The logo inside the brand

There are far too many people and professionals in the industry that still haven't made the distinction between a logo and the brand. The overall brand strategy encompasses not only the logo but every element such as marketing, advertising, public relations, employee training, etc... Without a well developed brand strategy all of these pieces are floating separating occasionally bumping into one another. 

A well thought out brand strategy is what connects them and imbeds the DNA of a brand throughout every aspect of an organization. A strong brand is similar to a set of Russian dolls—each one stands securely on its own yet has the same characteristics as the others and fit perfectly one inside another. A logo is only one doll inspired by the core purpose of the organization which is magnified from layer to layer.

Is it time for a logo Makeover?

How do you know if it's time to give your logo a makeover?

Start by evaluating what works and what doesn't. Your logo may only need a few small changes or may need to be redesigned from the ground up. Remember your logo is not about what you like or dislike but what appeals to your market. It's important to start this process by being honest with yourself.

The good news is this is an excellent opportunity to reevaluate your brand and how your logo fits within the scheme of your goals. Does your logo project the essence of your brand? Has your vision and mission changed over the years? Has your market changed? It's difficult to deliver on your brand promise if one or all of these elements have changed.

Find out what it is about your logo that still works. What elements of your present logo does your market respond to? Is it an image, logotype, colors, your tagline? Ask your existing customers what they like about your logo and what they would change.

Many logos simply need the application of a reductive approach—removing and simplifying the mark. Take Starbucks as an example. As they've grown over the years their mark has become highly recognizable allowing them the freedom of removing their name from the logo/mark. I wouldn't recommend this for most small businesses because few small businesses have the brand recognition of Starbucks. However, you can see that each time Starbucks refreshed their logo a reductive process was implemented—simplifying the mark to it's bare essence and increasing its visual recognition.

One of the most consistent mistakes I see in logo design is font choice. So many logos are designed with trendy fonts that come and go in just a few years. Can you imaging being a large corporation and spending millions of dollars on a new logo only to have to update it a year or two later? It just doesn't happen.

This is one area where I recommend small businesses think like a large corporation and use a traditional font as the foundation of your logo design. One exception to the rule is restaurants and nightclubs. Successful restaurants tend to change very quickly depending on the trends. But for most small businesses it just doesn't make sense.

If you do decide to make changes to your company's logo you will need to update your entire identity system (everything your logo is applied to). Even if you only change your logo's color(s) you may need to adjust the style, look and feel, and coloring of other brand elements such as your photograph or graphic elements (other than your logo).

One last important point is to remember—your logo is not a work of art but a communications tool. If your logo does not communicate what your business provides, either product or service, you're loosing potential buyers.