Starting a new business means designing a logo and branding. Many small business owners think that your logo is your branding. It’s easy to see why they think this. Your logo is how people will identify your business. Your brand is how people EXPERIENCE your business.
A logo should be simple, memorable, and unique.
The best logos are simple and memorable. They are easy to remember. They have a clear message and have an element of simplicity to them. This makes them easy to reproduce in any size or color without losing their clarity.
The best logos are also unique and original so that they stand out from other companies in their industry. This uniqueness can come from the shape of the logo, the colors used, or even just one letter in the logo being different than all others on its own page.
A logo design process usually starts with a brainstorming session in which designers try to come up with ideas for the new logo. The next step is to narrow down the list of ideas and then choose one that best suits the company’s needs. The final step is to test out the logo by changing colors, fonts, and shapes until you find the perfect one.
A logo can be anything from a simple symbol or icon, such as an apple with a bite taken out of it, to an elaborate design with multiple colors and images that represent what your company offers.
What are the Different Types of Logos?
Logos are a crucial part of any business. They can help your business to stand out and be memorable. There are many different types of logos that you can use, each one with its own unique characteristics.
There are three main types of logos: abstract, pictorial, and typographical.
- Abstract logos are made up of shapes or symbols that represent the company’s values.
- Pictorial logos use pictures or symbols to represent the company’s values and message.
- Typographical logos use words or letters to form the logo design.
Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses in terms of what it communicates about your company’s brand identity as well as its ability to stand out from other brands in a cluttered marketplace.
You’ll also need to keep in mind the niche market you’re trying to reach.
How to Choose the Right Logo Design for Your Brand?
A logo is the first thing that customers will see when they visit your website or social media page.
It is important to choose a logo design that reflects your brand values and represents your company well in this competitive market. There are many factors to consider when choosing a logo design, such as colors, shapes, fonts, and more.
You don’t have to be super literal when choosing your logo. For example, Starbucks uses a “siren” as the central theme of their iconic logo. According to the website:
It was 1971 and the founders had landed on the name Starbucks, inspired by Moby Dick. Next up: creating a logo. While scouring some old marine books, something stood out. A mysterious, nautical figure called to them, as sirens do.
The logo meant a lot to not only the company but their customers. In 2011 when they redesigned their logo, the world gasped. Self proclaimed “marketing experts” worried that customers wouldn’t be able to find their local Starbucks due to the logo change.
Sigh….
What You Need to Know about Logo and Branding
Here’s what you must remember when it comes to your logo and branding. Your company’s “brand” is not created by your logo. Instead, your brand is crafted by consumer experience with your business. Your logo is just the “hook” where consumers mentally “hang” their feelings about doing business with you.
Every day as you operate your business, you’re creating your “brand” in the mind of consumers. Just like a garment is composed of dozens of individual elements – so is your company’s brand. Just as many individual elements come together to create a garment, so too do many individual elements come together create your “brand.” From the physical attributes of the products to the attitude and demeanor of your employees – your “brand” is a complex amalgamation of collective consumer experiences.
Your logo is simply the “hook” where consumers mentally hang that complex amalgamation of collective consumer experiences.
As Starbuck executives and PR wonks wax rhapsodic about how the 16th Century woodcut Norse siren has been “liberated” from the words “Starbucks” and “coffee” which once imprisoned her – they seem to be forgetting the secret to their early success. They seem to be intentionally ignoring the fact that the logo is the hook – not the garment.
Your logo is a hook from which the brand hangs. Changing the logo is not going to magically change your branding.
So often, small business owners get entirely wrapped up in designing a logo but overlook the real work of creating a brand.
The logo didn’t create Starbuck’s success. The colors or the symbol of the two tailed mermaid didn’t create it. Starbucks still would have been successful had they chosen a different font for the words. All of those elements come together to create the Starbucks logo. However, those individual elements are not the REASON for Starbuck’s early success.
The Starbucks logo conveys the Starbucks experience and nothing more.
The Link Between Logo and Branding
That’s why Starbucks had to close all their stores in 2008 to “retrain” their staff. It was a sign that the “brand” hanging from the Starbucks logo had become dirty, ratty and torn. Training focused upon the art of creating fine coffee and creating exceptional consumer experience.
The Starbucks’ brand is more than a logo – more than the unique “language” used to order product – more than the contents of each cup of coffee served. The key to Starbucks early success was the “atmosphere” – a decidedly psychosocial element which played a huge role in establishing the Starbucks “brand”. The fact that the company is focusing upon the state of the hook upon which that brand hangs is disturbing to say the least.
What Logo and Branding can’t do.
Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz is announced in 2011 that the new logo would allow Starbucks to move beyond coffee.
Sigh! Again, your logo doesn’t define your branding. The customer experience defines your branding.
Starbucks had a huge problem that had nothing to do with their logo. They didn’t have to close nearly 600 “under performing” stores because people were tired of the logo. Those stores weren’t “under performing” because people who lived near those stores had quit drinking coffee. No – those under performing stores were under performing because they had lost sight of how to create the original Starbucks brand experience.
Lots of fast food companies are investing in logo redesign. In 2019, Pizza Hut revived the version of their logo used from 1967 to 1999. In 2021, Burger King brought back their logo and branding used from 1969 to 1999. According to Eater.com it’s a sign of the times.
Early in 2020, Doritos went with a yellow-and-orange retro look for its taco-flavored chips, complete with a Frito-Lay logo discontinued in 1997. Starting in 2018, KFC spelled out “Kentucky Fried Chicken” in clean black-and-white text, and is now advertising buckets featuring a drawing of Colonel Sanders like the one the chain used through 1976, alongside retro-logoed Pepsi. And Yuengling, for a limited time in 2019, released some ’80s-style cans.
Logo Design Costs
A memorable logo can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace. The cost of getting a new logo depends on what design you are looking for, what your budget is, and how much work you are willing to put into it.
Ask to see a designer’s portfolio. Think about who your target audience is. If you’re targeting middle aged motorcyclist you’re going to want a different style of logo than you would if you were targeting health care professionals.
As your business grows, your logo may need to change. Successful international corporations invest in a logo redesign when it’s needed. As your business grows, you will probably need redesign your original logo. It’s a good thing!
Conclusion: The Importance of Having an Effective Logo Design & Branding Strategy
A logo is the most important part of your branding strategy. It is what people will remember you by and it should be able to create a sense of trust and familiarity with your company. Your logo should be recognizable, memorable, and timeless.
Effective logos are:
- Simple
- Unique
- Memorable
Edited for content on May 9, 2022
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