A trained eye can tell when a logo is really thought deep about or just whipped up without much thought. The type of logo that seems to require the least effort is when the type choice is not customized or easily recognizable. This is usually accompanied by a recognizable picture combined with arrows, swooshes, or other distracting elements- trying to depict WHAT a business does/is, not WHO a business is.
A logo of this standard is easily procured at sites like 99 Designs where logo design happens without any brand discovery on the designer’s behalf. The logos are dictated and picked based on if the client likes it or not, but no professional advisement is dispensed. Many of the logos are half-baked recycled concepts that designers scrap up to make a quick buck. A logo produced this way might very well resemble many others. The public is becoming increasingly aware and able to recognize when a logo looks like it’s from 99 Designs. While it is possible to get a good logo there, the chance it will be a great logo are drastically reduced.