Small businesses see Apple’s as ‘most memorable logo’

The survey by Small Business Logos aimed to help new businesses understand how well-known logos communicate a brand story.

It also uncovers trends and tips that new start-ups and small business owners can use when creating their first company logo.

The poll, which ran online, asked participants to choose from a range of well-known and iconic brands.

Logos were organised into a range of industry sectors; technology, retail, business products and services, business finance, communication, consumer brands, fashion, food and drink, online and travel and leisure.

The winners

1.   Apple: Clean, modern and extremely easy to reproduce

2.   BBC: Simple, memorable and works well on TV, online and in-print

3.   Nike: Suggestive of movement, ideal for a sports brand, and works well on the side of a trainer

4.   Amazon: Embodying the company’s philosophy: everything from A to Z, delivered with a smile

5.   Google: Strong primary colours, enhanced by ‘google doodles’

6.   London Underground: The capital’s most instantly recognised logo, the shape recalling the tube’s tunnels

7.   UPS: Brown is symbolic of parcel paper, with the shield suggesting security

8.   American Express: Squares and block lettering indicate strength and trust

9.   Sky: A versatile logo that supports brand extension: SkyNews, SkyHD, SkyMovies etc

10. HSBC:The only logo in the top 10 to use a very traditional serif font, more commonly associated with business and finance, suggesting authority.

“Logos are a crucial part of a business’ identity, and, as our winners prove, over time they become important entities in their own right, instantly conjuring up the values and key messages of a particular brand," said Lucy Smith, marketing and e-commerce director for Small Business Logos.

“We’ve taken a close look at what made our top ten to help businesses make informed choices when it comes to their own branding. Simplicity and the ability to reproduce in a range of different sizes, media and on products, is key.

"Think about how colour, symbols and shapes might represent what you do or the sector you operate in – Apple’s silver is widely associated with technology. If you have a growth plan factor this in to your thinking when briefing the initial logo; consider how versatile it is if your business develops."