the other direction. Here are the key statistics on logos and their role in branding:
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On average, it will take 5 to 7 times seeing a logo before a customer remembers the brand.
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On average, small businesses will spend between $300 to $1300 on their logo.
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The most common color used in logos is blue.
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Approximately 40% of Fortune 500 companies use blue in their logo
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The Coca-Cola logo is recognized by a staggering 94% of the world population
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73% of consumers are more likely to trust and buy from a brand that they know
For further analysis, we broke down the data in the following ways:
Design | Recognition | Consumer Logo Opinions | Spending
Logo Design Statistics
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95% of leading brands use only one or two colors in their logo.
In comparison, only 5% of companies use more than three colors in their logo.
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Some of the most popular colors in logos are blue, red, black, and yellow or gold.
The least popular color in logos is brown because people usually associate it with rotting or decay.
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It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks to design a logo.
On average, it takes professional designers around 10 to 20 hours to complete a logo.
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The most popular type of logo is combination mark logos that combine a symbol of a brand with a distinct font outlining the company name.
Examples of companies with combination mark logos are MasterCard, Dove, Sprint, and Burger King. Other types of logos include illustrative logos that paint out the scene they represent (Laughing Cow), icon logos that designate a symbol to the brand (Target), and letter mark logos that put the company’s name in a recognizable font (H & M).
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The most popular fonts for logos include Serif (Rolex and Prada), Sans serif (Netflix and Facebook), and Cursive (Cartier and Cadillac).
Some other popular logo fonts include Bodoni, Helvetica, and Open Sans.
Logo Recognition Statistics
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On average, it will take a customer 5 to 7 times of seeing a logo before they remember it for good.
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The average lifespan of a logo is approximately 10 years
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One study in 2010 found that 69% of three-year-olds could recognize the McDonald’s logo
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88% of adults recognize the McDonald’s and Shell logos.
Consumer Logo Opinions Statistics
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75% of people recognize a brand by its logo.
A brand’s logo is the most recognizable brand identifier. The other ways that consumers identify brands are by visual style (60%), brand color (45%), and unique voice (25%).
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42% of consumers believe a logo effectively communicates a brand’s personality.
This suggests that many consumers think they can accurately understand a company based solely on the brand’s logo.
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60% of consumers will avoid a brand with a logo they find odd, ugly, or unappealing.
This percentage holds firm even if a brand has positive reviews.
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78% of consumers believe that brand logos are a work of art.
That shows the high regard consumers have for a brand’s logo and how much it will impact their choice to purchase with a company.
Logo Spending Statistics
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67% of small businesses are willing to pay over $500 for a logo
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Only 15% of small businesses are open to paying over $1,000 for a logo
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The most money ever spent on a logo was $1.280 billion by the brand Symantec Brand & Acquisition
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The cheapest famous logos in history are the logos for Google, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft, which were all created for free despite representing billion-dollar companies
Logo FAQ
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What is the most recognizable logo in the world?
The most recognizable logo in the world is the Apple logo. Runner-ups for the most recognizable logo globally include the McDonald’s golden arches and the Coca-Cola font.
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Who is the most famous logo designer in the world?
The most famous logo designer in the world is Ruth Kedar, who created the Google logo now seen by billions. Other famous logo designers include Carolyn Davidson, who made the Nike swoosh logo, and Paul Rand, who developed the logos for IBM and UPS.
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How much does a signature-colored logo design increase brand recognition?
Research suggests that a signature-colored logo design increases brand recognition by up to 80%. An excellent example of this is the world-renowned green Starbucks logo. Though many brands have adopted a green logo, an overwhelming percentage of consumers still associate their signature forest green look with Starbucks.
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What are the characteristics of a good logo?
The main characteristics of a good logo are that it’s simple, relevant to the brand it represents, and easily recognizable.
Some other common characteristics of a good logo are being:
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Highly memorable
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Relevant over time
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Versatile
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Marketable
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Generally attractive
When you look at the most popular logos in history, they demonstrate most of these traits, if not all of them.
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How many colors should a logo have?
A logo should have three colors or fewer. Having more than three colors can be visually overwhelming or displeasing to an audience. When it comes to logos, less is more. The most simple logos with the least colors are the ones that stand the test of time.
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What is the best shape for a logo?
The best shape for a logo is a square or a horizontal rectangle. These are the most common shapes for logos, so consumers already feel comfortable with them. However, many brands take the basic concept of a square or rectangle and play with it a little.
For example, Microsoft uses four small boxes to create one big multi-colored square as its logo. Similarly, Dominos uses two squares side-by-side to make a rectangle.
Conclusion
Logos are an incredibly important piece of a brand’s image. It acts as the face of the company and becomes synonymous with the brand to consumers. A logo is a brand’s #1 identifier, according to a study that found 75% of respondents recognized a company solely from its logo.
Additionally, 42% of people believe that they can gauge a brand’s overall personality by looking at its logo. This puts a lot of pressure on a business’ to make its logo exceptional and accurate to the brand.
A consumer’s choice to purchase a product or service from a particular brand is swayed by many factors – one of which is its recognizable logo. For example, in one study, 73% of consumers stated that they were more likely to trust and buy from a brand they recognized.
On the flip side, a bad logo can negatively impact a brand. One poll found that 60% of customers will avoid a brand if it portrays an odd or unattractive logo.
Recognition is a powerful tool for brands. It can differentiate between a brand becoming a household name or simply fading into the background. Though it’s clear that a brand’s logo is vital, most small businesses have a definitive cap when it comes to the money they’re willing to pay for a logo.
While 67% of small businesses are willing to pay over $500 for a logo, less than 15% will spend more than $1,000 for a logo design. There is also a rather large gap between major companies’ prices paid for logos.
Some of the most recognizable logos representing the most powerful brands, like Google, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola, were originally made free. Alternatively, the most money that has ever been paid for a logo was $1,280,000,000 for the brand Symantec Brand & Acquisition.
There is a wide range of variations and ways for a logo to be successful.
References
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Ipsos. “Global Trends 2020: Understanding Complexity”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Pam Moore. “10 Reasons Why Personal Branding is a Requirement for Marketers & Business Leaders”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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99Designs. “How much should your logo design cost?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Canva. “Color psychology: The logo color tricks used by top companies—and how to design your own.” Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Website Planet. “60+ Logo Stats and Facts – New Fortune 500 List Research [2021]”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Nora Kramer Designs. “Psychology of Color: 95% of the Top Brands Only Use One or Two Colors in Their Logo Designs”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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99Designs. “Logo colors: what’s best for your brand?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Trillion. “How Long Does it Take to Design a Great Logo?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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LogoMaker. “The 5 Most Popular Types of Logos (With Examples)”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Looka. “The Top 15 Logo Fonts and How to Choose the Perfect One”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Render Forest. “55 Branding Statistics for 2021 [Infographic]”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Finances Online. “75 Logo Statistics You Can’t Ignore 2020/2021 Data Analysis & Market Share”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Penji. “Hire a Logo Designer to Grow Your Brand”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Zeka Design. “Most Expensive Logo Design In History.” Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Today In 24 News. “These are the 5 cheapest logos in history: From Coca-Cola to Google”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Strong Design. “What is the lifespan of a logo?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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The Guardian. “The Onslaught.” Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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Promotique. “LOGO QUIZ: Can you identify these iconic logos and brands?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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LogoMyWay. “10 Famous Logo Designers and Their Iconic Creations”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
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CEO Today. “Colour Increases Brand Recognition By 80%, But How Many Brands Can You Recognise?”. Accessed on December 5th, 2021
Author
Sky Ariella is a professional freelance writer, originally from New York. She has been featured on websites and online magazines covering topics in career, travel, and lifestyle. She received her BA in psychology from Hunter College.
