Many companies are reluctant to rebrand their logo. They worry about having to spend time and money to revamp all their collateral. In addition, they dislike having to reintroduce the new logo to consumers. With these concerns, you might seem tempted to stick to the original.
Yet, numerous companies have constantly updated their designs, with some (such as Google and Pepsi) changing them multiple times in the past few years. Ultimately, logos are symbols of the company’s brand, representing the personalities and values of the company. Companies are forced to adapt to changing times, and it is not hard to see why logo have evolved.
Your logo doesn’t stand out
When people are making a purchase, they need to remember your brand. Logo are commonly associated with a company’s brand. If the design looks too ordinary and forgettable, consumers might not even consider your products in the first place.
What you can learn from FedEx:
FedEx is a famous example. The founder, Frederick W. Smith, was planning to expand his delivery company further but found that the awkward logo was an obstacle. He wanted the company’s trucks – which carried the logo – to be clearly visible even when he was standing five blocks away.
In 1994, the company’s logo underwent a redesign. The new design was legendary, winning over 40 awards. Furthermore, it contributed to FedEx’s successful rebranding, making FedEx one of the most recognisable delivery companies in the world today.
One of the reasons why the new logo was so successful was because of the “hidden” arrow present between the letters E and X. This forward-looking arrow, created by negative spaces, represented FedEx’s efficiency and precision in transporting items from one point to another. This message was being passed on to viewers subconsciously, while people who noticed it started to talk about it.
Besides utilising negative spaces, owning a uniquely shaped logo can help the company stand out. Nike’s “swoosh” symbol is another famous case. The symbol is so distinctive that it stood out despite its simplicity. At the same time, it suggests movement and athletic excellence. Similarly, the Starbucks Siren (mermaid) design is highly noticeable because no other beverage company has anything looking even remotely close to it.
Thus, having an exclusive symbol that represents your brand will allow customers to remember and buy from you.
You appeal to a new target audience or their tastes have changed
If the consumer base – or their preferences – is changing, your old logo might not appeal anymore. Redesigning the company’s logo is one way to relate to them. It informs customers that your company’s values and beliefs are in line with theirs.
What you can learn from Domino’s:
Domino’s Pizza realised that consumers were increasingly coming to their stores instead of ordering delivery. As part of a rebranding process to help customers feel more welcome at their stores, Domino’s adopted a new logo. They dropped the word “Pizza” in its name as the company wanted to show that they could sell other types of food, not just pizza, in their stores. Furthermore, the company removed the blue rectangle to give the logo a neater look.
Removing letters in the logo seems to be a popular way to attract customers from a different target audience. Companies such as McDonald’s and Nike have taken out words from their logos in order to suit an international audience, enticing customers who do not understand English.
Another way to get to a new target audience is to change the fonts and colours to suit their tastes. For instance, Mr. Coffee went through with a logo redesign to make the brand look more youthful and appeal to younger customers.
Your logo looks outdated
In today’s globalised world, industries are changing at a breakneck speed, with trends disappearing almost as fast as they arrive. Likewise, a logo that seemed fashionable in the past might look out of touch today. Giving your brand a revamp will signal to consumers that you can still connect and understand them today.
What you can learn from Wendy’s:
Wendy’s changed its logo for the first time since 1983. The company gave it a modern makeover but still kept several traditional elements. For one, Wendy is no longer trapped in a grid with crammed font. Instead, a simple circular frame was used. The tacky sign at the bottom was also taken away, giving the design a more minimal feel overall. Furthermore, Wendy looks happier and healthier, with the colours looking brighter and more saturated. All these changes helped to present a more friendly and accessible appearance. As a result, Wendy’s enjoyed better sales figures, with restaurants reporting a 25 per cent increase in revenue.
The trend nowadays for modern logos is to take a more minimalist and clean-cut approach. Opting for a simple, flat design seems to be in style now, with tech companies such as Google and Facebook leading the way. Using more contemporary san serif fonts can help as well. As mentioned, negative spaces also help to provide a more modern feel.
Having read these examples, are you inspired to revamp your logo?