“I paid a lot of money to have that logo designed. I like it and want it big on every page.” I had a client say that once. Client’s frequently begin marketing discussions with their logo. Namely they want it big. Big on the Web site, big in ads, big in collateral.

Sometimes, with larger companies, they don’t want it big, but they have these print rules they have randomly adopted for the Web about usage, where, how, what size, what colors-a brand identity manual written for other media which their legal team demands we follow but none of the division marketing managers want to use.

Is bigger better? It’s great to make the logo big if you are selling the logo or your logo design services. If you are selling your brand then a big logo is a great thing. But most of our clients are not in the logo business and their Web sites are designed to sell their products and services as well as their company. Look the part, give the right information, give the visitor what they need and want and use the space on a page appropriately, efficiently and effectively.

GE and P&G are fairly savvy companies. Conservative in their marketing yet household names. Their logos take up very little real estate on the page but are set off in white and not cramped. Not a household name but with the same effective use of logo is Eyespot. Tide, owned by P&G, keeps the logo small but the colors infuse and dominate the page. Use the logo, use the corporate colors, but don’t abuse the logo.

So is bigger better? Sometimes. It’s a form following function question. What is the purpose of your site, of your page, of your marketing material? Do you have other media that will be reinforcing a brand image and logo? In general, we advise our clients to let the logo serve as an integral design feature, not as the design focus.

There are some very cool, very memorable and therefore effective logos out there. Logolounge and Smashing Magazine both feature cutting edge logo designs. Take a look, see how those logos look on the Web, think about not just how your logo looks, what it means, but also how it’s to be used on the page. Remember, the Web is not print. And remember, these rules only apply when you can’t think of some other rules that work better.