You may remember a couple of years back about the rumours of Pepsi spending hundreds of millions in its logo redesign. Although Pepsi may have spent a few hundred million dollars on advertising, the 2008 logo did cost $1 Million. Logo redesigns aren’t exactly new, nor should they be as expensive, but they signify or at least aim to reflect the changes in the brand as it grows and expands, and also to keep up with current trends. That said, we’ll be taking signs that might tell you that it’s time to change your business or organisation’s logo, as well as tips when doing so:
You Need A New Logo When…
It Gets Old
It’s hard to let go of your business’ first logo. But over the years, it may start to look outdated, and it’s rare for logos to age well. It might have looked good when printed on newspapers and the Yellow Pages, but it may start looking out of place with more modern and sleek logo designs and don’t stand out that well. That said, your logo and your company should continue to evolve and keep up with the times, and so should the logo.
It’s Not “Multi-Media” Friendly
Your logo may look amazing on large tarpaulins and your products, but it may be too complex or hard to read/distinguish when scaled down on paper or in your social media page. With today’s multimedia world, you’d want your logo to be striking, readable, and scalable in any medium and size.
It Doesn’t Stand Out
Your logo may have worked well when your business or organisation was small, but as it grows and widens its scope, so does its exposure to competition. That said, your logo may not look as professional, eye-catching, or memorable as your competition’s logos.
Your Company Has Evolved
The logo you have now may represent your company as it started, but as your company has expanded, perhaps even added new products and services and abandoned old ones, your logo may no longer be as fitting. One example is when multinational oil company “BP” which spent a whopping $211 Million in its new green-and-yellow sunflower logo to show its focus towards environmentalism.
Tips When Redesigning
Retain the Iconic Qualities
Changes can range from minor tweaks to overhauls, but you must retain your logo’s distinct and best qualities so that your consumers still know that it’s your brand, but with just a new look.
Go Simple or Go Broke
More modern logos are simpler, cleaner, and easy to scale. Make sure that your new logo doesn’t make things worse by adding too much that would make it too complicated or hard to see. Many logos have started to become more and more minimalistic with the details and strive for a cleaner and easily readable typography, and so should yours. The bottom line is that it should look good and easy to read and distinguish on paper, custom promotional merchandise, social media pages, billboards, and on TV.
Use Symbols
Many logos have hidden symbols and meaning that make them more interesting and memorable. A few examples that come to mind is the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo, the arrow in Amazon saying that it has everything from A to Z, the hidden 31 in Baskin Robbins that signify its 31 flavours, or the analog and digital signs in Sony Vaio’s brand and logo.
Conclusion
The takeaway here is that as businesses and organisations continue to grow and evolve, so should the brand’s logo. And remember, rebranding can cost a lot in terms of the time and money brainstorming for the design as well as in printing the logo in your products, custom promotional merchandise, billboards, and other advertising media, so it’s not a decision that you should be taken lightly.
