What’s In a Logo?

A logo functions as the face of a company—Twitter is represented by its bird, Starbucks by its mermaid, and McDonald’s by its golden arches. Having a face for a company allows for consumers to immediately recognize it, and that allows for people to put a picture to a name whenever they think of said company. But what are the actual components of a logo that make it memorable, and what makes East’s logo stand out?

Shapes are perhaps the first most noticeable thing when looking at a logo. Even if your mind doesn’t piece together the symbol it’s looking at right away, shapes build up the foundation of the mood meant to be taken away from a quick glance. For example, East’s “E” is blocky and angular, lacking any curves that certain fonts give to letters. Additionally, it has a diagonal slice going through the middle, making the logo feel sharp and giving it symmetry.

Another important component of logos are colors. Color holds deeper meaning than just looking visually pleasing—different colors have different meanings, and using specific shades can bring about different emotions. For example, yellow can represent happiness and cheerfulness, while brown can represent stability and comfort. In the case of East’s “E”, the logo features a vibrant red, a deep blue, and a white outline as well as a stripe. According to color psychology, red can represent power and confidence, blue can represent intelligence and trust, and white can represent simplicity and professionality. Combining these different meanings, we can see how there is a blend of different qualities used to represent East as a school. However, the distinct combination of red, blue, and white could also be an homage to the American flag, which we can see being used in a different iteration of the “E”.

Regardless of whatever shapes a logo utilizes, or whatever emotions different colors remind people of, a logo creates an initial impression of a company or group. Having an effective logo allows for people to remember you, and it gives you an overall stronger identity. With East’s “E” being pictured around the school and the CB East website, it gives students and teachers a stronger identity as a school and a community.