What is a Logo?

According to Paul Rand:

"A logo is a flag, a signature, an escutcheon, a street sign.
A logo does not sell (directly), it identifies.
A logo is rarely a description of a business.
A logo derives meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes,
not the other way around. A logo is less important than the product it signifies; what it represents is more
important than what it looks like.
The subject matter of a logo can be almost anything."

Paul Rand

“the greatest living graphic designer" ~Steve Job, former client of Paul Rand



Paul Rand was born in August 1914, in New York. He attended three schools for his education: Pratt Institute, the Parsons School of Design, and the Art Students League. The influence of the German advertising style and European avant-garde played an important role in Rand’s life and work. Paul Rand’s fame began with the work of page designs and layouts. Rand designed a page layout for Apparel Arts magazine, which led to at Esquire-Coronet magazine. He is most known for his logo designs and contributions to the world of advertising. Rand has designed logos for Westinghouse, IBM, UPS, ABC, and Yale University. One of his most distinguishable designs is the NeXT Computer logo. Rand believed the key to a successful and eye-catching logo was simplicity. Not only did he create graphic art, but also Rand took the time to write several books on design, some of which include, “Thoughts on Design” and “A Designer’s Art”.
Paul Rand was highly thought of by his colleagues and clients. One of his clients called Rand, “the greatest living graphic designer”. He changed the process of advertising and emphasized the importance of an art director. In 1996, Paul Rand died of cancer at the age of 82.

Sources:
http://www.paul-rand.com/books_thoughtsOnDesign.shtml
http://www.areaofdesign.com/americanicons/rand.htm
http://www.rand-paul.com/