The Logo’s Place
I designed a business card for a client yesterday . . . it was pretty good, but it wasn’t as good as it could’ve been had they not been so protective of their logo.
I’m the first to tell you that a logo is (and rightly should be) a keystone in any sound brand architecture . . . it should be created with extreme care and introspection, as well as consideration for outsider’s (i.e. customer’s) perceptions. It should be revered, never handled carelessly, else one runs the risk of losing some indefinable quality through thoughtless alterations.
But, having said all that, you’ve got to be willing to evolve! What works today won’t necessarily represent the same way tomorrow. Case and point: my client’s tired logo [I won't show it, to protect the innocent]. It does the job, and is widely recognized within the market, so it has come to represent some accumulated brand equity. All great news, meaning it’s not broke (so I wouldn’t suggest fixing it just yet).
Unless, of course, they’re trying to change the way they are perceived! They themselves are tired of how people (who don’t yet know them) view them. So they wanted a really progressive-looking, urban-grit-styled card. “Great,” says I, “I’ll give your logo the same treatment so it doesn’t look like an afterthought on the card!”
“Neigh,” says they, “our board is very strict about our branding collateral.”
Review: Company wants to be perceived as upbeat and progressive. Company wants new card to reflect new identity. Company refuses to allow logo to be handled differently in any way (we’re talking simple, here, not redesign; more like a Photoshop filter). Company now looks like an old man with new pants.
Lesson: A logo, while extremely important, is still just a graphic representation of your brand. Consider it a rallying point for cognitive associations with your company. See swoosh, think “Nike, shoes, Michael Jordan (or Tiger Woods), sweatshops” . . . what have you. See Old Glory, think “America, purple mountains majesty, rockets’ red glare, George Bush (take your pick)”. Altering either of these symbols a bit (how many versions of the flag have their been?) won’t drastically change the associations one has already made with the entity it represents–for better or for worse.
The way your logo interacts within a given context is also extremely important. When the context changes, your logo might need to as well. Do it thoughtfully, do it carefully, do it subtly, but do it! Otherwise the mismatch of the card (poster, billboard . . . ) as a whole might be speaking more loudly than the consistency of that one part.
Do any designers out there have any thoughts on the subject?
3 Comments
Homebizseo.com on March 17th, 2008
I think the logo is very important. I design embroidered shirts as my day job and folks often have a terrible logo or to much going on.
Adam on March 17th, 2008
@Jason,
Thanks for getting this post up Jason, I am still a bit under the weather but hope to get one written to put up today.
@Thomas,
Some people are very comfortable with their logo design whether it is good or not. My Father for example. His company is 35 years old and the logo has been modified once and never really brought into a new light. We have changed our letterhead, company colors and business cards in the time the company has been around. Changing a brand can be difficult because for many it represents what their comany originally was.
@Homebizseo
Thanks for checking out the site and leaving a comment. It is definetly true that many logos are not designed for stitching or even with printed materials in mind and is something that should definitely be taken into consideration during the creation of a logo.
Thomas Sinfield on March 14th, 2008
That’s crazy. Why bother getting new business cards when you don’t update a logo. I mean your not changing the whole logo, just modernising it a bit.
I laugh when I see some logos and corporate material, then shake my head and look for a company that prides itself in excellence…
Thomas Sinfield’s last blog post..How Much Do You Really Want To Succeed?