On a crowded footwear store shelf, most people instantly recognize Nike’s Swoosh or the leaping puma of the Puma logo. They are most likely to approach and try brands they are aware of. And when it comes to trusting the quality, they somehow end up going with these familiar brands even if they spot some cheaper alternatives.
How did these brands create a place for themselves in such a competitive space? Through consistent branding. And what is the first step in branding? Creating a logo that connects your brand to your audience.
Because of these big brands and the impact they have made with their iconic logo designs, you have some big shoes to fill (no pun intended!). So, if you are struggling to come up with ideas for a shoe company logo, you are in the right place.
Without further ado, let’s get started on design tips for creating stunning logos for shoes.
Logos are classified based on the design elements they incorporate. In other words, based on whether there is the brand name or initials of the brand name or symbols or a bit of all of these. Considering the versatility of the footwear segment, feel free to explore all types of logos until you stumble upon a design that suits your brand.
Brandmark logos are those with symbols only. This will work in fashion logos as well as logos for shoes because simply adding the symbol to your shoes make your brand immediately recognizable. But the catch here is that you need a unique yet memorable symbol for this. And it takes time and consistent marketing designs for your customers to start connecting your brand with the symbol.
Nike’s Swoosh might be a simple symbol but it took years of persistent marketing for the brand to gain this recognition in the industry.
A combination logo with both a symbol and your brand name is one of the easiest to work with. And if you manage to choose a unique font for the brand name, then this alone will become a recognizable logo element to use. Reebok’s signature font and symbol are both popular around the world.
When it comes to lettermark logos for shoes, you should choose fonts with a strong personality. When you add a creative flair to it, you end up making a statement. Like the UGG logo for example.
Every color has a mood and so does your brand. If you manage to align these two, you have a design that talks your language. That’s why color is one of the most crucial elements in logos for shoes. And color psychology is something that designers rave about.
Red, for example, symbolizes energy, and excitement. You might see this color a lot in the footwear segment. Like the Camper logo, for example.
Blue stands for trust, and credibility. The sports footwear brand Fila uses this color brilliantly. In sports, you need shoes you can rely on. And the blue in the Fila logo captures this. And a touch of red represents the energy in sports.
Yellow is a happy color. The Dr. Martens logo makes the most of this color to depict how comfortable, and happy these shoes keep you. The bouncy font style complements this idea.
How do you want people to feel when they wear shoes from your brand? Trendy? Comfortable? Luxurious? Capture this idea with your font style.
Take a look at the logo of the luxury brand Jimmy Choo. How does the font look? There is a subtle traditional side to the font that captures the sophistication and heritage of the brand. The rounded letters add a touch of softness, or elegance, that the Jimmy Choo shoes are known for. Overall, it looks stylish and timeless, just like the shoes from the brand.
A simple wordmark logo yet with so many dimensions to it! That’s what a strong font can do for you! So, think twice before finalizing the fonts for your shoe company logo. Instead of going with the standards in your industry or following what your competitor follows, choose a signature font style that reflects the style or emotions you wish to associate with your brand.
A pair of shoes can mean different things to different people. To some, it is all about comfort. To some, it is all about style. And to others, it is about making a statement. Which among these demographics do you want to focus on? When you are clear about that, you have solid points to include in your logo design.
Take a look at the Crocs logo for example. How does it look? Fun, and young? That’s precisely the kind of audience that the brand focuses on.
The Crocs logo uses a simple sans-serif wordmark logo with an overall fun-looking font style. And the chirpy green goes well with it. See how the brand combines the personality of font styles and color psychology to connect with its audience. That’s something to take away from this logo.
Designs look beautiful and attract attention. But it is the story behind the design that makes it memorable. And stories, in the case of marketing, help establish a stronger connection between customers and the brand. It could be the story of where your brand started. Or perhaps the story of what inspired the founders to launch the business. When your logo tells a story, you are talking to your customers the moment you make contact. And this is good for branding.
There are plenty of shoes out there. So why should someone pick your brand? It could be because your shoes are comfortable for running and speed. Or because they are comfortable to wear all day long. The key is to identify a purpose for your brand and then use your logo to convey this idea.
For example, Puma’s founder, Rudolf Dassler’s vision was that “all of his products would embody the characteristics of a Puma cat: speed, strength, suppleness, endurance, and agility – the same attributes that a successful athlete needs as well.”. Hence the name for the brand and the logo that is pretty straightforward – a leaping puma.
From colors to the position and orientation of the puma, several things have changed but the logo still captures the essence of what the founder envisioned for the brand and its products.
One of the main ways to segregate shoes would be based on their purpose. Running shoes, everyday shoes, sporty ones, formal shoes, and so on. What kind of shoes is your brand known for? Use your logo to instantly communicate this. That builds better brand awareness and brings in new leads who do not yet know your brand too well.
The brand Brooks is all about sports, running in particular. The abstract symbol of a running track in the logo is easy to associate with the kind of shoes the brand caters to. That’s a good example of creating meaningful and straightforward designs.
When you are designing logos for shoes, remember your customers and remember your brand. Ensure that they both meet at a common point. A design that tells what your brand is about and who it is for will be one that makes an impact. And if you consistently use this logo in your promotional materials and use the rest of your design to add more depth to it, your brand becomes instantly recognizable. Even if the competition keeps growing.
