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The purpose of running an association today extends beyond raising funds and improving the lives of poor individuals. Establishing a unique association logo for your nonprofit organization will enhance its recognition and credibility, irrespective of whether it is social, animal welfare, or an educational organization.
A brand's visual identity - represented by its logo and advertisement graphics - significantly impacts its marketing strategy. A nonprofit logo design serves more than just showcasing your world-class graphic designer to your target audience.
In multiple marketing channels, the association logo serves as the face of the nonprofit organization. Associations can easily communicate to their target audience the mission and values they offer through their logo.
If you need to learn more about why your nonprofit organization needs branding and logo, continue reading the rest of the article and learn how to make a perfect association logo design for your non-profit organization. So let's get started.
A logo design is an important part of branding strategy. Here are a few reasons why your association must invest in logo designing.
When you picture an organization in your mind, you immediately picture its logo. Like a panda image when you think of WWF or Yellow candlelight for Amnesty International. These logos help people remember what the organization stands for and represent, whether protecting animals or helping underprivileged people.
Such non-profit organizations must have a similar logo that helps people recall their services when a crisis arises.
Customers will more likely remember the organization with a professional logo design because human brains can memorize shapes and colors more easily than words.
The success of an association is dependent on the support of donors and volunteers, so they must design a logo with donors in mind. The association logo images and messages organizations use in their branding impact the donors and inspire them to donate.
The ‘City Centre Community Association’ is a homeowners association logo, and its imagery tells that the organization targets all age groups and helps to bring people together through various activities.
Image Source ZillionDesigns
People often associate fonts, shapes, and colors with specific emotions and objects. The same applies to logo designs. Whether we like it or not, when someone sees a youth association logo or homeowners association logo design, they instantly form a judgment about it.
Unlike other businesses and corporations who want to generate sales and leads, nonprofit organizations work the opposite. They are not primarily concerned with making profit or money. The logo should reflect this noncommercial aspect, avoiding marketing strategies and branding techniques commonly associated with corporate branding.
Image Source ZillionDesigns
With so many association organizations in the world, it can be difficult to attract the attention of charities, donors, and community members. They rely on donations to function and remain active.
A youth association logo or alumni association logo for example, helps create a positive impression and tells what it stands for and hopes to achieve. This must be remembered when designing the logo and laying the groundwork for the association and the cause.
Many companies use amateur designers at a low budget or for their low design. They are unaware of how detrimental poor design can be for the organization when its first impressions are so important.
Even though logos are primarily used for identification, they are also effective in communicating brand messages and values. Be sure to keep it simple; ideally, stick to one central theme.
Image Source wikipedia
It is common for associations which work for nonprofits to promote a specific cause or mission. An association logo design should reflect its mission and brand values, so the audience can clearly understand the core purpose. It could be an image or a tagline that defines its values.
Now that you’ve learned why associations need logos, it’s time to create one. Following are guidelines that will assist you in selecting the right elements for your nonprofit logo.
Your organization needs a memorable name since it is the first thing people will remember.
Do you have a name in mind? Don't worry if your organization's name does not reflect its essence. No perfect name reflects an organization's mission if that's what you are thinking. It could be something as simple as your name or a combination of different names.
Image source wikipedia
The name needs to stand out in all association logos so it must be bold, easy to read, and memorable to attract potential donors and supporters. Often, designers overlook this aspect of logo design. If people face difficulty reading the text in your logo, you need to reconsider the design.
Keep your name in simple format. Ensure that your words are arranged correctly so the text does not cover your logo. You can shorten the name of your nonprofit by using only the initials, as does the World Health Organization, abbreviated as WHO.
Using a slogan to form a connection with your audience is the perfect way to convey your nonprofit's mission. It is important to get your slogan right when designing association logos. Describe the organization's core mission and values in as few words as possible in your slogan. It must be short and precise, usually not more than 4-5 words.
You should avoid adding more text or words to the association logo for a slogan, as it will make the design less appealing and unattractive.
For example, consider the example below, ‘MacFarlane Park’, a residents association logo design, followed by the organization's mission, ‘Neighbourhood Association and Crime Watch’, which explains preserving the history of the local area and supporting new businesses.
Image Source ZillionDesigns
When someone looks at your association logo design, they may be first drawn to its symbol or icon. Having said that, including a highly relevant visual element to your symbol is important, as it will help improve engagement.
Image Source wikipedia
You must be creative when using symbols in your logo, as they must identify with your brand's personality. It is okay if you cannot develop original ideas for a symbol. Many recognized organizations do not incorporate symbols in their logos and are still easily recognized.
Professional logo designers are the most suitable for creating your association logo design. Preferably someone with an established portfolio of similar logo designs. Keep your budget in mind as well.
You can also hold an association logo contest with a handsome reward and ask several designers to create original designs for your organization's logo. You can choose the most appropriate one as per your liking.
Getting a logo designed at a minimal cost is also possible by contacting design students or fresh designers who are still developing their portfolios.
Be sure to ask your designer to use a vector format so that you can resize your association logo at any time. In the beginning, you should design in black and white, and then you should check the scale throughout the process. Ensure that you have different variations of your logo for different purposes.
Sometimes, you may use a symbol logo on your Facebook or Twitter profile, but you may use the "full" logo on a t-shirt or billboard ads. For example, the ‘American Heart Association’ is a perfect example to demonstrate this.
Image Source Image Source
‘Simplicity is the Key’ Remember this when designing your residents association logo or alumni association logo for instance. Yes, your association logo must be captivating to make it memorable, but that doesn’t mean you overcrowd it with multiple colors, symbols, or typefaces.
Remove unnecessary elements and use a consistent color theme that's easy to remember.
Association logos are an essential tool for nonprofits to build brand awareness and credibility and differentiate themselves from competitors in the crowded space. Through a carefully crafted association logo design, it becomes easier to highlight the mission, values, and impact for the audience simply yet effectively.
Moreover, a strong association logo can help organizations establish emotional connections with their donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, fostering long-term relationships critical for their success. As such, nonprofits should invest in developing a unique and memorable logo that accurately represents their identity and resonates with their stakeholders. By doing so, they can maximize their visibility, relevance, and impact in their communities.
