Most brochures do not fail because of bad photography or weak copy. They fail because the branding is in the wrong place. A logo sitting too close to a fold score, floating in the middle of an inside panel, or repeated six times across a tri-fold tells the reader one thing: this was assembled, not designed.
This guide covers logo placement in brochure design panel by panel, with the sizing ratios, clear space rules and fold tolerances we use in production at Art Spirit. Everything below applies to standard bi-fold and tri-fold formats and is written to be checked against your file before it goes to print.
First, Map Your Panels Correctly
Nearly half of the placement errors we see in client files come from a misread panel map. A tri-fold is not three pages, it is six panels across two printed sides, and they do not appear in reading order on the flat artboard.
Tri-fold (letter fold) panel map
| Printed side | Left panel | Centre panel | Right panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside | Fold-in flap (first panel the reader sees when opening) | Back panel | Front cover |
| Inside | Inside left (back of the cover) | Inside centre | Inside right (becomes the fold-in flap) |
The fold-in panel must be 3 to 5 mm narrower than the other two so it tucks inside cleanly. If you place a logo centred on that panel without accounting for the reduced width, it will look off-axis in the folded piece even though it looked perfect on screen.
Bi-fold panel map
- Outside left: back panel (contact block, secondary logo lockup, mailing area if self-mailing)
- Outside right: front cover (primary logo)
- Inside spread: two panels that read as one continuous surface
Cover Panel: One Logo, One Job
The cover has a single branding job: identify the sender at a glance and make the reader open the piece. That means one logo, placed once.
Where to put it
- Top-left: the safest and most common position. Matches Western reading order and letterhead convention. Best when the cover carries a strong headline underneath.
- Bottom-centre or bottom-right: use when a full-bleed image dominates the cover. The logo acts as a signature rather than a header.
- Top-centre: works for symmetrical, formal layouts (institutional, luxury, cultural). Requires generous margins or it looks cramped.
- Optically centred: if you centre the logo vertically, push it up by roughly 3 to 5 percent of the panel height. Mathematical centre reads as slightly low to the human eye.
Cover logo sizing ratios
| Panel | Logo width as % of panel width | Typical size on a 99 mm tri-fold panel |
|---|---|---|
| Front cover (horizontal logo) | 20 to 30 % | 20 to 30 mm wide |
| Front cover (stacked or square logo) | 15 to 22 % | 15 to 22 mm wide |
| Back panel (contact lockup) | 25 to 35 % | 25 to 35 mm wide |
| Inside panels (if used at all) | 8 to 12 % | 8 to 12 mm wide |
| Partner or certification marks | 50 to 70 % of your own logo height | Aligned on a shared baseline |
A cover logo above 35 percent of panel width starts to read as a sign rather than a brochure. Below 12 percent it disappears at arm’s length, which is the distance most people hold a brochure on a counter or at a trade stand.
Inside Panels: Restraint Wins
The inside of a brochure is for content, not for branding repetition. The reader has already been told who you are on the cover.
- Tri-fold inside spread: place the logo zero or one time. If you use it, put it small at the bottom of the right-hand panel, where the eye exits the spread.
- Bi-fold inside spread: treat the two panels as one canvas. A logo near the gutter fold breaks that illusion. Keep it in an outer corner or leave it out entirely.
- Fold-in flap: this panel is seen first on opening, so it can carry a small brand mark or icon, not the full lockup.
- Brand continuity without the logo: use the brand colour as a rule, a corner shape, an icon set or a consistent heading typeface. Those carry identity more elegantly than a repeated mark.
Watermarks and ghosted logos
A giant logo at 8 percent opacity behind body copy is one of the fastest ways to make a brochure look dated. On uncoated stock, tints below 10 percent can also drop out or band unpredictably. If you want a background element, use a cropped detail of the symbol at 15 to 20 percent tint, and keep it clear of all text blocks.
Back Panel: The Identity Block
The back panel is the real home of the full brand lockup. This is where someone looks when they want to know who to call.
- Build a single identity block: logo, tagline if you have one, address, phone, website, QR code.
- Align the logo with the contact text on a shared left edge or centre axis. Mixed alignment here is the most visible amateur tell.
- Set the logo 25 to 35 percent of panel width, noticeably larger than anything on the inside.
- Place the block in the upper third or the centre of the panel, not jammed at the very bottom.
- If the brochure is a self-mailer, keep the lower right area of the back panel completely clear for the address block, barcode and postal clear zone. Push the identity block to the top.
- Keep QR codes at least 20 mm square with a quiet zone of 4 modules, and never place them across a fold.
Clear Space and Fold Line Rules
Clear space is non-negotiable. Most brand guidelines define it as the height of a letterform or the width of the symbol. If no guideline exists, use this baseline.
| Rule | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Clear space around the logo | 0.5 x logo height on all sides | 1 x logo height |
| Distance from trim edge | 5 mm | 8 to 10 mm |
| Distance from a fold score | 6 mm | 10 mm |
| Bleed | 3 mm all round | 3 to 5 mm |
| Minimum reproduction width | 15 mm for most marks | 20 mm with fine detail |
Why fold lines matter more than margins
Folding equipment has a tolerance, usually around 1 to 2 mm in either direction on a short run, more on heavy stock. A logo sitting 3 mm from the score can end up visually touching the fold, or worse, bending across it.
Three specific risks:
- Cracking: a logo printed on a dark or heavy ink coverage area that sits on the score will crack when folded. Score and crease before folding on stocks above 200 gsm, and keep the mark off the crease entirely.
- Splitting: a wordmark crossing a fold loses legibility and looks accidental. Never let type cross a score.
- Creep: on roll folds, the inner panels shift slightly. Logos aligned to the same measurement on every panel will look misaligned once folded.
Eight Placement Errors That Make a Brochure Look Amateur
| Error | Why it hurts | Fix before printing |
|---|---|---|
| Logo on every panel | Reads as insecure branding, eats layout space | Cover plus back panel only, one optional small mark inside |
| Logo straddling a fold | Cracks, misaligns, becomes unreadable | Move at least 10 mm clear of the score line |
| Oversized cover logo | Crowds the headline, kills hierarchy | Cap at 30 % of panel width, let the headline lead |
| Logo floating with no alignment | Breaks the grid, looks dropped in | Snap to a column edge or margin guide shared with the text |
| Low resolution or raster logo | Fuzzy edges at 300 dpi, visible JPEG artefacts | Place vector (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) and convert colour to CMYK or spot |
| White box around the logo | Visible rectangle over coloured backgrounds | Use a transparent version or the approved reversed one-colour version |
| Stretched or recoloured mark | Breaks brand consistency instantly | Scale proportionally, use approved colour variants only |
| Partner logos larger than yours | Confuses who published the brochure | Set partners at 50 to 70 % of your logo height on a shared baseline |
Optical Balance: Match Weight, Not Just Size
Two logos can be the same width and still look unequal. Balance is driven by visual mass, not bounding boxes.
- Align logos on a shared optical baseline, ignoring descenders and symbol overhangs.
- Scale circular symbols about 5 percent larger than square ones to look the same size.
- Dark logos on light backgrounds appear heavier. Reduce them slightly when paired with reversed marks.
- Print a test page at 100 percent, fold it by hand and look at it at arm’s length. Screen judgement is unreliable for scale.
Pre-Print Checklist for Logo Placement
- Panel map confirmed against the printer’s template, with the fold-in panel narrowed by 3 to 5 mm.
- Fold guides visible on a separate layer, not printing.
- Every logo at least 10 mm from any score and 8 mm from any trim.
- Clear space verified at 1 x logo height.
- All logos vector, CMYK or spot, no RGB, no embedded JPEG.
- Black logos set to 100 K or rich black per the printer’s spec, not registration black.
- Overprint preview checked so white logos do not vanish on dark backgrounds.
- Mailing clear zone respected if the piece is a self-mailer.
- A folded paper dummy approved by a second pair of eyes.
Format Cheat Sheet
| Format | Flat size | Panel width | Suggested cover logo width |
|---|---|---|---|
| A4 tri-fold | 297 x 210 mm | 99 mm (flap 96 mm) | 20 to 30 mm |
| A4 bi-fold | 420 x 297 mm (A3 folded) | 210 mm | 40 to 55 mm |
| A5 bi-fold | 297 x 210 mm | 148 mm | 30 to 40 mm |
| US Letter tri-fold | 11 x 8.5 in | 3.66 in (flap 3.5 in) | 0.8 to 1.1 in |
FAQ
Where should the logo go on a brochure cover?
Top-left is the default safe position for text-led covers. Use bottom-centre or bottom-right when a full-bleed image carries the cover, and top-centre for formal, symmetrical layouts. Keep it at 15 to 30 percent of panel width with at least 8 mm from the trim.
Should the logo appear on every panel of a tri-fold?
No. Once on the front cover and once in the back panel identity block is enough. A small icon on the fold-in flap is acceptable. Beyond that, repetition dilutes the design and steals space from content.
How big should a logo be on a brochure?
As a ratio rather than a fixed figure: 20 to 30 percent of panel width on the cover, 25 to 35 percent on the back panel, 8 to 12 percent on inside panels. Never go below 15 mm wide for a standard mark, or fine details will fill in on press.
How far should a logo be from the fold line?
Minimum 6 mm, ideally 10 mm. Folding tolerance plus ink cracking on heavy stock makes anything closer risky, especially on dark backgrounds or papers above 200 gsm.
Can a logo cross a fold in a bi-fold brochure?
Avoid it. A decorative graphic or background colour can cross a fold, but a logo, and particularly a wordmark, loses legibility and brand integrity. Keep the mark fully inside one panel.
What file format should the logo be for print?
Vector: AI, EPS, PDF or SVG, with colours set in CMYK or as spot colours. PNG and JPEG versions are for screen only and will show soft or pixelated edges at 300 dpi.
Where does the logo go if the brochure is mailed?
Move the identity block to the upper portion of the back panel and keep the lower right area clear for the address, barcode and postal clear zone. Check the required clear area with your postal operator before finalising the layout.
Final Word
Good logo placement in brochure design is mostly discipline: one strong appearance on the cover, a clean identity block on the back, restraint inside, and respect for fold tolerances. Fold a paper dummy, look at it at arm’s length, and fix anything that looks accidental before the file goes to press.
If you want a second pair of eyes on a brochure layout or a full brand application across print collateral, the Art Spirit team reviews print-ready files and builds folded dummies as part of every project.