A strong logo can help your business gain a competitive advantage. Some companies experience little change in their logos over the years, but others must continually adjust them to reflect changes in products or services and the ever-evolving design world.
When you're looking for logo design tips, ask yourself these questions: Is my brand an ongoing project? Does it need to evolve? Are there any competing brands that I should consider mimicking? What kind of aesthetic do I want my brand to have? These are just some of the questions you'll want to ask yourself before embarking on creating a new logo for your business.
Many companies have logos that are decades old. This is especially true for businesses with longevity (which is not a bad problem to have)—the logo you created in 1974 may not speak to customers today. A design refresh can help distance your company from its image at least a little bit—and it's a good idea to do so every once in a while anyway.
A logo redesign can be a daunting task, but it can also refresh your company’s image and earn it new customers.
When you have a brand identity that’s been around for years, there are no easy solutions to revamp it. But if you take your time, consider all of your options, and choose one that feels right, then you can have confidence in your new design.
While we don’t recommend going too far with graphic styles or colors, we do think it’s worth giving some thought to how you want people to feel when they see your business name on their computer screen or phone. Do you want them to smile? Wonder what it is? Or maybe it just makes sense? Go through the process of identifying what makes your business unique and ask yourself which elements are important for customers to know about. Then come up with an idea for how those things could be represented in your brand identity.
Before you overhaul your logo, ask yourself 5 key questions about the design. If you answer yes to all of them, then it is likely that your logo should stay as it is. If you answer no to all of them, then begin evaluating some new options.
Five key questions to ask when evaluating a logo redesign.
1.Have you grown or changed the scope of your business?
If you have recently added an entire line of new products or expanded your headquarters or added many new employees to your roster, it may be time to consider changing your logo.
When you are changing your logo, it’s important to keep the same concept and feel as much as possible. This will ensure that people associate the new design with what they know and love about your company.
Changing a company logo can be a tricky task because it can be difficult to change from one design style to another without losing some of the identity that makes it unique. You should plan out all of the different options for updating your logo before starting this process so that you have time to get everything right before committing to any changes at all!
2. Are you experiencing new competition?
If you've been in business for a while, chances are you've had some competition. It's hard to be the best at what you do—and if you're in an industry that's competitive, the pressure can really get to you.
You may have heard that a logo redesign can help your business by showing off to your existing customers that they can trust you and increasing the number of prospects who see that they should consider working with you.
But how? How do you make sure that your new logo is just as good as your old one? We'll take a look at why it's important for your company to have a solid brand identity, and what kinds of changes can make all the difference.
3. Are you addressing a new audience?
If you've got a customer base that's loyal and amazing, but you're ready to speak to younger consumers as well, a logo redesign may be just what the branding doctor ordered.
A good logo does more than simply represent your company's name; it can also create a sense of visual cohesion for your entire brand. It makes it easier for customers to find you when they're looking for what you offer. It makes it easier for other people to identify with your brand. And it makes it easier for customers to recognize when they see something that looks familiar or even like your product or service—all while maintaining its aesthetic value and keeping up with current trends in design.
The key is to play the redesign right. That means using color palettes that work well together and make sense from an aesthetic standpoint, including complementary colors and patterns (not just one color or pattern), shapes that are pleasing to the eye, types of geometric shapes that appeal to younger audiences… all of which will help you connect with a new audience while still maintaining your customer base.
4. Has your company’s mission or values changed?
As your business grows, it may naturally evolve. It is important to keep a logo that reflects these changes.
A logo isn’t just a logo—it represents everything about your brand, including its values and mission statement. A well-designed logo should be timeless and flexible enough to represent your company in any situation.
Your logo should also be able to stand on its own as a beautiful piece of art. Some people like to frame their favorite business cards or prints in fancy frames, while others like to display them in plain old frames. Either way, your logo needs to look good wherever it goes!
Finally, remember that a great logo doesn't just look good—it must also be easy for people to read and understand. You don't want anyone having trouble reading what's on your sign or trying hard not to get lost in the details!
5. Does your logo look outdated?
If your logo was created in the 80s, it may be time to enter the modern era. Not only is the aesthetic tired and unfashionable, but it may not speak as well to mobile devices as it does to desktop computers. And if you've got an old-school design on your website, chances are you'll have trouble getting that new look across in email or social media posts.
It's a simple and obvious question, but one that's worth asking: why not update your brand? A fresh face can help you stand out from the crowd while also making you more accessible and relevant to today's consumers.
When should you redesign your logo? And when should you refresh it?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, a logo redesign may be in order. There are many ways to give your logo an updated look without going through an exhaustive redesign process.
Refreshing a logo is an approach that works with the design elements already in place. During a logo refresh, a designer will make small changes to what’s there by adding messaging, updating colors or simplifying the overall look and feel.MasterCard’s 2016 logo refresh is a successful example of a company making a name for itself by using modern typography to create a recognizable brand.
A logo redesign is similar to cosmetic surgery, in that it may take a variety of forms depending on the company and the goals of the redesign. Logo redesigns can include new messaging, a new color scheme, or even a new name for your company. Before choosing a direction for your redesign, ask yourself three questions:
1. What aspects of my logo do you find problematic?
5 Key Questions to Ask When Considering a Logo Redesign (see above)
2. What elements of the current logo need to change?
Before you overhaul the look of your logo, consider how effective current design elements are at representing your organization. This may include specific colors or typeface choices, or the capitalization of your company name.
3. Does my current logo effectively portray my company's identity to customers?
A major challenge with redesigning your logo is disrupting the visual connection that your customers have with your old logo. Take some time to understand how your customers are relating to your current logo and explore the possible consequences of a dramatic rebranding. Do you want to risk alienating existing customers by confusing them? If so, is it worth it to invest in a new brand identity?
The logo redesign process includes:
Before we get started, I'd like to make sure you understand the goals of your logo redesign project. You're here because you want to be able to set a logo that is both visually and functionally clear and powerful, and will help people quickly identify your brand.
The logo redesign process involves getting feedback from a variety of sources.
First, we'll get input from our customers and the people who use our products. We'll have focus groups where consumers can ask questions about what they see in the logo and how it makes them feel.
Next, we'll come up with a new design based on everything we've learned through this process. This is where we're going to make sure that the new logo will be recognizable and memorable, but also easy to understand.
Then we'll run tests on our website design to see if it looks as good on mobile devices as it does on desktop computers. The best way to do this is with A/B testing—we'll show two different versions of the same page side-by-side, so visitors can choose which one they like better.
Finally, we'll design new packaging that showcases the new look while still being durable and easy to ship around the world.
Do you want to redesign your logo?
A logo design contest is a great way to get dozens of ideas from professional designers around the world.
With a logo design contest, you can get a wide range of designs to choose from and see what your customers think of your new brand identity. You can also learn about how people perceive your business, which will help guide future marketing efforts.
You'll also have access to some of the most talented designers in the world who are ready to work with you on your new brand identity!
