When a graphic designer delivers your logo, never settle for a single file. You should walk away with the vector source files (SVG, EPS, and the AI file or a vector PDF), transparent PNGs in several sizes, a version for screen (RGB) and one for print (CMYK), plus the colour, black and white variants. Without this complete pack, you stay dependent on your provider for the slightest flyer.

This is not a technical detail. A study by Lindgaard and colleagues, published in 2006 in the journal Behaviour and Information Technology, showed that a visitor forms a visual opinion in about 50 milliseconds. Your logo plays that role of first impression on every medium, so it must display sharply everywhere. Consistency also pays off over time: according to Lucidpress's State of Brand Consistency study, a consistent brand presentation across all channels can increase revenue by up to 33%. And you still need the right files to remain consistent.

Vector or pixel: the distinction that changes everything

This is the first thing to understand, and the only truly technical point. A vector file (SVG, EPS, AI, PDF) describes your logo with mathematical shapes: it scales infinitely without ever losing sharpness. A pixel file, also called raster (PNG, JPG), is locked into a grid of dots: enlarged beyond its size, it becomes blurry and jagged.

In practice: the printer of your banners will want a vector file, while your website will be fine with a PNG or a light SVG. If you only have the original PNG, you are stuck as soon as a medium exceeds its size. That is why the vector source file is the most important of all: it is the only one from which everything can be regenerated.

The files you must absolutely require

Here is the list to request in black and white, ideally written into your quote before you even order the creation of your logo:

• The vector source file: an SVG and an EPS, plus the working file (AI) or a vector PDF.

• Transparent PNGs in several sizes (large, medium, small), ready for web and documents.

• An RGB version for screen and a CMYK version for print: these are two different colour spaces, and a logo meant for the printer must be in CMYK so the tones stay accurate.

• The variants: logo in colour, in black, in white (for dark backgrounds) and a monochrome version.

• A square icon if you plan to use it as a profile picture or a site favicon.

These files do not stand alone: they are the concrete basis of your brand style guide, the document that says how and where to use each version. And they extend the groundwork explained in our article on the professional logo.

Why this pack makes you independent

The real value of these files is independence. With the complete pack, any printer, any developer or any agency can work with your brand, without going back through the person who designed the logo. You are no longer stuck, and you no longer pay to get back what already belongs to you.

It is also a matter of consistency, and therefore of revenue. A brand that appears the same way on its storefront, its website, its invoices and its social media inspires trust and is recognised at a glance. Conversely, a logo that changes hue or sharpness from one medium to another blurs the message and looks amateurish.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is the SVG format?

SVG is a vector format designed for the web. It displays perfectly sharp on all screens, including very high-resolution ones, weighs very little and adapts to any size. It is today the reference format for displaying a logo on a site.

Can my graphic designer refuse to give me the source files?

It happens, and that is why you must plan for it from the start. Ask in writing, in the quote or the contract, that delivery includes the source files and the transfer of usage rights to your logo. A serious provider has no problem with that.

PNG or JPG to put my logo on the web?

PNG, without hesitation, because it handles transparency: your logo sits cleanly on any background. JPG flattens the background to white or grey and is poorly suited to a logo. Better still when possible: SVG.

Priority action plan

1. List your media current and future: business card, website, sign, social media, invoices, vehicles.

2. Request the complete pack: vector sources, transparent PNGs, RGB and CMYK versions, and all the variants.

3. Store everything in a clear folder, named and saved in two places, so you never lose it.

4. Integrate these files into your brand style guide to keep a consistent brand on every medium.

A well-delivered logo is a logo you control: you deploy it wherever you want, whenever you want, without depending on anyone. That is the difference between renting your brand image and truly owning it.

Need a logo delivered properly, with all the files you will need? Discover our support for logo and visual identity creation.