Placement of logos. Placement of the logo of the partner organization. Follow the main aspects

Will it be considered a violation of the law to post trademarks (logos) of partners with whom your company has a business relationship?

The question raised covers both cases of selling someone else's product through the Internet site, and the simple mention of a partner in the list of customers. Therefore, its solution can be approached from several sides, since the purposes of placing marks, as well as the type of their legal protection, will be very different. Accordingly, various legal norms are applicable to such situations: on trademarks, copyrights, unfair competition, and so on. Let's dwell on the main options in more detail.

Trademark law

The designation will become a trademark if it is registered with Rospatent of the Russian Federation or, by virtue of international registration, is protected on the territory of Russia.

Although the exclusive right to a trademark is formulated quite broadly: as the authority to use it in any way at the discretion of the owner (clause 1 of article 1484 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), nevertheless its main purpose is to secure a monopoly on the individualization of certain goods, works and services, for which such a mark is registered.

Therefore, paragraph 3 of Art. 1484 CC establishes: “ No one has the right to use, without the permission of the copyright holder, designations similar to his trademark in relation to goods for the individualization of which the trademark is registered, or similar goods, if as a result of such use there is a possibility of confusion».

If the mark is used for other purposes not related to the goods (works, services) of the owner of the mark, then there will be no violation of the law on trademarks. For example, your organization does not sell the same goods, works or services (or similar to them) as your partner, but simply provides him with any services (advertising, design, freight forwarding, information, etc.) or sells him your products, then you may well indicate the partner's trademark on the page with the list of clients.

The mere mention of a trademark in articles, interviews, news or other materials on the site will not be considered a violation, even if homogeneous products are sold on the site, provided that there is no risk of confusion with the products of the owner of the mark. This conclusion is enshrined in the Resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated 01.12.2009 No. 10852/09: “... verbal mention of someone else's trademark is not the use of this mark».

The next option for the acceptable use of someone else's mark on the site without the consent of the owner is already associated with the use of the goods of the owner of the mark, but not for the purpose of selling it. For example, if the organization produces service, repair of such a product. Here, a prerequisite is that the owner of the mark himself does not carry out such activities, since otherwise, there will be competing activities. This conclusion is confirmed by judicial practice. Thus, the Federal Arbitration Court of the Moscow District, in its Resolution of 10.10.2011 in case No. А40-118198 / 10-143-1016, emphasizes: given that the plaintiff is the manufacturer of the goods, and the defendant is a service organization that repairs equipment, and not only that produced by the plaintiff , but also by other manufacturers, " the courts correctly proceeded from the assumption that the plaintiff and the defendant do not produce homogeneous goods and do not provide homogeneous services, i.e. are not competitors, which excludes violation of the exclusive rights of the plaintiff to the trademark».

Another ground that exempts from liability for posting someone else's mark on the site, also noted in the specified resolution of the FAS MO, is associated with the principle of exhaustion of rights enshrined in Art. 1487 CC. According to her, “ is not a violation of the exclusive right to a trademark, the use of this trademark by other persons in relation to goods that have been introduced into civil circulation on the territory of the Russian Federation directly by the rightholder or with his consent". That is, if a service organization repairs equipment officially sold in Russia by a manufacturer or with his consent, then such a service organization can quite easily indicate on its website the marks of the respective manufacturers. In this case, the service organization itself does not sell such equipment, but only informs potential customers that it is servicing it. The main condition is that the goods must be legally released into circulation on the territory of Russia (and taking into account the creation of the Customs Union, in any of the countries of such a union: in Russia, Kazakhstan or Belarus). This condition can be specified in the rules of the organization on its website.

A more complicated situation arises if an organization, for example, an online store, resells a product that is legally put into circulation in Russia. The rule on the exhaustion of the exclusive right to a trademark is also applicable to it - if the goods were officially imported into Russia or are already being sold in Russia by the manufacturer himself or with his consent, then the online store can indicate the trademark on the page with the description of the goods, as well as place there a photograph or other image of the product containing the mark. How can the owners of an online store make sure that the goods they are selling have been introduced into Russian civil circulation with the consent of the manufacturer, because not all intermediaries are ready to disclose the entire chain of goods movement? Naturally, problems do not arise if the store has a direct agreement with a Russian or foreign manufacturer or its official dealer / distributor. Note that such a product must be purchased on the territory of Russia (or the Customs Union), since when buying it from a manufacturer or dealer directly abroad, special rules will apply, which I will talk about later.

If the goods are purchased from any intermediary that does not have the status of an official dealer, then it is extremely difficult to make sure of the manufacturer's consent. It remains only to insure against possible unforeseen situations by entering into the contract a condition that the seller of the goods guarantees the availability of the manufacturer's consent to sell the goods in Russia, otherwise the seller undertakes to take part in a possible litigation on the buyer's side and compensate him for all losses incurred by the buyer, as well as fines and other sanctions paid to the manufacturer of the goods or to the competent authorities.

As an example, I will cite the Resolution of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Moscow District dated 05/30/2011 No. KG-A40 / 4516-11-1,2,3,4 in case No. A40-92046 / 10-15-772. The defendants posted illustrations of the plaintiff's products with the plaintiff's trademark applied to them on the sites they administer (online stores) without obtaining any permission. At the same time, the defendants referred to the fact that they did not independently import, distribute and sell products, but intended to purchase it from the plaintiff-manufacturer, therefore the principle of exhaustion of rights should apply. The courts supported the manufacturer: the demonstration on the website of the product is an offer for sale, while the defendants did not provide evidence of the legal origin of the offered products and their intentions to purchase it from the manufacturer, therefore, their actions were a violation of trademark law. Let me explain that in that case, the plaintiff suspected the defendants of selling counterfeit products using his trademark.

Let us return to the issue of the exhaustion of rights in the case of purchasing goods abroad with subsequent import into the Russian Federation. Since in this case the manufacturer himself does not put the goods into circulation on the territory of Russia, then his written consent (in a contract or in another document) is required for the import of goods into the Russian Federation and its subsequent sale using the original trademark. Therefore, if a product is purchased abroad for sale through an online store in our country, then the written consent of its manufacturer is required. Moreover, the consent of the manufacturer himself is required even when goods are purchased abroad from his authorized dealer, unless the manufacturer has authorized the dealer to give consent for the export and sale of products in the Russian Federation.

The court practice makes an exception only in relation to goods purchased abroad by an individual for personal use. In this case, if such a person wants to sell such a product in the future, then its sale in Russia using the manufacturer's mark is possible without the consent of the owner of the mark. The exception will not apply if a natural person initially purchases the goods not for personal use, but for further resale (proof of this may be, for example, the purchase of goods in a quantity greater than is necessary for normal use).

Conclusions: it will not be a violation of the exclusive right to place a trademark on an Internet site, with the features indicated above, without the consent of the owner of the mark in the following cases:

1) If the activities of the site owner are not related to the goods, work or services of the trademark owner (or similar ones).

2) If the trademark is verbally mentioned on the site and there is no risk of mixing the products of the site owner with the products of the owner of the mark.

3) If the owner of the site performs operations in relation to someone else's goods and at the same time the owner of the trademark is not engaged in the same activity.

4) If a product is offered for sale or is being sold through the website that has been introduced into civil circulation in Russia by the owner of the mark or with his consent.

Competition Law

The use of someone else's trademark, even if permitted by law, should not lead to unfair competition. The rules on what actions refer to unfair competition are enshrined in Article 14 of Law No. 135-FZ of July 26, 2006 "On Protection of Competition", based on Article 10.bis of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Article 14, in particular, prohibits the use of someone else's trademark in a manner that:

- will entail the dissemination of false, inaccurate or distorted information that could cause losses to an economic entity or damage its business reputation;

- will lead to misleading in relation to the nature, method and place of production, consumer properties, quality and quantity of goods or in relation to its manufacturers;

- is associated with an incorrect comparison by an economic entity of the goods produced or sold by it with the goods produced or sold by other economic entities;

- represents the sale, exchange or other introduction of goods into circulation, if the means of individualization of a legal entity, means of individualization of products, works, services were illegally used (i.e., for example, if a trademark is placed on someone else's product without the consent of the owner trademark; in this regard, it is useful to fix in the contract for the purchase of goods the seller's obligation to guarantee the legal placement of the trademark on the supplied goods, if there are any doubts about its origin, in order to recover from the seller the losses incurred by the buyer in case of disputes);

And, as a general rule, paragraph 2 of Article 14 of Law No. 135-FZ prohibits unfair competition associated with the acquisition and use of the exclusive right to the means of individualization of a legal entity, means of individualization of products, works or services. It is important to emphasize: if, based on the above provisions, an organization has the right to use someone else's product on its website, then this does not lead to the acquisition or use of the exclusive right to a trademark. In the absence of a special agreement on the alienation of the exclusive right, such right belongs only to the owner of the rights to the trademark and does not pass to other persons.

Do not forget also that a number of trademarks can be protected by copyright at the same time, since they are original verbal or figurative works. Verbal designation can include, for example, the name of a work or part of it (verse line, etc.), if they meet the requirements of clause 7 of Art. 1259 Civil Code, i.e. are the result of independent creative work of their author.

Registration of a designation as a trademark does not terminate its copyright protection. And the owner of the rights to such a designation is free to independently choose the method of protecting the violated right: if the exclusive right to a trademark is not applicable, he can use the copyright exclusive right.

Therefore, the lawful use of someone else's mark in accordance with the provisions of the trademark law may infringe on the copyright of the owner of the mark. There are no such exceptions as for a trademark under copyright laws. Placing a work on the Internet site is considered its bringing to the public, and therefore, is covered by the exclusive right belonging to the author (subparagraph 11, paragraph 2 of article 1270 of the Civil Code).

How to prevent possible claims of the owner of the mark? Unfortunately, there are no simple guidelines here. Works protected by copyright are not registered anywhere, are not entered into a single database, and are protected from the moment of their creation without any formalities. Consequently, the obligation to preliminarily evaluate the designations posted on the site from the point of view of their originality and creative performance rests with the owner of the Internet resource. If the claims are still made by the copyright holder, it remains to prove that the controversial designations were not subject to copyright protection.

A similar situation can arise in the event that the designation is not registered as a trademark at all, and is used by its owner in the form of a logo or brand. Such a logo may be a protected work. And then, according to the aforementioned Art. 1270 GK, its use on the Internet is possible only with the consent of the copyright holder. In this case, the author's right will be subject to the usual copyright restrictions on exclusive rights, the so-called cases of free use. True, they are practically not applicable to the situations considered in this article, since they have little to do with commercial transactions and hardly apply to the use of such objects on the Internet.

Privacy Statement

Another important circumstance is often forgotten. The ability to place someone else's trademark, logo or other designation on the website may be limited not only by law, but also by contractual terms. The agreement may expressly provide for the prohibition of the posting on the Internet of any designations by the other party.

If there is no such condition in the text, but the agreement contains a confidentiality clause, then it may also mean an actual prohibition on the use of the mark by one of the parties in the network. For example, if a confidentiality clause requires keeping secret not only the commercial terms of the agreement, but also the very fact of its conclusion, then the placement of the partner's designation on the website will lead to a violation of the agreement and to the corresponding contractual or legal liability.

As you can see, before deciding to place any designation of a partner on the site, you need to decide on:

- what kind of designation it is;

- how it will be used on the site;

- what business activities your organization and partner firm are engaged in;

- for the individualization of which goods the sign is used

- what legal or contractual conditions govern the use of the sign;

- whether the designation will be used on the site in a manner that constitutes unfair competition.

The answers you receive will determine your course of action. Although, in any case, the consent of the owner of the mark to an interesting use case for you will prevent possible future disputes.

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"Mahogany-design".

The rules for creating a logo are very important in such a responsible creative process. You, as the owner of your own enterprise and company, must understand that it is the logo that is, in a way, the personification of your brainchild, and you need to be very careful, responsible and sensitive to its creation. In this article we will talk about how to correctly design a logo, as well as the rules for using your own label. Let's start with why this element of corporate identity is needed at all.

If you go a little deeper into history, you can recall that even the greatest conquerors always had their own symbolism. Under their banner, they burst into various lands, and many enemies, seeing the familiar flags and drawings on the shields, surrendered almost immediately. Of course, time does not stand still, and the era of conquest has long passed, but it was precisely that symbolism that became a kind of progenitor of modern logos. You, literally, personify their own business, and under this banner start your own promotion, regardless of the type of services you offer.

Logo use rules

The rules for using the logo are very simple, but it will not hurt to repeat this information once again. The first thing you should remember is the corporate identity, which will be recognized by every person who sees the symbols on an advertising banner, mug or on TV. The logo should match the design of each advertising campaign, and even when designing ordinary brochures, the symbol should have its own place. The main methods of operating a label can be found in a small list:

• Placement on advertising (banners, billboards, flyers, stickers, prints on clothes and so on)
• the Internet... At the moment, the world wide web is one of the best methods for advertising, so use the logo in emails, on your own avatar on social networks, when designing a YouTube channel, as well as almost everywhere where there is a graphic design.
• Office- this is the home of your company, therefore corporate style is of particular importance here. Use the logo when decorating walls, when creating a working form for your team, print it on information brochures, on stickers, and paste over various elements of electronic equipment with them. Let the spirit of cohesion reign in the workplace!
• Products... This is what distinguishes you from your competitors, therefore the presence of the logo even on small items of your manufacture is an important component of the organization of work. The symbol can be placed both on the product itself and on its packaging. An equally good option is to print the label on the bags and tape for wrapping boxes.

This list of applications is far from complete. But your creativity and imagination is a very important point in the process of coming up with non-standard methods of logo exploitation. As an example, we can cite souvenirs for our own clients, various flags, business cards, as well as corporate clothing items such as caps, wristbands and plastic badges. Never be afraid to experiment with this element of your corporate identity, trying to place it almost everywhere.

Logo placement rules

Logo placement rules are something to keep in mind when developing a corporate identity. Of course, brand memorability depends on a high-quality logo, but even the best option in the world cannot be used in such a way that the client simply cannot use the product, brochure or website due to the fact that all the basic information is cluttered with your brand symbol. The so-called "rule of thirds" will help us in this matter. In order not to get into professional slang, let's try to clearly understand what it is and how to use it in practice.

The golden ratio rule for logo design

Everyone knows such a mathematical definition as the "golden ratio". It applies to absolutely all images, be it drawing or photography, to sculptures, and even in music this rule can be found everywhere. Legends say that a third was used by the Egyptians to build the pyramids, and the total age of the pattern is 4,000 years! When creating, the designer visually divides the working area for creativity into equal thirds vertically and horizontally. In the middle, the focal point of the entire area is formed, from which the work itself is drawn. But this principle is used not only in the process of creating a layout.

The rule of thirds in a logo: what is it?

The placement rules also follow the Law of Thirds, which varies depending on the type of job you do. Let's say you are designing the home page of your own site. The rectangular page is visually split into thirds, after which you determine the places for each content element. The logo itself can look good, even in the middle, even in the corner of the allocated space. The most important thing is to observe the golden ratio! You can get inspired in the process of decoration by looking at ancient sculptures, historical monuments of architecture, various paintings, as well as simple logos of world famous companies.

Logo design rules

The rules for developing a logo should be known not only by the specialist to whom you turn for help, but also by yourself. Very often there are such cases when the customer, overwhelmed with inspiration, seems to know what he wants. The basic requirements go to the performer, but the designer does not have any specific composition. It's good if the customer puts forward some basic requirements in terms of the approximate appearance of the logo, but often everything is done according to the principle “you are a professional - do as you see”. Naturally, the percentage of immediately approved work is extremely small, and as a result, everything has to be redone from scratch, but with the participation of the customer. As you can see, this approach is not entirely logical.

A logical question immediately arises: how to be? Do you really have to go and study to be a designer to get what you need? Not really. It is enough to be guided by several rules that will help you not only create a high-quality technical task, but also personally decide at the stage of preparation whether your creative thoughts are moving in the right direction:

• The logo must be beautiful - the first advice is primitively simple. Despite the simplicity of this judgment, this is the first thing you need to remember! Beauty is a purely personal concept, because for some people a black square is a masterpiece, and for others it is a simple geometric figure without any meaning. But what is beautiful for you? This question sounds more complicated, and it is not clear how to answer it. Everyone can tell hot from cold and sour from sweet. Do the same with the design! Start thinking about what is not beautiful for you. Protruding corners, smudged elements - just highlight the main list of unpleasant moments, and eliminate them, leaving only what you like.
• Memorability... What's the point of a logo if no one can remember it? A label should make such an impression on a person that he would have a desire to tell children about him. A pretty good result is also the fact that the logo simply attracts attention, and makes a person think that this brand is familiar to him. If the drawing does not evoke any associations and emotions, this is a hack, which should be discarded. As an example, you can take the shapes and colors of, for example, road signs. They are so perfect that even a small child can easily learn each of them!
• Passing specifics... A construction company will never make a children's toy its logo, and a banking institution will not choose hairdressing tools as its main symbol. The logo should reflect what you do. But at the same time it is very important not to overdo it, because you can easily turn a simple picture into a complex puzzle, which will take a few minutes to guess. This is impermissible for a potential client, since an association in a person's head should be born in a few seconds. As an example, you can take the best work of the last decade to understand what these 3 points are about.

Basic rules for creating a logo: how to create a task?

Drawing up a high-quality assignment is a guarantee of successful cooperation with the contractor, therefore the following information will equally apply, in the main, to customers, for whom an experienced specialist always adapts.

Let's go back to the list, in which we will consider a list of basic questions that should be answered before drawing up a technical task:

• Who is my client? What is my activity?
• What is my target audience? Massmarket or premium segment?
• What result do I see?

The logo design rules are a direct result of these questions. Older people will not be interested in looking at a logo that is replete with bright colors and contains figures, for example, stylish sneakers. Also, adolescents will not want to visit a place whose logo is a simple, strict phrase. Concerning the question of the result you see, think about who you see yourself in 10 years, and how you see your own company. A high-quality logo must fully comply with the set status and goals!

The importance of logo-induced emotion

You are certainly proud of all the achievements and type of services provided by your own company. But, unfortunately, it will not be possible to tell the logo about all the versatility of your business. Symbols should be simple and evoke associations. The human brain perceives graphic information and colors much better than plain and plain text. The same should be remembered for performers who get lost among a few creative ideas. Let your logo express home comfort if you are a furniture dealer, or depict the face of a successful person on the logo if you offer various kinds of financial advice.

Technical information for logo creation

We have learned the information above, now we need to understand the technical part of drawing up logos:

• The formIs the main message of the company. We start with her.
• Historical cut... Will the label look great out of time?
• Determining the color scheme... Each shade has its own message, don't forget about it!
• Does the finished layout evoke any emotions?

After that, the designer and the customer begin to remove all unnecessary (if necessary). The final check is whether the logo answers the questions asked, and if the answer is yes, you can be satisfied. You've definitely created a quality logo!

Creation and development of a logo in the studio Mahagon-Design

Entrust your company with real Mahogany-design masters.

By virtue of Art. 1229 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the copyright holder may, at his discretion, allow or prohibit other persons from using the result of intellectual activity or means of individualization. The absence of a prohibition does not count as consent (permission). Clause 3 of Art. 1484 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation specifically prohibits the use of a trademark protected in the Russian Federation without the permission of its rightholder. Such a ban is due precisely to the threat of mixing up producers of homogeneous goods, works, services for consumers.

Under a licensing agreement, one party - the owner of the exclusive right to a trademark (licensor) grants or undertakes to provide the other party (licensee) with the right to use the trademark within the limits specified in the contract with or without specifying the territory in which use is allowed in relation to a certain area of \u200b\u200bbusiness (Article 1489 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). The licensee is obliged to ensure that the quality of the goods produced or sold by him, on which he places the licensed trademark, with the quality requirements established by the licensor. Thus, a license agreement is concluded to provide the licensee with the right to use a designation that is a trademark in order to sell homogeneous goods (works, services).
Since the organization does not plan to use a trademark on its website to designate a product it produces that is similar in class to the one for which the trademark is registered, it is not required to conclude a license agreement with the copyright holder or request permission from him to post such information on the website. ... In itself, the placement of such information on the Internet site does not violate the exclusive rights of the owner of the trademark and does not constitute illegal use of the trademark (clause 3 of article 1484, article 1515 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). This is also confirmed by judicial practice (see, for example, resolutions of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Moscow District of October 10, 2011 No. F05-9237 / 11, of the Presidium of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation of December 1, 2009 No. 10852/09).
Similarly, the issue of placing the corporate name of the partner organization on the Internet site is resolved. A brand name, like a trademark, is a means of individualization. If a trademark is intended to individualize the goods of legal entities, then the corporate name is used to individualize the legal entity itself (Article 1474 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation).

The posting on the Internet site of information that an organization with a certain company name is a partner of the organization-site administrator is not a use of the company name. It should be noted that granting to any person the right to use the corporate name of an organization, including under a license agreement, is not allowed (Article 1474 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). A violation of the exclusive right to use the corporate name of a legal entity will be the use of a name identical to the corporate name of this legal entity or similar to it to the point of confusion, if these legal entities carry out similar activities (clause 3 of article 1474 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). In the situation under consideration, there are no such circumstances.

Thus, the posting of the information specified in the question on the Internet site does not in itself violate the rights of the owner of exclusive rights to use the company name and trademark and does not require any permission from this copyright holder.

At the same time, if such information is accompanied by the placement of information discrediting the business reputation of the copyright holder, the latter has the right to demand their refutation, unless the person who disseminated this information proves that they correspond to reality (clauses 1, 7, Article 152 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation) ... A person in respect of whom information has been disseminated that discredits his business reputation has the right, along with the refutation of such information, to demand compensation for harm caused by their dissemination, including the so-called "reputational" (i.e. non-material) harm (paragraph 5 of Article 152 Civil Code of the Russian Federation). In addition, if information discrediting the business reputation of another person, including a competitor, is placed in an advertisement, such advertising is deemed unfair (Part 2, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 38-FZ of March 13, 2006 "On Advertising").

A logo is much more than just words, an icon, a color. A good logo tells the story of your company: who you are, what you do, and what you stand for.

Creating a logo is not an easy task: there are many nuances to consider when designing it. Fortunately, you don't have to do this alone. With this step-by-step guide, you can do it easily and simply. But enough words, let's get started!

What is a logo and what is it for?

But before we go directly to the recommendations, we want to advise you on the online service from Turbologo that can create a logo for you all in a few minutes. Just enter your company name and the site will create some logos for you!
Now let's move on to the article :)

Every day we constantly come across logos.

For example, the average US citizen sees 16,000 advertisements, logos and labels per day. If you look around, you will probably also notice a few dozen logos around you.

Why are there so many of them and why do many companies spend thousands, hundreds, or even millions of dollars to create this small element?

What do we, first of all, understand by the word “logo”?

A logo is a symbol or emblem that is used
to identify services, products and the company itself.

How to choose a logo color?

Color, color and color again! This is the first touchpoint and most memorable object, says Leslie Harrington, CEO of The Color Association.

Understanding how color affects human perception is very important when creating a quality logo, says Martin Christie of Logo Design London.

Color can help you heighten the feelings you want and create a strong emotional connection. Use the infographic (large size) to choose the color you want for the logo.

How to choose the right logo color?

To get an answer to this question, you should ask yourself 3 questions:

What color highlights the personality of your brand?
What colors characterize your products / services?
What color is your competitor using?

Colors are not tied to any particular industry, but certain colors are better for some services / products than others.
You should strive to choose a color that will highlight the personality of your company. The color should make the right impression on customers who see your logo for the first time.

What to do when you've figured out the colors of your competitors?

One option is to use the opposite color to your main competitor's logo. It will help you stand out. But take into account the colors of your industry so that the opposite color matches the industry. For example, pink for a bank logo or a legal company looks out of place and ridiculous.

Consider color patterns in different cultures. For example, in the Western world, white is considered the color of purity and peace, and in some Asian countries it is the color of death.

One color or several?

In order to maximize the desired feelings and emotions, one color is usually used when creating a logo design. However, there are many successful logos with multiple colors - Google, eBay.

Therefore, you can safely use one color or several. The main thing is that they are combined! But, of course, do not overdo it and use a large number of colors.

I recommend choosing two primary colors. This makes it easier for your brand to communicate with customers. Many companies, from sports teams to corporations, have only used two colors for years.

- Pamela Wilson.

How to choose multiple colors for your logo?

The easiest way to find the right colors for your logo is to use color schemes.
There are many online services to find great color schemes. You can find several in this one.

For example, Adobe Kuler or the Russian-language Colorscheme service.

Designers often use the 60-30-10 rule. It consists in the fact that you choose 3 different colors and use them in the ratio of 60%, 30% and 10%. This rule provides an easy way to create a professional color scheme for your brand.

- Jared Christofferson, Yellowhammer

Where to find logo inspiration?

It is often very difficult to take the first step when we are dealing with something unfamiliar. For example, with the creation of logos. You can spend a day, or even a week, thinking and making drawings of the logo, which is very exhausting.

Fortunately, there is a good way to get rid of the stupor as soon as possible and make the first step less painful. For example, get inspiration from other logos and design work.
For this we have selected Top 10 Siteswhere you can spy on ideas for your logo.

Logo pond

Logo moose

The community of this site has collected the very best logos of professional logo designers from all over the world.

Logofi was created to inspire designers and other creative people. On this site you can see robots not only of professional designers, but also of ordinary visitors who have uploaded their logo.

Logo gala

LogoGala is one of the most outstanding resources for finding inspiration. On the site, you can select a logo filter by color.

Logospire is a logo gallery. But the main difference between this site and others is that you can see the very best designer logos. The site has a rating system and a list of the best logos is compiled every month.

Logo heroes

Collected here are the best logos on the internet.

Logo fury

Another logo gallery that is regularly updated with new works. The site has a convenient search by tags, so it is very convenient to find a logo on the desired topic.

Logo faves

One of the most popular sites. The site contains the logos of many famous designers. There is a tag search to find the logo you want.

Errors when creating a logo

To make a logo really good, you need to avoid certain mistakes.
Below we have collected the most popular ones.

Mistake 1. Using a bitmap

The use of bitmaps in logos is discouraged because it can lead to problems with logo reproduction. If you zoomed in a bitmap, it will appear tiled, rendering it unusable.

Therefore, it is standard practice when designing a logo to use vector graphics programs - Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. Vector graphics are composed of points calculated with mathematical precision to provide consistent visual experience regardless of image size.

The main advantages of using vector graphics when developing logo design:

1. The logo can be scaled to any size without loss of quality.
2. Subsequent logo editing is greatly facilitated.
3. A vector image is easier to adjust to other media than a raster image.

Mistake 2. Following trends

Trends come and go. Eventually they become clichés. A well-designed logo must be durable. This can be achieved by not relying on newfangled tricks and techniques.

To create a unique identity for your company, it's best to completely ignore logo trends.

The Logo Online Pros website has a huge section where the current logo design trends are updated every year. It is important that you are aware of the latest fads and avoid them at all costs. - Smashingmagazine

Mistake 3. Excessive complexity

An image with too much detail is difficult to read in print or when viewed at a smaller version.
The details of a complex design will be lost, and in some cases it will look messy or worse, misunderstood.

For example, the fingerprint on the fictional Smashing logo can only be seen upon very close inspection. When shrinking, details are lost.

Look at Nike, McDonald’s, and Apple corporate marks. Each of these companies has a very simple image that can be easily reproduced at any size.

Mistake 4. Dependence on color effects

Without color, your great logo can lose its identity. Right?

No! This is a very common mistake. Designers can't wait to add a few of their favorite colors, many even rely on it entirely.

Your choice of color should be the last of your decisions, so it's best to start with black and white.

Mistake 5. Poor font choice

When it comes to logo design, choosing the right font is the most important decision you have to make. Bad font choices often make the logo lose out (in our example, the infamous Comic Sans is shown).

Finding the perfect font for your logo is all about matching the style of the image. But there can be tricks here. If the match is too close, the image and the font will compete with each other for the viewer's attention. If on the contrary, the viewer will not understand what to focus on. The main thing is to find the right balance.
The entire brand message will turn out to be a blank shot if the chosen font does not reflect the characteristics of the image.

Mistake 6. Designing a logo for yourself, not for clients

Often, when creating a logo, there is a desire to use your favorite font, color, etc. Do not do that!

Ask yourself, is this font and color really suitable for my business?

For example, a gorgeous modern typographic type that you like so much is unlikely to work for a serious client like a law firm.

Mistake 7. Typographic chaos

Typography can uplift or ruin a logo, so knowing the basics of typography is vital. The logo should remain as simple as possible, but at the same time convey the intended message. To achieve this, you need to consider all the typographic aspects of your design.

Don't use too many fonts or weights (maximum two). Don't use predictable, fancy, or too thin fonts. Pay close attention to kerning, spacing, and size. Most importantly, be sure to select the correct font (s) for your project.

Mistake 8. Creating a monogram

One of the most common mistakes amateur logo design makes is trying to create a monogram from the initials of a business name (like B & H for Bob's Hardware). While this sounds ingenious at first glance, it is difficult to achieve persuasiveness or convey the desired message using company initials. You can of course give it a try, but don't stop there if there are other logo design options.

Also, try not to turn the name of the company into an abbreviation, if it has not become common, and it does not meet the goals.

HP, FedEx, IBM, and GM did not start out with acronyms; they became so many years after acquiring a high-class reputation.

Mistake 9. Using visual stamps

A light bulb as a symbol of an idea, a cloud with text - discussion, strokes - dynamism, etc. These ideas are the first brainstorming ideas that come to mind, and for the same reason, they should be discarded first.

How can your design be unique if many other logos have the same idea? Avoid visual cliches and offer an original idea and design.

Mistake 10. Copying, stealing or borrowing a design

It’s sad to have to talk about it, but this practice is common these days. The logo designer sees an idea that he likes, transforms it a bit, changes colors or words, and passes this idea off as his own. It is unethical, illegal, stupid and you will be caught doing it sooner or later.

How to create a logo - step by step guide

We've covered almost everything you need to know about logo design.

Now it remains to arrange the information received on the shelves.

Take another look at:

Step 1: create some drafts

In the early stages of logo design, you may have several ideas that you want to express in your logo. Do not neglect them, it is better to write them down, perhaps some will be useful to you when creating the final version of the logo.

Step 2: sketch out the logo design

A sketch is a quick and easy way to put ideas on paper, where you can evaluate them more easily.
Do not erase or discard sketches. Design is not a linear process. All ideas can be valuable, even if you don't think so right away.


If you can't draw, don't be upset. You can try sketching the logo using screenshots. Go to the sites of several online generators, icon galleries, etc. Try to find the images you like that you want and save them. You can then use them to create your unique logo.

Step 3. Choose the tools to create your logo

You can create a logo using:

- graphic programs - Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Photoshop;
- platforms for ordering logos - 99Designs:
- online services and constructors -, Turbologo ... Very helpful service, I advise!

If you are comfortable with graphics programs, no doubt use them to create your logo.
But online services should not be neglected either. They can be used to find inspiration or test ideas.

Step 4. Create a logo

Step 5. Test the logo

Have you created a logo and decided it's perfect? This may not be the case. It will be more effective to show the logo to colleagues, friends, some clients and get feedback. Ask them a few questions: what do they think of the logo, do they like it? If you are satisfied with the answers, then you did everything right.
However, they are careful with the reviews of friends and relatives. If they are not professional designers, their advice may not be entirely helpful to you, or even false.

Step 6. Test the scalability of the logo

Check out the logo image in different versions - in newspaper ads, on a business card, on your website. The logo should look good whether it is reproduced in large or small format.

A few tips:
- If the logo has a lot of detail or lines that are thin, then the logo may look too fussy at small sizes.
- If a logo is created for a business card or website, then it will usually look awkward at large sizes.
- Use graphics programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, they allow you to test the scalability of your logo.

Step 7. Create multiple logo formats

Perhaps you created the logo from the beginning in a graphics program such as Adobe Illustrator. If this is not the case, you need to transfer the logo sketch from paper to electronic form.

A few tips:
- Save the logo not only in.
The latter will allow you to easily scale your logo without losing quality. If you already have a bitmap logo, you can convert it to vector using vectormagic.com.
- Use logo in PNG, JPEG for web and PDF, EPS, SVG for print.
- Save the logo version in black and white for logo printing, for example, on bags, pens, stationery.

Step 8. Keep getting feedback

Even after you've created your logo, you still need to remain open to feedback. Use a variety of tools like social media, customer comments, expert opinions to make sure your logo looks perfect.

Step 9. Make a redesign

Nothing lasts forever, and the logo is no exception. If your logo has ceased to be relevant over time, it is better to redraw it. It is worth making minor edits, leaving room for the key idea in the logo, because radical changes are unlikely to be appropriate.

Is your logo really great? [Check list]

And so, you probably already created a logo. Congratulations!

But is he really good? Will it look great in different sizes? Well, let's check the effectiveness of your logo with our checklist.
Go through each question and answer “yes” or “no”.

1. The logo looks attractive for at least three people
2. The logo looks good in black and white
3. The logo is recognizable in an inverted position (form)
4. The logo is recognizable if its size is changed
5. There are no complex details
6. The logo is visually balanced - the icon, font, color look harmoniously together
7. Not used too many fonts, colors, effects
8. The logo is visible among other logos

As we already wrote, it is very important to stand out from the background of other companies, especially competitors.
Collect your competitors' logos and place yours somewhere in between.
Is it visible? Noticeable against the background of others? If yes, everything is great!

9. The logo is adaptive

Responsiveness means the logo will look great on any object or surface - t-shirt, website, road sign, etc.

10. The logo is memorable

Show your logo to friends or anyone and ask them to draw an image of it in a few hours or days. If he can roughly accurately sketch your logo, then everything is fine and your logo will be memorable.

11. The logo is universal

The versatility of a logo means it is perceived the same way by a wide range of people. All people are different and the main thing is that the logo retains a single meaning for all its viewers.

12. The logo is easy to read

Imagine that your logo is on a banner, and you are driving a car at a speed of 70-80 km per hour. Could you read the text of your logo? If so, everything is fine. If not, it might be worth working on the fonts.

13. You have vector logo formats

It is very important to have vector logo files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF). This will allow you to print the logo at any scale without loss of quality, as well as edit it. For example, make a logo in a different color.

We hope these tips are helpful and you can have a great logo!