Exporting Your Logo – Mastering Files, Formats & Brand Kits

So, you’ve got a shiny new logo—awesome. But what now? If you deliver a JPEG and call it a day, prepare for disappointed clients, blurry print jobs, and a branding nightmare.

Let’s talk about how to package, export, and future-proof your logo design like a true professional.

🗂 Essential Logo File Types

Every format serves a specific purpose. Here’s the breakdown of the MVPs:

1. SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)

Best for: Web use, digital interfaces, UI/UX design
Pros: Infinitely scalable, editable in vector software, lightweight
Cons: Not ideal for print if not properly converted

2. PDF (Portable Document Format)

Best for: Print and sharing final vector files
Pros: Preserves vector data, universally readable, print-ready
Cons: Slightly heavier than SVGs

3. AI (Adobe Illustrator)

Best for: Your original working file
Pros: Fully editable, perfect for archiving and client revisions
Cons: Not universally accessible without Illustrator

4. EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)

Best for: Print production, logos in commercial use
Pros: Supported by most printers and design software
Cons: Can flatten layers, not ideal for web

5. PNG

Best for: Web use (especially on transparent backgrounds)
Pros: Clean transparency, high-resolution
Cons: Raster format—can’t be scaled without losing quality

6. JPEG

Best for: Fast previews or social media (in non-transparent cases)
Pros: Small file size
Cons: No transparency, lossy compression

🪄 Organizing Your Logo Deliverables

Want to feel like a pro and make your client love you forever? Deliver a complete logo package.

Here’s what to include:

🧩 1. Full Logo Kit

Full color
Black & white
Inverse (white on black)
Transparent versions
CMYK, RGB, and Pantone (if needed)

🖼 2. Different Lockups

Horizontal version
Stacked version
Icon-only version (if applicable)

🔤 3. Typography Guide

What font(s) were used
Where to download/buy them
Alternatives (if commercial license isn’t included)

🎨 4. Color Codes

HEX (for web)
RGB (for screen)
CMYK (for print)
Pantone (if brand needs strict color matching)

📁 5. Folder Structure

🎨 What Is a Brand Guide?

A brand guide is a mini-manual that outlines how your logo should (and shouldn’t) be used. It’s crucial for brand consistency—especially when handing things off to marketers or third-party designers.

Side Note : Promote & earn with Letterhanna’s affiliate program.

Include:

Logo placement rules
Minimum size
Clear space around the logo
Don’ts (stretching, recoloring, awkward cropping)

You don’t need a 100-page corporate bible—just enough to keep things consistent.

📦 Unique Fact of the Day:

NASA’s “worm” logo, originally retired in 1992, made a comeback in 2020 for its clean and modern appeal. Why? Because its original vector files were meticulously preserved. Moral of the story? Archive like a nerd.

✍️ Design Mission: Build Your Logo Kit

Whether you’re working on a client project or your personal brand, go through this checklist:

✅ Export in AI, SVG, PDF, PNG, and JPEG
✅ Create color, black, and white variations
✅ Create vertical/horizontal/icon versions
✅ Write a 1-page brand guide
✅ Organize the files into folders

This is where you go from “just a designer” to a design professional. Good design deserves good delivery.