We all know that as times change so do people, but for small businesses it shouldn’t be a case of throwing the logo baby out with the brand bath water. Yes, brand identity of your business should evolve over time along with trends and customers’ changing habits, but with your logo, often the smallest changes have the biggest impact.
You may have persuaded yourself, when looking at your original logo, to think that a complete overhaul is just what is needed. However tempting and refreshing this may sound, it is worth reflecting back to all that time, research and money you invested in developing your original logo.
Think about your customers who have grown to know and love your brand- from the colours to the size of the font, they know it better than you might give them credit for. That’s not to say that they’re aren’t changes that need making…..
The biggest companies from Google to Apple and Coca-Cola have evolved their brand as the years have gone by, giving a nod to the importance of continuous innovation. But innovation can be just tweaks and often the best changes are the subtle ones, the understated, almost the ones that we don’t even realise have happened. Google’s logo has evolved over 20 years but those changes have been a staged approach- not too radical but growing up alongside it’s consumers.
So what should you be thinking about changing?
- Certain graphic elements age better than others such as your typeface. Is the 3-d style more last year? Would a flatter style work better? Are there embellishments that need putting at the back of the brand wardrobe- those shadows, whilst once looking cutting edge, can now look amateurish.
- Are your choice of colours withstanding the test of time or do they look out of place in the current marketplace? Even just a slight adjustment to the tone can make all the difference.
- In the digital age, how versatile is your logo? Is it still recognisable as a favicon or a thumbnail? Does it still work on a mobile device and on all your social media platforms?
If you’d like some support with your companies branding please contact the office for a quick chat.
