I’ve Had Over 1,000 Logos Rejected (And Why That’s a Good Thing)

I’ve been working in design for many years, and by my estimate I’ve worked on around five logo projects each year. Do the maths and that’s roughly 185 logo projects in total.

Here’s the interesting part: for each project, I typically present between six and ten designs. That means I’ve created somewhere in the region of 1,100 to 1,800 logos over my career.

Out of all those, only one per project is chosen — which means there are 900 to 1,600 logos that never saw the light of day.

That might sound like a mountain of rejection. But it’s not failure at all. In fact, it’s exactly how the process is supposed to work.

The myth of the “perfect logo”

There’s a common misconception that designers sit down, sketch one brilliant idea, and present it to the client — job done.

In reality, design is about exploration. A good branding project involves testing ideas, pushing directions, and showing different approaches. When I present a client with options, I’m not just showing variety for variety’s sake — I’m mapping out the landscape of what their brand could look like.

Why rejection is part of success

When a client rejects a logo, it’s not saying the design was “bad.” It’s saying, this one isn’t the right fit for us.

And that’s the point. Branding isn’t about my favourite logo — it’s about finding the visual identity that connects with the client’s vision, their audience, and their goals. Rejection means we’re narrowing in on the right answer, together.

What happens to those unused designs?

They don’t just disappear into the void. Some stay tucked away in my archives as little sparks of creativity that might inspire future work. Others are stepping stones — exploring a style, a colour palette, or a concept that ultimately made the chosen logo stronger.

And sometimes, honestly, they’re just great logos that didn’t quite match the brief. That’s part of the process too.

The hidden value for clients

When a client sees six or seven logo options, they’re not just paying for “one logo.” They’re paying for the thinking, strategy, and creative exploration that goes into all of them.

Those “rejected” logos prove that the process has been thorough. They show the client isn’t being handed a single idea to take or leave — they’re being given choices, comparisons, and clarity about what their brand really needs.

1,000+ rejections = experience you can trust

I don’t see those 1,000+ unused logos as failures. They’re the scaffolding that holds up the brands I’ve helped bring to life.

Every logo that makes it out into the world has a family tree of rejected siblings behind it. And that’s exactly why it works: because we explored the possibilities and found the one that truly fits.

Need a brand identity that explores more than just one idea?
At ARCreative, we build logos and branding with options, strategy, and collaboration at the heart. If you’d like to chat about shaping an identity that feels right for your business, let’s talk.