If your logo no longer corresponds with your brand image and values, it’s time for a change.
I remember as a marketer earlier on in my career, I didn’t care for my civil engineering firm’s “eyeball” logo – it didn’t make any sense to me selling engineering services, and it had muted colors and weird gradations that were tough to work with digitally. I had begged and pleaded my CEO for years to consider a rebranding effort to no avail. Then one day a new, loquacious client mentioned that our logo looked a little… phallic. A week later we had an external graphics company on board to go through a whole rebranding process in honor of our 10 year anniversary. I cringe to think about how many employees, clients, and vendors had thought the same thing over the years, but out of politeness or indifference never said anything.
A strong logo can have a big impact on your business. More often than not, a logo has to be tweaked or adjusted to keep up with shifts and changes in your company (or even the design/technology world). This is especially true for businesses with longevity – the logo your firm created decades ago is probably not going to speak well to your clients in 2022 or even within the digital channels of the 21st century.
A logo redesign may seem daunting and expensive, but making a commitment to breathe new life into something that’s worked for a while – maybe even a long while – can pay off significantly. Your logo is an important branding tool for your company. It needs to be the right fit for the specific brand message you aim to communicate.
Ask yourself this one question: Is my logo a current representation of my brand, my values, my firm as a whole? If your answer is “yes,” then you may also want to ask your marketing team, your clients, and your staff (perhaps even anonymously if you want an accurate answer).
If your logo no longer corresponds with your brand image and values, this is a sign that it is time for a new change. You may want to think about looking at a redesign of your logo if you have:
- Expanded your services or offerings. Perhaps the logo that worked when you were a transportation engineering firm doesn’t work as well after you’ve added surveying and site civil engineering.
- Expanded your client base. Are you speaking to a new or different and/or younger audience? Perhaps you’ve expanded your client base from developers to government agencies. What types of media are you using to communicate with these new clients?
- Updated your mission, vision, and/or values. You may discover that the personality of your company has changed over the years and decades; your logo should reflect these changes.
- Identifying new competition. Are there new players in your market? Who are the fresh new firms you are competing against and how does your logo compare with theirs? A redesign can show both your existing clients that you’re modern and up-to-date and prospective clients that you are worthy of being considered.
- Utilizing and maximizing digital marketing channels. Your logo ultimately may just not work well for the new technology that we use every day. Logos with a lot of detail or too much gradient often don’t translate well to digital. Firms that were established long before the digital age may find that their logos look great on letterhead but not so great in square profile images or in digital creative.
When your company first started and your logo was designed, it was probably perfectly emblematic of your firm. But we all know that no company remains static – they grow and evolve over time. New services, people, and company missions are introduced. Mergers and acquisitions may have taken place. Company changes are usually things to be celebrated – they are often brought about by growth and opportunity. A logo redesign can be just the thing to help stay relevant in the competitive marketplace or signal a new direction.
A redesign doesn’t have to mean rebranding, and it doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive. Your in-house team of marketing professionals may be able to tweak some colors, flatten areas, or update your logo’s layout to bring you into the 21st century. There are some great, cost-reasonable resources too like 99Designs where graphic designers across the world can compete for a fixed fee for a logo (or other graphics) design based on your needs.
Plus, there’s no better excuse to get in front of your existing clients, prospective clients, and, in this crazy labor market, prospective hires than a logo redesign announcement.
Malory Atkinson is co-founder and managing partner at Shear Structural. She can be reached at matkinson@shearstructural.com or via social media @maloryatkinson.
