A logo can have a strong impact in how your brand is perceived. The fact that companies like Nike get it right the first time and never have rebranded should not define your business — the common practice is branding changes with the growth of a company and the standard of visual design. The logo a company had created in 1990 may NOT be attracting customers in 2020.
The redesign process is a commitment to your brand, but it brings an assortment of excitement too. It can be a marketing campaign on its own, a new visual for your potential customers to latch onto, and something your own staff can be an ambassador for. However, it’s not the end-all fix to every problem. Ask yourself these five key questions to better understand if you’re ready for a brand redesign starting with a new logo.
has your business expanded or changed?
If your business has recently added new product lines or services, expanded to new locations, or added additional employees… it may be time to see if your logo reflects your current offerings. Most of the time during developmental phases, logos are designed with a piece of information in mind at that current time. This visual may be a bit… on the nose. What happens when you expand? The “on the nose” visual may lose its impact and connection.
For example, Domino’s originally only offered pizzas and was clearly named Domino’s Pizza. However, in the past 10 years the company has expanded to offer wings, subs, and sides that do not find representation with their older branding. The marketing department decided to drop the pizzabox brand mark and “Pizza” from the business name entirely to not box themselves in when their menus change.
do you have new competition?
Being the best in your industry can be subjective. It’s not always the ones who have been in the business longest or spend the most money on marketing — it’s the experience they offer their customers. The reality is that companies who have decades of experience may be falling to the wayside to competition who is investing in user experience, marketing, and their visual identity.
A new logo is a great way to remind your community that you’re modern and up-to-date. Younger audiences (ages 20-40) spend time on social media and look up reviews more often than not before choosing a service. Ensuring your business visually stands up with newer businesses (with newer brands that are likely more “fresh”) puts you back in the conversation instead of looking dated.
is your audience changing?
The goal for marketing is to not funnel yourself into only speaking to one audience. Your core audience will be loyal and buy what you’re already selling, but speaking to new customers and new age brackets help with expanding your efforts and growing your business. A new logo, when designed right, will reach to MULTIPLE different audiences while still remaining true to your values as a business.
For example, a business who focuses on mobile grooming may have a core audience of elderly pet owners who may not be able get out for grooming appointments for their pet. However, with a new logo that appeals to a younger audience, the mobile groomer may now be reaching busy professionals who need their services as well. It does not isolate existing customers and only invites a new audience to put their eyes on the groomer’s business and their services. Logos are one of the first impressions you can make. after all.
has your brand values or focus changed?
Don’t feel like a sell-out! Businesses have a desire to tackle broader problems and offer more refined solutions. With that, changing the personality of a brand and how your brand is speaking to your potential audiences freshens up the perception it may have. Local plumbers may change from being a “trust-worthy” old reliable choice to focusing on the SPEED of their service or an AFFORDABLE option.
If you’re curious to know what value your business is bringing, read your reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc. These are a showcase of what your customers value most. It may be customer service, the responsiveness, or the quality of the product. Think of what values your brand had when it first started and now think what your brand is known for from your customer reviews. If you feel a disconnect, it may be time to start a brand redesign to reflect these changes.
is your logo from before 2015?
It’s a clear question: have you made any changes to your brand within the past 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? Design changes over time. Long gone are the days of drop shadows and bevels. Visually, your brand may be lagging behind your competitors because of a few dated aesthetic choices. Technology has changed immensely in the past 10 years, which affects how your brand is viewed. As such, old design trends have been buried to keep up.
Can your logo be sized down? Increased larger for print? Be printed on a t-shirt? Do you have more than one or two .jpgs?
Your logo is one of the tools in your branding toolbox and having the right formats is crucial. If you have lost those over time, now would be a PERFECT time to start fresh!
we want to help you!
If you’ve answered “YES” to most of these questions, I invite you to reach out to me to start a conversation about logo redesign. The process begins with a complimentary consultation (estimated 15 – 30 minutes) followed by price proposal. I look forward to hearing from you!
