Is Your Logo Accessible?

Why It's Important to Have a Logo Everyone Can Appreciate

Many people may wonder why it is important to create an accessible logo when it may exclude only a small amount of the population. Color blindness affects only about 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women on average. But, if we consider this percentage of the population of California, this is still 1,666,666 men and almost 100,000 women. Several well-known people such as English actor Eddie Redmayne, former US President Bill Clinton and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are color-blind. So, do you want to exclude these potential customers? It's quite easy to create an accessible logo, just follow a few very simple rules.
 

Choose the Right Colors

Let's start with colors as this is often one of the main considerations when creating an accessible logo. It is important to know that colorblind people have difficulty seeing certain colors, including red, green and purple. Typically, they can see blue and yellow. You can choose red as the main color of your logo, but some people may not see the same color as you do.

 There are a few color combinations that should be avoided since a colorblind person will only see one hue. These combinations are green and red, green and brown, blue and purple, green and blue, blue and grey, and green and grey. Again, if you choose one of these options, try putting lines, contrasts or even textures to indicate that there are two different colors. A good way to test your color choices is to see your logo in black and white or to use different filters that can be found online.

Have Sufficient Contrast

In design, whether for a website or a logo, it is suggested to have enough contrast between colors to facilitate the readability of a text or the understanding of visual elements. For example, if you use pale pink for your company name, people may have trouble reading it when it's on a white background. However, if you choose bright red or black, the contrast will make the text in your logo easy to read. There are many online tools that you can use to check if the contrast between the colours of your logo is sufficient. A ratio of around 4.5:1 is recommended.

Add Symbols or Icons

As we have said many times, colours have meanings and help convey your values. When creating an accessible logo, however, keep in mind that there are other ways convey your message. You can do this by using a font that represents your brand image or by adding a shape to your logo. Did you know that shapes also have meaning? Circles represent unity and completeness, squares are associated with security and order, while triangles mean balance and power. Therefore, including several different shapes related to your branding will create a logo that is both strong and accessible.

Use the Right Font

 Several types of logos include text, such as letters, the name of your company or your slogan. Unfortunately, several common errors regarding the creation of a logo are related to the choice of font. If you want to have an accessible logo, you must first choose a font that is easy to read. Avoid overly artistic details as they interfere with legibility. Then, make sure your text is the right size. If your company's name is too small, people will have a hard time reading and remembering it. If necessary, find some tips in this article on how to choose the perfect font for your logo..

Forget the Tiny Details

 In the same vein, we suggest that you avoid the small details in your logo. One of the best examples we can give on this subject is the Cirque du Soleil logo. Initially, the logo was filled with details and was difficult to replicate accurately. In general, logos with a lot of detail or complexity don't look as good on the web. This is probably one of the reasons why one of the main trends in logos is minimalism. Just look at the logos of the big companies. Most of the time, these logos are quite simple. 

In conclusion, it is not so difficult to create a logo that can be seen and appreciated by all, just respect certain rules. Don't hesitate to do different tests and use online tools to check if your logo is in fact accessible–contrast checker, use of colour filters, etc. When you make these efforts, you increase your chances of breaking into this multi-million-person community. All the best success!