Logo Refresher: 3 Major Indicators for New Logo Design
A companys logo is part of its identity and is one of the most important assets it owns. Making sure that logo does not turn stale is an important part of maintaining the effectiveness of a companys brand.
How does a company know if its logo has gone stale? Here are three indicators that a logo might be in need of a redesign.
Out of Date: Graphic Design is like fashion design – whats in one season/year/decade, isn’t in the next. When a logo has an extremely strong drop shadow, uses a heavy texture, lots of bevel/emboss effects, or just in general looks digitally heavy handed – it can be a sign of an aging logo. When photoshop first came out, it was cool to have lots of drop shadows – if only because you couldnt easily before. Same goes with textures, fonts, colors, shapes, etc. – if you havent seen aspects of the logo reflected on anything created else in the last 2 years – its probably time for a refresh. Some will think that a logo that’s obviously from the 1970s means the company is established and trustworthy. Others will see a company not interested in innovating/refreshing their brand – therefor not innovating in their business, and stuck in the past.
Confusing: If a logo uses a mixed message/metaphor – IE a law firm called Legal Doctor, that has a picture of a stethoscope in the logo, it doesn’t give an honest, accurate representation of the brand. At first glance, its a doctors office. At second glance, its a law firm for doctors only. Neither of which are accurate descriptions of the firm. Some will see a logo for Legal Doctor with a stethoscope and think Thats so cute! or how clever. Others will either be confused, or will see it as a marketing gimmick (not a sign of a serious business) and move on. Other times, the fonts themselves can lead to confusion. If Comic Sans is used, for say, a funeral home, it gives the wrong impression of the brand, the company, and may even come off as offensive for the subject matter at hand.
Poorly Executed: This is probably the hardest to describe in words. If a logos letters don’t have good spacing, it makes the words harder to read when small or at a distance. If the colors arent chosen well – you can have vibrating or clashing colors. Poorly crafted icons can also be a problem, leading to a very clip art looking logo. The fonts can also not fit well, thematically, with the icon chosen. Some people wont know what a quality logo looks like, as they havent seen enough to compare it to, or they havent seen the trends in major brands (KFC, Wendys, Burger King, for instance).??Either way, their ignorance is nothing to bank on. As the younger generations of America are further inundated with national, expertly designed advertising, through both print and digital mediums – citizens of this country are becoming more and more used to a level of visual quality that businesses must meet. They are raising the bar. Businesses may get away with the same old logo for another 10 years, but sooner or later we will reach a tipping point. For better or worse Each individuals eyes are the judge of these three characteristics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder- the trick is appealing to the majority of beholders.
Not only is a companys logo the face of that company, it is a very important part of the relationship between a company and its customers. It conveys a feeling of trust and emotion with the customer that causes them to choose one company over the other. To begin your logo design or refresher, call us today at (615) 292-8642.