LOGOS: To Redesign or Not To Redesign, That Is the Question

A logo redesign is something that can be beneficial to every kind of small, medium, and large business. Some logo designs are effective for many years, even decades, while others lose their luster after only a few years…or maybe they never really had it to begin with?

Determining a logo’s effectiveness is crucial when deciding whether or not to redesign it. Several questions need to be asked prior to making this determination:

• How old is the logo design?
• What does the logo design mean to the company it represents?
• What does the logo design mean to the consumers?
• What are the logo colors and what do they represent?
• What was the thought process behind creating this particular logo?
• Does the logo design exist electronically?

Let’s go through these questions one-by-one:

How old is the logo design?
A 30-year-old logo has done its job if the company it represents is successful. By the same token, a 5-year-old logo has also done its job if the company it represents is still in business. Now, this does not mean that the 30-year-old logo representing that successful company is still effective in catching the eye of new and/or young consumers. It may be that the older, long-term consumers have come to seek comfort in the logo design and are not at all concerned about its effect, or lack thereof, on modern day consumers. In general, all logos could use a facelift after a 30-year run and it does not have to be a major overhaul to bring it up to a modern-day design. Young logo designs can also benefit from being redesigned, but be very careful with this. If a 5-year-old logo is effective, if its business is doing well, and if its consumers recognize it, then you may want to leave it alone or you risk losing a large number of consumers that you have worked so hard to establish. If the 5-year-old business is not doing well at all, then you’ve got nothing to lose by redesigning its logo.

What does the logo design mean to the company it represents?
A logo usually has more than one meaning to its company. Lead managers and directors of a company need to determine this, if they have not already done so, in order to really know whether or not their logo is in need of a facelift. Generally, a small organization may want their logo to represent a specific facet of their small business; a larger company may want their logo to represent a larger, more conceptual aspect of their company. If the logo design has a muddled or blurred vision and lacks any definitive meaning, then it may be time to bring that back into focus. Determine this by first meeting with key people of your company and getting feedback from staff via a well-constructed survey. Sample questions a survey may contain are:

• Does our company logo visually fit the company?
• How would you sum up our company logo in one word?
• What aspect of our company logo do you not understand?

And so on. Gaining some unbiased feedback from outsiders may be beneficial as well, but be prepared for constructive and not-so-constructive criticism…it’s all part of the process.

What does the logo design mean to the consumers?
Some logos remain recognizable and appealing to the consumer for a long period of time. This can cause a company to hold off on redesigning their logo for fear of losing their customer base. Some logos may not have any meaning to the consumer, but it may not matter if the logo is recognizable. Some logos may lack meaning completely and therefore may drive consumers away before they have a chance to learn more about the company. Companies should consider creating a survey for their customers to determine what the logo really means to them. Sample questions a survey may contain are:

• Does the company logo draw you in?
• How do you feel when you see the company logo?
• Do you think the company logo is accurate?

And so on. Seeking the input and advice from current customers may prove to be the most valuable step toward creating a concrete and long-lasting brand. Furthermore, they will feel honored that their opinion is being sought for something of such high importance.

What are the logo colors and what do they represent?
Colors invoke a specific feeling when we look at them. Blue makes us feel calm, red makes us feel angry, and green makes us feel motivated. There are numerous studies on the effect colors have on people (stay tuned for an article on this topic in the near future), but for the purposes of logo design, we’ll keep this as basic as possible. Determine why the current logo colors were chosen and then determine if the colors are hurting or helping the logo. To do this, it may be necessary to see the current logo in a variety of colors. The colors may play an important role in the company brand and therefore may not be easily changed. However, a color does not have to be completely changed to have an impact. The original color can stay and additional colors can be added for more variation. Or, the original color can be slightly lightened or darkened for a subtle change.  

What was the thought process behind creating this particular logo?
Yes, I realize this may be a hard question to answer since the original thinkers who created this logo may no longer be with the company. Or, it may be so long ago that when asked this question, those who contributed to it may no longer remember. The reason this is important is because you want to be able to retain the original meaning the logo was intended to have. You do not want to lose value, meaning, or purpose when choosing to redesign your logo since the logo may end up being less effective as a result. The only way this will not make a difference is if you are looking to change the meaning of the logo completely from what it once was; this would be more like a rebranding which is broader than just a simple logo redesign. If determining the original thought process is not possible, you can research the company history during the time the logo was created. This may help give you insight as to what potentially was the intention with the logo design. This can be timely and a bit tricky, but take your time because it is important.

Does the logo design exist electronically?
Was it created within the last 20 years on a computer? Or, was it created back in the 80’s or even earlier and only exist in camera-ready copy—this is a hard copy, or print-out, usually in all black which was literally used as-is and scanned or photographed for printing. If the existing logo needs to be only slightly modified but does not exist electronically, it will be necessary to recreate the logo from scratch. Don’t panic, this can be done relatively easily by any skilled designer. If the logo does exist electronically, then it is preferable that it exists in a variety of file formats for ease in transition to the next design. Again, a skilled designer will be able to evaluate your current logo, regardless of its format, and determine the best process for redesigning it.

Once you have made your way through the above steps, you should be well-equipped to handle the next stage of your redesign process. Assuming that you are, in fact, going to move forward with your redesign, you will need to meet with your design team in order to produce a plan of action and a time-line of how the redesign will proceed.

In general, a logo redesign is not a rush job. It is a process that needs time, patience, and planning. All those involved need to proceed with a positive outlook and a concrete vision.

When considering the effectiveness of your logo, you may also wish to consult with Searing Design for a free evaluation of your current logo and advice on creating a plan that works well for your particular company.

Take a Walk and Gain Inspiration

Do you ever feel like you have absolutely no creative juices left in your brain in order to complete any sort of business-related project? Do you sit in your office, look around at the four walls, and think to yourself, “Is this really where I have to do my creative thinking?”

You don’t have to! That’s the beauty of it all. What I love to do when I am in need of some creative inspiration is simply go for a walk. This is something that anyone can do: the accountant, the IT consultant, the school teacher, even the store owner. Everyone needs to think creatively at some point during their busy day, but for some, doing anything creative at their desk or in their workplace can be difficult.

Break out of the four walls and get walking. Taking a walk, either alone or with someone else, allows you to gain new insight on what’s going on in your world outside of your office. When you walk, take in the landscape around you. Regardless of where you walk, there is always something to see, something that can inspire you to think outside the box.

Whether you walk in an area where there are lots of cars, noise, and people rushing past you, or down a country road with empty sidewalks and trees rustling in the breeze, there is an opportunity for you to stop thinking about your work and start thinking of something else. Don’t go out with the purpose of solving your creative woes; actually, don’t think of anything at all. Just let your eyes and your mind wander. You will be so surprised at what ends up coming to your mind.

I do this quite frequently, especially when I am mentally drained with a project that I am trying so hard to be creative on. I start by taking in several deep breathes and letting myself adjust to the sunlight or the brightness of the day. Then, I just start looking. I may see a new flower starting to grow and that might make me think of planting some flowers in my yard. Then, I start to think of what types of flowers and where to plant them. Do I want to plant the same flowers as I did last year? Or try something new? Do I want to go with a new color theme for my flowers, or stick with the same color combinations I’ve been planting? Then, I continue to look around at the trees, grass, houses, fences, and just about anything that I walk past. I do not look down at the road when I walk, unless I fear I may trip over something. I want to take it all in and see where my mind allows me to go. I like to fantasize and imagine things that make me feel happy.

This sort of mind wandering can spark the creative energy you need to tackle your difficult tasks. It’s an invigorating way to spend a half hour, or longer. In the end, you are able to gain inspiration to go back and solve your creative problems. Your inefficient day can be transformed into a miraculous outcome.

I am always able to come with new design ideas and solutions after taking a walk. Even if you are not in a creative field, there are always challenging tasks you are faced with each day. You may need to develop new systems for tracking sales, or gaining leads, or managing your budget, or managing your staff, or gaining new customers. It does not matter what you need to tackle; if it’s a challenge for you, then you deserve, and need, to have the ability to think outside the box for new and creative solutions.

Remember also that it does not matter what the weather is outside. Living here in Connecticut, where there are four very different seasons with unpredictable weather during each one of them, you never know what each day will bring. But, whether it’s a brisk winter day, or an early summer morning, your mind and your body will be invigorated!

I would like to challenge everyone in the coming weeks to try this for themselves. If nothing else, you will be doing your body some good!

White Space: YES, you DO need it!

It never ceases to amaze me. I receive a direct mail piece and in it I see nothing but text, text, text, graphics, colors, text, text, text. I don’t know where to look first. Have you ever seen this? I’m sure you have. Everyone has seen a design that is so loaded with stuff that they just put it down–in that circular-file-thingy–never to be looked at again.

But, why? Why what? Why is that direct mail piece so overloaded, or why do we toss them…shhh, did I say that out loud? I think there is the notion that every square inch needs to be filled. “Let’s not waste any space, we’ve got to get the most bang for our buck!” I understand this, I really and truly do. HOWEVER, we need to remember who our recipients are. Our readers, prospective clients, recipients of oh-so-wonderful marketing pieces need to be able to look at a piece and READ it! And, the best way to guarantee that it gets read, is to give their eyes a chance to relax, rest, take a breather, if you will, so they can move on to the next wonderful and amazing piece of information that you have to share with them.

White space is a blessed tool that, if used correctly, creates design pieces that actually stand out more. It is used to balance colors, text and graphics. It can actually draw your eye in, rather than make you look away. Think about it: if you look at a white postcard with nothing but the word LOVE in the middle, then you look at a postcard with the word LOVE surrounded by hearts, colors, loads of text, and what-not, which one do you think will engage you more? Which one will you have an easier time reading? Which one will allow you to open it or turn it over more quickly? Be honest…I know you know the answer.

So, please, please, please, the next time you come up with a new marketing idea, keep it simple and remember that more doesn’t always mean better.

Welcome to the Searing Design blog.

Hello everyone, and thank you for visiting the Searing Design blog. My name is Jody Searing, owner and operator of Searing Design LLC, a graphic design firm in Cheshire, CT. I would like this blog to be a casual place to discuss good design, bad design, ideas, suggestions and just about anything that comes to mind. Think of this as a place to share your thoughts in a less formal setting. But, please keep this professional. Enjoy!