There are two families of image file, and almost every logo problem comes from confusing them.
Vector files describe shapes with mathematics. A circle is stored as an instruction to draw a circle. You can scale it to the side of a building and it stays sharp. Raster files store a grid of coloured dots. Enlarge it and you are enlarging the dots, which is why it goes soft and blocky.
A logo should always be created as a vector. Everything else is exported from it.
The four you will encounter
| Format | Family | Use it for | Do not use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SVG | Vector | Websites and apps | Sending to a traditional printer, some still cannot open it |
| PDF or EPS | Vector | Printers, signwriters, vehicle branding, embroidery | Putting on a web page |
| PNG | Raster | Slides, Word documents, anywhere you need transparency | Anything that will be enlarged |
| JPG | Raster | Photographs | Logos, ever, because it cannot do transparency |
How to test whether you own your logo
Open the file you were given. If you can zoom in indefinitely and the edges stay perfectly crisp, it is a vector and you are fine. If the edges turn into visible squares, it is a raster export.
A raster export is not ownership. If that is all you have, ask your designer for the vector source. If the designer is unreachable, the logo will need to be redrawn, which is a real cost and entirely avoidable.
- You have an SVG file for web use.
- You have a PDF or EPS for print.
- You have a solid black version and a solid white version.
- You have a version with a transparent background.
- The files are stored somewhere the business controls, not only on one person's laptop.
A logo delivered only as a JPG with a white box behind it is the single most common asset problem we find when auditing Namibian businesses.
