A logo is a very important aspect of a company’s identity. The logo is the face of the company and helps consumers remember you. With such a heavy emphasis on how important the logo is, how could any company dare to change their logo. Many business owners are torn between keeping their brand looking professional and fresh but they also don’t want their consumers to not recognise their brand, especially when they have a positive association with the current company logo. Many company owners create their own logos due to lack of budget, which may cause problems in future.
Without a professional eye to create a logo for you, over time your logo will look less professional compared to your competitors and age poorly because it wasn’t highly designed on trend at that time. Whether your logo simply needs to evolve by being refreshed or it requires a drastic redesign, here are some reasons that signal that your brand may indeed need a logo makeover.
1. Does your logo look dated?
This is one of the many reasons people would most likely think of updates or changing their logo. Trends are always changing and it is important to keep your brand up to date with the latest trends. Certain colour combinations, shapes, and layouts may become out of date and make your logo look old and tacky. The golden rule here is to constantly read up on the latest trends that are taking place in the logo realm.
Do some research and see what trends you would like to incorporate into your current logo. However, as there are many trends fluttering around, it can seem like a daunting task picking and choosing designs. It can only benefit you as a business owner to take your ideas to a professional that has a designer’s eye. Not only are they already familiar with the current trends, but they can tell you based on your current brand identity which trends will complement your brand.
2. Your logo could be technically problematic
Logos are no longer constrained to signage, product packaging, and basic printing. There has been a higher need for logos to appear on Facebook, Skype, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile pictures. Logos have to be adjusted in order to be reduced to thumbnail sizes that social media platforms require. Logos that appear to be complex don’t scale down well and are difficult to reduce to thumbnail size. If your logo is not the correct size, when it is scaled down to thumbnail size, it will appear blurry.
3. A big change in your company
It could be a new CEO, a merger, or the company could become larger or more extensive. All of these instances could mean that it is the perfect time to change or update your logo. When clients see change, this shows that the company is evolving and changing in order to keep up with the modern world. You don’t want to seem stale and unwilling to change. Change is a good thing, however, if your company is a well-known brand, first consider if a logo change will lose favourability and recognition from your loyal consumers. As the saying goes: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
4. Thinking of going international
In some cases, rebranding is necessary so that the brand’s identity can be used internationally. Some brands or logos can be too specific to a certain country, which could limit your brand if you are thinking of going international. It is important to find out how other countries refer to certain products. If your logo is not branded correctly, it could trigger wrong associations.
5. Changes in the market
Changes in the market could mean that you need to change or update your branding as your current branding could come under threat. As the market changes, people’s expectations change. In essence, it almost becomes necessary to reinvent your branding. Different market changes may be the cause for new product requirements or for a whole new product to be offered. In turn, these changes could make your current logo obsolete or even irrelevant.
6. Complex logos
A lot of company owners have changed their logos as their clients or consumers perceive it to be highly confusing and difficult to relate to. Did you know that any brand manager’s first KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is how easily a consumer or client can remember his/her brand by hearing or seeing it? A complicated logo leaves the consumer confused and disconnected. You might then need to change the logo as it does not serve its purpose. Make sure that your logo is simplistic and relatable, not complex and hard to read.
7. Refocusing company values
Many times, a company starts with specific products and services and a target audience in mind. However, as the company progresses, its priorities may change. When this happens, your target audience, products, and services may also change. This calls for a change in your branding and possibly a complete restructuring so that your brand can relate to its new target audience.
8. Standing out
The main focus of a company would be to maximise revenue and gain profits. The downside to this is that when you are successful, many small companies will keep a similar name and logo for their products to trick consumers into buying their products, thinking that they are buying your brand. This will happen if your logo is overly simple and basic. The best solution is to have an expert designer create your logo and run a low cost marketing campaign. This could be digital, in store promotions, social media updates, and more. The end goal is to let your clients know you are evolving.
9. Visual appeal
We are in an age of instant pleasure, where clients are always looking for new products that give them something new to experience. Social media is a very useful tool that helps them engage and connect very easily. It is important to always remain in the consumer’s mind. If you don’t engage regularly and keep up to date with the latest trends, your competitors will make you look outdated. So keep your brand logo interesting and eye-catching in order to stand out from the crowd.
10. Be one step ahead
Developing a logo that transcends competition is vital to the success of the business. You have to make sure that your logo communicates better with your target audience. This would mean that your target audience is more likely to choose your brand over other brands because they can relate to it better. How do you achieve this? You simply embrace your unique and authentic brand voice. A consumer will not form a connection with your brand if they do not know what your brand stands for. Never compromise or downplay the originality of your brand. Rather own your brand and its logo, and your consumers will be proud to endorse it.
Basically…
Logo redesigning is a difficult decision for any stakeholder or company owner. It represents your brand and what your client recognises it to be. However, when it ceases to advance your cause in a positive manner, it is best that you have it redesigned from a professional designer or marketing company. They will be able to unleash its full potential and make your fortunes soar!
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