In this article, I will walk you through my demonstrated 9-steps logo design in Kenya process from preparation and to delevery with how to videos.
So whether you’re a logo designer in Nairobi, or you’re looking to contact one, this article will help you withimportant knowledge into the logo design in Kenya process.
Now, before we talk about each and every step that leads to that final design, it’s important remind ourselves what makes a great logo design in Kenya in the first place.
What makes a good logo design in Kenya
All logo designers in Nairobi will give you a slightly different narrative of what makes a great logo, but you can say it is all about this three fundamental logo design principles.
And as the expert logo designer, Sagi Haviv says:
We judge each of our early design concepts by the following criteria: Is it appropriate? Is it simple? Is it memorable?—Sagi Haviv, Identify
These three principles come in the form of questions that we can ask ourselves when creating logo designs.
Let’s take a look at each and its meaning in regards to logo design.
1.Is it appropriate?
Appropriateness in logo design refers to how well the logo aligns with the client’s business and industry. For instance, a logo for a fashion brand should embody elegance, while a logo for a sports brand should convey boldness and dynamism. The design must reflect the nature of the business and appeal to its target audience.
2.Is it simple?
Simplicity means that the logo should focus on a single, clear concept and be uncomplicated in design. A simple logo is versatile and effective across various sizes and media, from small business cards to large signage. The goal is to ensure that the logo remains recognizable and functional regardless of its scale.
3.Is it memorable?
Memorability requires that the logo, while simple, be distinctive enough to be easily remembered. The challenge is to create a design that is both straightforward and unique, making it stand out and stick in people’s minds.
So, let’s get started with the very first step in logo design process in Kenya: the discovery phase.
1. Discover—Get to know the client’s business.
The first step in logo design in Kenya is the discovery phase. This crucial stage involves getting to know your client’s business, its history, industry, competitors, and target audience. For a logo design in Kenya to be truly effective, it must align with the client’s business goals and reflect the unique characteristics of their industry.
This phase is essential because a logo is more than just a visual element; it plays a key role in brand functionality and relevance.
For instance, a fashion brand in Kenya would need an elegant logo to convey sophistication, while a sports brand might require a bold, dynamic design to capture energy and movement.
This foundational work sets the stage for the creative process and ensures that the logo will endure.
Before diving into design tools like Illustrator, it’s vital to first brief the client and lay down a solid foundation for your creative efforts.
Different designers may approach the discovery phase in various ways. Some might rely on a simple branding questionnaire or a casual phone call.
However, I use a proprietary brand strategy framework for a deeper dive into the project.
Through a comprehensive strategy workshop, I engage in detailed branding exercises with my clients. This helps me gather all the essential information needed to craft a logo that not only meets their needs but also stands the test of time.See logo design prices in Kenya in this article
2. Research—Learn about the industry & competitors.
In the second step of logo design in Kenya, I take the insights gathered from the discovery phase and dive into a thorough research process. This involves a detailed analysis of the industry, visual research, and drawing actionable conclusions.
The purpose of this research is to understand the environment in which the logo will be used. By delving into the client’s industry and examining their competitors, you can identify what works, what’s appropriate, and how to differentiate the brand effectively.
This step is crucial for ensuring that the logo design is not only relevant but also stands out in the competitive landscape.
To achieve this, you need to see the organization from the customer’s perspective and perform a competitive analysis. This means stepping into the shoes of the target audience and thoroughly evaluating how competitors present themselves.
By studying competitors’ websites and brand identities, I can identify their strengths and weaknesses, which helps avoid creating something too similar to existing logos.
This research phase informs the ideation process and helps steer creativity in the right direction, ensuring that the final logo design in Kenya is both unique and impactful.
3. Brainstorm—Develop ideas & decide on art direction.
In the brainstorming phase of logo design in Kenya, I take the insights from the discovery and research stages to craft a strategy for generating logo ideas. This step involves exploring various design directions to channel creativity effectively.
During brainstorming, my goal is to identify a look or style that best represents the client’s brand persona—an essential element of my strategy framework. I use brand personality and tone of voice exercises to spark ideas and create mood boards that capture the strategic insights.
Additionally, I employ a mind map (the 9th exercise of my framework) to explore visual representations of the key concepts identified earlier.
From there, I compile three distinct mood boards, each a visual collection that embodies different aspects of the brand strategy.
To create these mood boards, I distill keywords from the strategy and search through platforms like Behance, Dribbble, and Pinterest for visuals that align with our desired art direction. This includes selecting fonts, colors, and styles that reflect our strategic vision.
By focusing on mood boards, we ensure that our approach remains objective and rooted in a solid strategic foundation, which guides the sketching phase that follows.
PS: Discover more about mood boards in this article.
In the sketching phase of logo design in Kenya, creativity truly comes to life. With a well-prepared strategy from previous stages, you can evaluate your sketches against clearly defined criteria.
Sketching aims to connect ideas with form. While some designers use digital tools from the start, hand sketching is highly recommended for its immediacy and artistic freedom. Most professional logo designers prefer starting with pen and paper because it fosters a more intuitive creative process.
It’s also essential to determine whether the logo should include a symbol or focus solely on a memorable typographic treatment of the brand name. For instance, with a client like Medihuanna, which merges “Medical” and “Marijuana,” we opted for a distinctive wordmark and a symbol to be used in small sizes where the full name might not be legible.
Sketching can be time-consuming, so taking breaks is crucial to let ideas mature. Often, the best concepts emerge when your mind is relaxed, so always keep a sketchpad handy for those spontaneous moments of inspiration.
During this stage, produce a large volume of sketches to ensure a wide range of ideas. This quantity allows you to select the strongest concepts for digital execution in the next phase.
5. Design—Select Best Logos & Execute Them Digitally
Once you’ve accumulated a range of sketches, evaluate them against the strategic criteria to select the most promising concepts for digital rendering. The design phase is about translating these sketches into digital form and testing their viability.
Focus on the concepts you believe will work best for your client, rather than rushing to digitize every idea. By now, you should have a clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
If none of your sketches seem strong enough, don’t hesitate to revisit sketching and refining your ideas. Once you have a few robust concepts, use Adobe Illustrator to create vector versions. Design multiple variations for each idea to explore the best options.
The design process can be lengthy, ranging from a few days to weeks. It involves tweaking designs, experimenting with colors, fonts, spacing, and alignment. Always save versions to track changes and ensure you can revert if needed.
6.Present—Showcasing Concepts and Securing Client Approval
Preparing the Presentation
After finalizing your logo design in Kenya, prepare a presentation for your client showcasing the three strongest logo concepts. Display these concepts in relevant applications to illustrate how they will function in real-world scenarios.
Choose mockups based on the key marketing initiatives identified in the strategy phase. Present only those solutions that align with the client’s needs and your strategic insights.See my logo design work on this page
7.Discussing and Refining
Discuss the concepts with your client, explaining the rationale behind each design. Address any client concerns and be open to refining elements to achieve the best result.
It’s not uncommon for clients to feel skeptical about new logos initially, but remind them that the logo’s full impact develops once it’s in use.
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8.Delivery—Finalizing and Providing the Brand Identity Package
Exporting Logo Files
Once you have client approval, prepare the final brand identity package. This should include all logo files and a comprehensive style guide detailing logo usage.
Include various logo formats (full color, black, white, monochrome) for different uses. Save files in both vector and raster formats (e.g., AI, EPS, PNG, JPG).
9.Creating a Style Guide
Develop a style guide that outlines logo variations and their usage, including safe space, placement on different backgrounds, and other relevant guidelines. Depending on the client’s needs and budget, the guide can range from a basic one-page document to a more extensive brand guideline.
Going Above and Beyond
Remember to underpromise and overdeliver. For example, providing an extra logo animation can exceed client expectations.
Conclusions
Great logos result from strategic thinking, exploration, and iterative design. Each aspect of the logo—shape, font, color—plays a role in influencing how people perceive the brand.
Stay intentional with your design choices, and ensure each concept is grounded in a solid strategic understanding. Following a structured process will help you create a logo that not only meets but exceeds your client’s expectations.
Feel free to share your own logo design process or get in touch with me if you’re looking for a custom logo for your business. Check out my logo design process for more insights!
