There are many reasons for a brand to go through a redesign of their company logo. A logo sets the feel, tone, and overall image of your brand, from the first moment people look at it. That image is imprinted on their brain and it is generally difficult to change their impression.
Your brand is your perceived value. It is people seeing what your brand worth is. Redesigning your logo or your brand can improve your perceived value in many ways. It can rejuvinate your existing image by allowing people to see your company in a new light.
Is Your Logo Evergreen?
Every company wants their logo to have sustainability. However, with sustainability comes the chance of your brand and image becoming stale and outdated. Our culture is constantly changing and millions of images are processed by people everyday. You want your brand to stay in the forefront of people’s minds.
In 2011 Starbucks went through their third logo change since 1971. Each change marked a significant change in their brand. For example, in 1971 they started out by selling coffee beans in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Then in 1987 they added handcrafted espresso drinks to their menu so their logo turned into a green shade; a change from their existing brown.
In 1992 they became a publicly traded company and simplified their logo slightly. Finally in 2011, they made a significant change in simplicity and took off their company name completely. By this point, people are familiar enough with the company brand that the words are not a key element to their design.
Modern Logos for Modern Times
The 2014 Cadillac line of vehicles unveiled their newest logo, and marked their sixth landmark redesign since they first came began making cars in 1902. Cadillac views their Cadillac Crest as an ongoing evolution of art and science, rather than a constant image.
Their biggest change to the logo was removing the well-known crest. Cadillac’s goal is to attract a younger demographic. Their new logo is following today’s trend of “less is more,” and have gotten rid of, what they believe, were unnecessary elements of the design, while keeping the core graphic elements intact.
However, not everyone has taken a liking to Cadillac’s sleeker looking design. People have developed a connection and recognition with Cadillac’s design that came out in 1999. It is the version that most people are familiar with today. It is an iconic image and the change has some people up in arms.
As with many other companies, elements of their designs change throughout the years. It seems that people forget that the crest was not always a part of Cadillac’s company logo. Today’s audience is just used to seeing the logo with the crest.
Approach Your Redesign with Care
If you are unsure about a logo change or redesign in your company brand, you can always take the same approach as Netflix and slowly incorporate your new design into the mainstream.
Netflix decided to launch the new logo on their YouTube page as a test to see how viewers responded, prior to making their worldwide debut. Some people say the new logo is cleaner and simplified. While others feel the new logo is boring and a safe change. It’s up to you as the consumer to judge whether you agree with their design change or not.
Modern Design Trends and Characteristics
It’s important to be up to date with current design trends and characteristics when rebranding yourself. For example a huge trend today is Geo-Slicing. Fancy right? It basically means you are taking text or an image and giving it a twist using asymetry, sharp lines, unique patterns and bold shapes to create negative space. Puma, New Balance and iPhones have all taken on this design trend in their products.
There are some key design characteristics to pay attention to that will make your new brand feel modern and fresh. First off is relevance. Does your logo fit your intended audience? Would you design a childrens book store logo with dark colors and a bland typeface? Or would you use a child-like font and bright bold colors?
Second is simplicity. If your logo is so complicated that only you understand it, then it doesn’t work. Try to keep in mind that people view the same image very differently, and they may not get what you are trying to do. Think of the most memorable logos you can think of, they are very simple, and it’s not by accident.
Finally, keep in mind the versatility of your logo. Will your logo only be printed on paper? Or will it been seen on screen, business cards etc. Can your logo be reversed in colors and still print well? In the end you are designing for you. You are choosing what you like and what you think looks good. However, you are not the one buying or using your product, so keep that in mind. Doing some research will only be in your favor when starting your rebranging process.
How Can We Reach Your Goals?
A redesign in a company logo may be what is needed to have people look twice at your company. Perhaps your company has been around for several decades and in need of a fresh new look to grab the attention of new customers.
There are thousands of companies starting each day, and perhaps yours has taken a backseat to your target audience. Or maybe your company has gone in a different direction and has broadened their target audience and wants to rebrand themselves so customers are aware of the change.
Whatever the reason may be, a redesign of your logo gives your company the chance to re-invent itself and stay in the forefront of peoples’ minds, which is always a plus.
Rebranding yourself is always a little scary and it’s definitely unknown territory as to how your target audience will respond to your new logo and company direction. However it is also a new and exciting path for your brand. Hopefully this gives you some insight and ideas as to how to go about this process. Feel free to contact me for any help on a redesign, or just to chat about design!
