Logos are perhaps the most instantly recognizable component of company branding. In fact, 75% of consumers find logo design to be the most recognizable component of brand recognition. Not only that, but the impact of this brand recognition can be felt financially. 25% of adults are more likely to make a purchase due to familiar branding or logos. But we don’t need to tell you that, you’ve already perfected your company logo and there’s no need to ever change it…right? Even so, take a look at our checklist for signs that the most recognizable part of your branding might need a little love.
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When & Why You Need a Logo Refresh
At its best, a logo should be an instantly recognizable emblem of your company. An “ownable” logo will be distinctly you, differentiating from other companies and expressing the overall strategy of your branding visually. If you’ve already gone through the painstaking process of developing the perfect logo, you might be wondering why it might need a little revamping. Here are some indicators that you might be in need of a logo refresh:
Big picture changes are afoot. Your company goals, purpose, vision or target audiences have changed since your company’s logo was originally designed. In order to align your visual communication with your strategy, a logo refresh is in order.
Your logo is feeling a bit stale. Your logo bares the trends and styles of yesteryear.
Your logo isn’t working across different applications. Your beautifully designed logo isn’t looking so beautiful on physical goods, for example.
You feel a need to level up, hopefully with your logo design 2.0.
How to Succeed in Logo Design
Considering your logo should look equally great as a social media profile picture, on a billboard, or on a shopping bag, logo design should avoid too much detail. While this might feel limiting, it’s also a study in making tremendous impact with minimal design. Thinking about all the applications for your logo should proceed any logo refresh. In order to do your logo design justice in any of its numerous applications, it’s helpful to print out the logo to study it with a fine-toothed comb. Here’s how to critique your logo design like a pro.
The Look and Feel: Start by thinking about the overall impression you get when you look at your logo. What types of feelings does it communicate? What does it remind you of, and who’s the intended audience for this message or feeling? Take a step back from the fine details and make sure that it sends the type of message you want to send.
Weight: Words with the most weight (usually either bolder or bigger) should place emphasis on an important part of your logo. Say your logo out loud according to the weight of each word and make sure the right stuff is amplified.
White Space: Draw a box around your logo and observe where you’re seeing the empty spaces. Which areas need to be filled out? Although there are always exceptions to the rule of course, best practice is to avoid big gaps in your logo, paying special attention to letters that extend far up or down and create voids that might look off in certain applications.
Legibility: Adding ornamental elements or connecting certain letters in your logo might make for a more balanced design, but it’s impossible to ignore legibility. Printing the logo at an inch in width is a safe size to test out your legibility at smaller sizes.
Consistency: Your logo should have a consistent look. A good way to think about this is that all the letters in your logo should look like it was written by the same tool. If your logo looks like it was written with a calligraphy brush, then that should follow for the entirety of the logo.
Similarly, the entire logo should sit on the same baseline. When doing this, think about the shapes of the letters and how that affects consistency. For example, letters with a curve at the base like “a, b, c, d, e, g, o, p, q, s, u” would sit lower than other letters so they align on the base. Give this quiz a whirl to help train your eye.
Consistent space between letters is also crucial. The letter “f” naturally gives way to more space on the right whereas the letter “m” doesn’t leave much room on either side. Since we’ve gotten so accustomed to these letters, flipping them upside down or blurring the logo might help ensure consistency with fresh eyes. You can also give this quiz a whirl to help train your eye.
What a Logo Refresh Really Looks Like
While knowing the tips can be helpful, it’s easier to visualize the effects of a logo refresh when you see real examples. Experience the effects of the logo refresh yourself when you take a look at the shifts in the logo design of these well-known brands.
Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola logo has experienced numerous refreshes from 1886, but has stayed true to the general look and feel of its branding. With the exception of its very first logo, the rest of the iterations of its logo have featured calligraphy. While the ornamental curves and loops have changed, the logo has maintained a feeling that is consistent with the brand. Some of the logos feature inconsistencies in the letter weights and baselines, but ultimately landed on the very consistent logo of today.
Lacoste: With its signature alligator, the Lacoste logo has maintained its “thing” since 1933 even with visible changes in its style. The refreshes in the logo speak to the trends of the times, landing on its logo with modern typography, with its more understated yet recognizable alligator.
Tabasco: For a brand that’s been around since 1868, the difficult task is to hold onto the heritage and history while giving the logo a much needed refresh. The logo design of the recently revamped Tabasco has stayed true to its traditions, paying homage with the same shape and look. The typography experienced a slight but poignant upgrade by infusing a bit more personality with intentional play on proportions, especially on letters like the “B” and the “S.”
Putting a Logo Refresh in Motion
When the face of your brand is your logo, refreshing it can be the best way to make an immediate impression about your changing brand in an effective way. With the nuts and bolts of logo design under your belt, the next step is to connect with your audience in communicating the message you’re looking to pass along.
Anastasia Salazar Ltd. is an independent design studio for tailored branding and digital designs. Reach out to learn how we can help you fuel growth and maximize your brand’s impact.