It's revealing of just how many companies begin their logo designs by choosing fonts. However, very few of the 30 or so stop there — the majority make significant changes to the lettering.

3. Start With Brand Foundations. Don’t just skip to the name and visual marks like a logo. Do the harder, less sexy work of understanding and making decisions around the fundamentals such as ...

Some brands, like Apple, are instantly recognizable from a simple image — no words necessary. Other brands are completely reliant on the names in their logos.