They're a huge part of daily life,

它們是日常生活的重要組成部分。

from the toothpaste we use in the morning,

從我們早上使用的牙膏。

the insoles of our shoes,

我們的鞋底。

cereal packaging,

穀物包裝；

phone apps -

手機應用 -

most of the products we see and use are branded with some form

我們看到和使用的大多數產品都帶有某種形式的品牌。

of symbol or wordmark.

符號或標誌的。

Why is that?

為什麼會這樣？

Logos aren't just a label that shows who's responsible

標誌不僅僅是一個顯示誰負責的標籤。

for a product or service,

為產品或服務。

they're also used because

它們之所以被使用，還因為

people often choose products based on their perceived value

人們往往根據自己的感知價值來選擇產品。

rather than their actual value.

而不是其實際價值。

Think of the celebrity who drives an Aston Martin instead of say,

想想開阿斯頓馬丁的名人，而不是說。

a Skoda.

和斯柯達。

Skoda has often been ranked Car of the Year in many European countries

斯柯達在歐洲許多國家經常被評為年度最佳汽車。

and delivers much better mileage at one tenth of the price.

並以十分之一的價格提供更好的里程數。

It's the logical choice.

這是合乎邏輯的選擇。

But it's Aston Martin's identity that creates images of luxury and status

但是，阿斯頓-馬丁的身份卻為人們塑造了豪華和地位的形象。

and that is what usually clinches the sale.

這通常是什麼clinches銷售。

A logo can appear in various formats

一個標誌可以以各種形式出現

depending on both the brand

視乎品牌

and the environment in which the logo is displayed.

以及標誌的顯示環境。

Wordmarks are type-based logos

字標是基於字體的標識

that draw attention to a brand name on its own.

引起人們對品牌名稱本身的關注。

The type design often gets a custom twist

字體設計往往會得到定製的扭曲

to capture the essence of what the brand does

抓住品牌的本質

and to separate it from competitors.

並將其與競爭對手區分開來。

That could be the loose, flowing feel of Cadbury's or Coca Cola

這可能是吉百利或可口可樂的鬆散、流暢的感覺。

or the more traditional vibe of The New York Times

或更傳統的《紐約時報》的氛圍。

and The Washington Post.

和《華盛頓郵報》。

Visual tricks such as the use of negative space

視覺技巧，如負空間的使用。

can be applied to add little design magic.

可以應用於添加小設計魔法。

An example is the hidden FedEx arrow that conveys direction and movement.

一個例子是隱藏的聯邦快遞箭頭，傳達方向和運動。

Monograms are shortened wordmarks

字母是縮寫的字樣。

that are usually initials of longer names.

通常是較長姓名的首字母。

These are about turning a mouthful into something

這些都是關於把口水變成東西

that's generally easier to remember.

那一般比較容易記住。

Another form a logo can take is that of a graphic symbol.

標誌的另一種形式是圖形符號。

Still representing the core of a brand's service,

還是代表著一個品牌的服務核心。

it's often used where space is at a premium -

它經常用於空間有限的地方------。

like an avatar,

像一個頭像。

or that little area beside a website URL.

或網站URL旁邊的那個小區域。

Sometimes when a brand is so established

有時候，當一個品牌如此成熟

and the symbol is instantly recognisable

符號一目瞭然

anything else becomes almost unnecessary.

其他任何東西都變得幾乎沒有必要。

Symbols are particularly well suited for incorporating subtle messages

符號特別適合融入微妙的資訊。

that act as talking points and heighten memorability.

作為話題點，提高記憶力。

The bear in the Toblerone logo is one example -

Toblerone標誌中的小熊就是一個例子------。

it adds meaning because the bear relates to an old coat of arms

寓意吉祥，因為熊與古徽有關

that represents the town where the Toblerone chocolate

代表著Toblerone巧克力誕生地的城市。

was originally created.

最初創建時。

The main job of a logo is to identify.

標誌的主要工作是識別。

It takes its meaning from the entity it represents

它的意義來自於它所代表的實體

not the other way around.

而不是其他方式。

This is why, when logos first enter the world,

這就是為什麼，當logo剛進入這個世界的時候。

they're essentially empty vessels.

它們基本上是空器。

With consistent use over time

隨著時間的推移，持續使用

the mark gets filled with every association people have

充滿了人們的各種聯想

with a particular brand,

與某一品牌。

whether that's positive, negative or something in between.

不管是積極的，消極的還是介於兩者之間的。

That's exactly how religious symbols work.

這正是宗教符號的作用。

There's nothing inherent in the shapes,

沒有什麼固有的形狀。

but it's about what those shapes have come to represent

但這是關於這些形狀所代表的東西。

in the minds of the people who are looking at them.

在看的人的心目中。

Another form of logo is that of a combination mark -

另一種形式的商標是組合商標----------。

essentially a wordmark and symbol together.

本質上是一個字標和符號的結合。

This lets you communicate messages in a slightly different way.

這讓你可以用一種稍微不同的方式來傳達資訊。

Look at how the Amazon logo has it all from A to Z

看看亞馬遜的標誌是如何從A到Z都有的

and even adds a little smile into the mix.

甚至還加入了一點微笑。

So how can you tell a good logo from bad?

那麼，如何才能分辨出一個好的標誌和壞的標誌呢？

In my work as a designer

在我作為設計師的工作中

I judge the strength of an idea on the following criteria -

我根據以下標準來判斷一個想法的強弱------。

By appropriate I mean the design needs to be relevant

我說的合適是指設計要有針對性

in shape and form to the client in question.

在形狀和形式上對有關客戶。

For example, a logo for a toy maker may need to be fun

例如，一個玩具製造商的標誌可能需要有趣味性。

and appealing to kids

和吸引孩子們

or a logo for a car racing team may need to appear sleek and dynamic.

或一個賽車隊的標誌可能需要顯得時尚和動態。

By simple I mean that the design can't say too much.

我說的簡單是指設計不能說的太多。

It should tell one story

它應該講述一個故事

so it's adaptable enough for use in all applications

所以它有足夠的適應性，可以在所有的應用中使用。

from on a billboard or the side of the building

廣告牌上

to a social media avatar or a website favicon.

到社交媒體的頭像或網站的圖標。

By memorable I mean that the design also needs to be distinctive -

我所說的難忘是指設計也要有特色------。

unusual enough to be remembered.

尋常到足以讓人記住。

A good way of testing this is to describe the design to someone

測試這個問題的一個好方法是向別人描述設計的情況。

and see if they can sketch a fairly accurate likeness.

看看他們能不能畫出相當準確的肖像。

Some of my favourite logos aren't particularly well-known

我最喜歡的一些標誌並不是特別有名的

but they've stuck with me because they all share those same traits.

但他們已經堅持了我 因為他們都有相同的特點。

Telling a relevant story with simplicity and distinction.

用簡單而有特色的方式講述一個相關的故事。