Branding is crucial when starting a business. Back when you just started up, you probably had the perfect logo design created, but how relevant is it now? Has your business evolved, as most that succeed do? Does your logo look kind of stale and seem to miss the mark with your audience today? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, it might be time to breathe some new life into your old logo – or even get a brand new one! Here are three signs that your logo is in need of an update:
1. It’s outdated
You’ve seen these before. They look as though they are trapped in the 1980s, or even worse, the 1970s, and not in a fun vintage way. Before you go changing your logo, however, there are a couple of things to consider. Will changing your logo be a positive change for the company? Is your logo so distinctive that your target market will no longer be able to identify you?
Some old-fashioned logos thrive on being old-fashioned (think Coca-Cola and its disastrous redesign), while others need to be continually revamped. If your company is technology driven, it is likely that you’ll need an update, but if your company has been selling clothing and accessories for 100 years, change might cause a disruption. One company that has successfully updated their logo design is Apple. While everyone will always remember the original rainbow-striped logo, the current design is a reflection of the innovative company and its products.
2. It’s not accurate
Sometimes a company undergoes a lot of change and the logo no longer represents its products or services well. It is also common for companies to merge. In this case, it might be favorable to create a new logo that better defines the company and its newly acquired changes. It might also be time to rethink the target market and align your logo design with what they are looking for. While a changed company won’t always require a new logo design, it’s an important aspect to consider and then evaluate the pros and cons.
A successful example of this is the merged logo of Citigroup and Travelers, which is now Citi. They kept a more abstract-looking umbrella over the logo as a reminder that Travelers has merged with Citigroup and the logo seems to take on equal parts of both companies’ identities.
3. It’s confusing
Some logo designs aren’t very good from the start. Maybe they are too detailed or simple, or maybe they don’t translate to black and white well. You want to make sure your logo is clear and delivers the message you want to convey to your audience. The worst thing you could experience is someone squinting in confusion when they see your logo.
If this describes you, then you definitely need an update. After all, the entire purpose of a logo is to create an identity for your company. You want consumers to be able to see a symbol or part of your logo without the name and be able to think of you instantaneously. Think Apple’s apple – the best possible example!
Danielle Pacelli is the Marketing Coordinator at MycroBurst/Logo Design Guru. MycroBurst is based in Langhorne, Pa. and is an online marketplace for graphic design. MycroBurst provides custom designs through crowdsourcing. Follow Danielle and MycroBurst on Twitter @MycroBurst.