A logo is so important to a company because it is a primary visual representation and connection to your company. There are many small businesses that can function without a logo, particularly those in the home repair business, but most companies benefit from having a distinct, branded logo.
Many of our clients are B2B and a logo is an important way to establish trust, professionalism, and representation of your company culture. As a digital marketing agency, we are often hired by our clients to refresh or redo their logos.
While every logo project is different, there are some fundamental components of a logo redesign that we would like to share. If you are considering a logo redesign or re-brand, we wanted you to know what you are in for.
Establishing Your Brand
Before you can start a logo redesign, you need to define your brand. A brand’s function is to intentionally create the desired perception.
A winning brand:
- Meets a compelling need
- Inspires loyalty
- Facilitates choice
- Insulates against competition
- Is responsive
- Changes with times
- Moves to meet goals
Creating a brand is not easy, as there are many challenges when it comes to defining and establishing the essence of your company. Firstly, brands are abstract. You can create a desired perception, but perceptions vary from person to person. You will always run the risk that someone will not pick up what you’re putting down. It is important to remember that consumers are not always rational.
So what message do you want to convey with your brand?
The Logo Redesign
When a company asks us to look at their logo, we assess several components before starting the design process. We first look at the name of the company, how they position themselves against their competitors and what their value is.
Step 1: The Logo Type
We then think about the different style options for logos. You can go for a font treatment logo, an icon only or a combination of the two. Before heading in a certain direction, we ask our clients if they have a preference.
Typically, only top brands use icon-only options (ex. Nike, Apple). It helps to have brand-recognition for this type of logo. Some brands will instead choose to use text only logos, while others like having a combination logo. It will vary by brand preference. If one of our clients is unsure about what to do in terms of their logo, we will provide them with several options to help show them the different effect that each type of logo gives.
Step 2: Typography
When considering the font that we are using in our client logo projects, we have to think about the brand as a whole. It is no secret that sans serif fonts are more common in logo design, but some brands lend better to serif fonts. It will all depend on the branding. Many brands have made the switch from serif to sans-serif.
One of the biggest examples of this was Google changing their signature font. In 2015, Google made the move to modernize their logo with a new sans serif font. Changing the font might seem like a small change, but it made a huge impact by modernizing the brand.
Keep in mind that san serif fonts are more modern, while serif fonts are more traditional.
So, think about the type of font you are using in your logo and ask yourself – does my logo look modern?
Step 3: Color
When we create logo options for our clients, we almost exclusively design them in shades of black and white. We do this for a very important reason – we want to see the reaction to the original designs before adding color.
This process is helpful for our clients because adding color can create an emotional response. After the design is selected, we submit several color options for them to choose from. Your color palette will become essential to your brand – so selecting the correct colors is important.
Image credit: Winsome Media Group
Partnering For Your Logo Redesign
Undertaking a logo redesign or re-branding project may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Our team is here to help you design the logo of your dreams and will be your partner through the entire process. If you are not sure where to start, give us a call! We would love to help!
