Certainly there’s quite a bit of subjective opinion being expressed when it comes to the logo for your brand. Branding is more than designing a logo, but the logo is an important branding element, so it should be evaluated with the same thoroughness as the brand name itself.

Don’t just rely on opinions: Someone doesn’t like a certain color, another thinks the type isn’t distinctive enough and you think the proportion is all wrong. Well, everyone has a right to their opinion, but for brand elements, professional criteria should reign.

There are six universal attributes of a great Logo Design:

• Is it practical?
1. Can it be printed on scalable sizes without being fuzzy? The answer is NO
2. Will it work in black and white format as well as in color? The answer is NO

• Is it distinctive?
A logo design needs to be unique and effective, simplicity is the key. A design idea doesn't need to be unique to the world, just distinctive enough so you can market your target audience. The evaluation is 20%

• Is it graphic?
You shouldn't have to explain to people what message you are portraying in your logo design. An effective logo design will communicate purely in graphic terms to the right brain hemisphere, and doesn't depend on verbal intellectual interpretation. This is equally true for all logo designs, whether an iconic logotype, a word mark or even a simple letter mark. The choice of fonts, shape and color should effectively communicate the essence of the company. The evaluation is 60%

• Is it appropriate?
Is the design relevant to your business? Is it consistent with the personality and tone you wish to convey about your business? The content has to be right! An otherwise great logo will fail if the message expressed is at odds with management intentions. The evaluation is 40%

• Is it simple?
Simplicity of design makes a logo easier for customers to remember and recognize. A great logo will contain only one graphic idea, one gimmick, one dingbat. Thus if there's a symbol, the accompanying name should be plain and unadorned. If it is a word mark, one idea or device should make it special -- like the stripes in IBM. The more unique the name, the simpler the graphics can be. Think clear contrast and simple shapes, with limited colors and tones. The evaluation is 20%

• Does it convey ONE message?
Great designs try to express no more than one attribute and support a single aspect of positioning. The evaluation is 0%

• Is it too trendy?
Think of the future and avoid being too trendy. A good logo will last your company 15 years and give your customers a chance to burn the image of your logo into their brains. The evaluation is 10%

• Does it arouse any unwanted associations?
What you intended as stepping stones might come across to others as looking like animal droppings. If you get this kind of honest feedback, pay attention. The evaluation is 90%

• Are the colors appropriate?
Colors are powerful. Different colors have different associates and can have predictable effects on your audience. Understanding color associations is imperative! The evaluation is 50%