How Can a Logo be Bad

Make no mistake, creating a logo is no easy task. It implies using technology and specialized software but at the same time it’s a form of art and art is very subjective to say the least. Very often a logo designer adheres to all the rules and principles of design in his project but the final result is not agreeable to the client.

In keeping with Murphy’s laws a sketch that has no obvious connection with professional design is considered to be the best logo ever by a client. Could this be possible? You will ask …unfortunately yes. Not everyone is born to be a logo designer but sometimes random people come up with logos even if they are not qualified for that job (in this category I do not include students or beginners, who’ve had some training).

Top 13 Worst Logos Ever Seen

Here you will find probably the 13 worst logos ever seen (while it is true that everyone has uninspired or bad days these logos were actually used). Some logos are slightly pornographic… for these I will forgo from making any comments.

1. Stratosphere

It is obvious that it has a subtle message; of course the designer didn’t notice it before using it. I hope that the subtle message is addressed to the stratosphere.

2. Ass-container

The color scheme of this logo is appropriate (in my opinion) but if you have a company name whose meaning is well known all around the globe and it hasn’t a good sound for a logo or an advertisement why use it? Much more this is the main focus of the logo…

3. Mr. Engine

This logo has no pornographic hidden meaning but it totally makes me not call them. It doesn’t have big mistakes regarding the structure or the basic design. The face of the guy is irritating. It is the perfect example of a logo that stressed the idea that something cheap is not good, it has a simple concept that is boring.

4. London Olympics logo

Not all the time something that is expensive represents a quality product. How much would you pay for this logo? Please estimate a price before reading further. I appreciate it at 300$ and I believed that it was created for an adult site. Wrong!!! It costed 400,000 $ (5 zeros, you saw correctly!). What is its destination? It is the logo for the 2012 Olympics.

5. Instituto de Estudos Orientais

In this logo I hope that you will see a big theatre and a red sun behind it. But of course you will see something other than the theatre. I sincerely ask myself: “Was it a mistake or a bad joke of a logo designer?”

6. Open Door Church

“O” is different from “D” so how we should read this logo? I hope you got the message…the door surely is open.

7. Kudawara Pharmacy

Kudawara Pharmacy has a logo that is based on the letter “K”. I understand that a simple “K” is not a logo but the small circles at the superior extremities didn’t make it a logo either. I am very curious, what happens in this pharmacy?

8. Sausages from Czech Republic

Sincerely I like sausages, but since I saw this logo I am having doubts. It is disturbing, it makes me sick. This man is too gloating, I prefer somehow starving (I repeat it is my opinion but the majority, if not all logo designers agree with me).

9. The Computer Doctors

It is a mouse in that logo? Anyway I do not like the design at all.

10. Arlington Pediatric Centre

I do not have children but when I have a son or a daughter I am totally convinced that this Pediatric Center is not the best solution. Why? The logo is self explicatory.

11. Too bad to have a name

It is totally disagreeable, it has nothing to make the potential customers interested in this company’s services. It is in the same time very badly drawn, the base of the tower needs some correction; the words are written to make the logo complicated. Anyway a logo shouldn’t tell you what the profile of a company is, the design conveys the message.

12. A-style

A-style, I ask myself again “Is it a mistake or a very bad joke?”.

13. National Association of Photoshop Professionals

This logo wants to use the white space with a hidden message. I really love the logos using hidden message, but this has some problems. “N” and “P”s are italic and “A” is normal; it will be more attractive if all are either normal or italic. I’ve put this logo here as a buffer between worst logos and ordinary ones. National Association of Photoshop Professionals needs an outstanding logo because of their specific. Nowadays their logo has very much improved, NAPP uses the same shape and style, but small and good modifications are done, once again the details make the difference.

Top 13 Best Logos Ever Seen

The best logo ever is a chimera, it depends on personal perception. It is very difficult to choose the best one because this top is easily influenced by the success of the company that used it. Here is a list with the logos that I believe are the best:

1. FedEx

I like it especially because of the hidden arrow and in the same time because of the simplicity of the design, two colors, and no special font.

2. Nike

I guess you noticed how much I like the simplicity and Nike is much more than simple, it is fabulous. I will let you know that a basic rule of logo design is to realize a very simple, easy to convey in black and white.

3. The Olympics

I really like it, the main idea is complexity in unity. The circle itself is a symbol of unity, this concept being underlined by the union between them. The different colors express the diversity, no one having the same color even if the radius is equal to all.
The above logo surely is one of the most beautiful logos ever created, but it has the great advantage of being well-known all around the world.


The next logos are unknown for the majority of readers.
Enjoy them:

4. Zeughaus

5. BlueDog

6. …and BlackDog

7. One Found

8. Ego logo

9. Phora

10. Danzk

11. Boy Genius Media

12. Antiparticule

13. Caracale

What do you think about these examples? Drop us a comment and don’t forget to follow us on twitter and subscribe to our email updates!