An open notebook with sketches of geometric logo designs, surrounded by printed logo drafts, a pen, and a colour swatch card on a white desk. | Work & Wear DIrect

Company logos are vital – they are the first thing that pops into people’s head when they think of your company.

What would Nike be without its iconic Swoosh, or McDonalds be without its famous Golden Arches?

As AI becomes more advanced and more user-friendly it’s tempting for companies to use this new technology to design or revamp their logo.

However, graphic designers ask themselves the questions AI doesn’t – how will this logo be used, where will it be recreated and does it stick in people’s minds?

Here, we look at the rise of AI in logo design and why paying an expert to get it right is usually the best option.

Why logos are important

Your logo can tell people a lot about your company – it acts as the first shop window to your business.

Logos can become part of the zeitgeist and a well-produced design can become ingrained in people’s minds for years.

You may have seen those quizzes online where you have to guess company logos, and been surprised how many you knew after a brief glance.

It’s somewhere a business should not scrimp and save on. It’s worth the money to get it right, particularly as it could represent your company for years to come.

The human touch

Graphic designers think of things you didn’t realise you needed to when putting together a new logo – how the viewer’s eye will travel across the image, how easy it is to recognise from a distance or how it will scale.

Crucially, they also provide true imagination and creative spark.

AI does not do this. It scours the internet for other examples of logos and uses these as a basis to create ‘new’ visuals.

Ultimately, logo design is about people and how they feel when they see your company emblem, something an AI finds, at present, hard to recreate.

On top of that, AI often doesn’t create ‘clean’ designs, introducing artefacts, distortions and imperfections into an image.

It can be a helpful tool for coming up with rough ideas and inspiration, but it doesn’t come close to the expertise and insight a professional graphic designer can provide.

Where will your logo be used?

Another important aspect of logo creation AI often overlooks is how the logo will be used.

Often, a company’s logo will end up printed or etched on a range of different products, from letterheads and coffee mugs to billboards and adverts.

A graphic designer would think about this when coming up with a logo, and design it to look great on all.

At Work & Wear Direct we have had issues in the past with AI generated logos when embroidering on workwear.

Common issues include too much detail, difficult colour gradients, complex colours, small text and unsuitable file formats.

What may work well on a business card may not necessarily work on a branded hi-vis, so it’s best this is thought about before any design is signed off.

How we can help

How Work & Wear Direct can advise customers on their artwork and recommend the most suitable branding method.

We can also provide helpful, practical tips for businesses considering creating or refreshing their logo to ensure their brand always looks its best, including which file types are best.

Ultimately, a logo is one of the most important parts of a company’s branding, an emblem that could be with you for years, so it’s worth investing in and getting it done right.

For more information on our printing and embroidery services, see here.