At Design and Promote, most companies come to us with one of two requests for logo design: design a brand new logo for their new company or update their existing logo.  While both requests yield a similar result—a fabulous, custom, logo that expresses what their company does at first glance—each requires a different approach and some soul-searching on the part of the client.

Creating a New Logo

For a brand new company, creating a logo makes it all feel official!  The logo is the “special ingredient” that makes it possible to produce all the rest of their marketing materials like their business cards, website, flyers, or signage.   The possibilities are endless. So, where do you begin?

Research. Look at similar companies and currently used logos in your industry.  What do you like?  What do you dislike?  How do you want to position yourself in the marketplace to compete with them?  How can this be expressed in your logo?

Preferences. Are there favorite colors you want to include, or NOT include? What kind of font do you prefer? Is there any specific imagery you want in the logo or DO NOT want used?

Personal Touches.  Is there anything special about your business, the company’s origins, history, location, or beliefs that could be incorporated into the logo? Is there anything specific about your industry that should appear in the logo? How about the company’s owner?  Is there anything interesting about his or her story that can be used graphically in the logo?

Format.  Where will you be using the logo?  How will the logo look blown up onto a billboard or reduced to fit on a golf ball? What file formats do you need?  All design studios are not equal.  Make sure you receive your logo in all the formats you need for any possible marketing material you may create in the future.  Our logo package includes formats for use everywhere, including online and for printing.

Especially for new companies who are not yet well-known, it’s important that the company name works well with the graphics incorporated into the design.  This was important to a cupcake company that came to us for a logo design but did not yet have a company name.  We brainstormed company names and offered designs with several names before the winner (see below) was chosen.  Also, the company owners specifically requested “no pink”, which is a typical, appetizing color associated with cupcakes. Instead, we chose to express their use of natural ingredients in our color choice by using neutral, natural colors while still creating an appealing graphic that clearly expresses what the company does with an appealing, delicious looking cupcake.  The selected design also worked well with the company name.

 

Updating a Logo

Sometimes an existing, established company feels the need to update their logo. Logo updates are often accompanied by the need to change or create other marketing items as well, such as a new website, new company uniforms, merchandise and other collateral.  Sometimes the need to create a new logo has to do with industry peer pressure!  It doesn’t look good for a firm to have an old-fashioned, tired looking logo in circulation when the competition’s logos look fresh, inviting and progressive.

If you need a logo update, you should take some of the steps required of companies needing a new logo, but with a twist.

Research and Analyze the Competition.  As an established business, you probably have some direct competitors by now.  Take a look at their logos. How does yours compare and why?

Preferences.  How has your logo stood the test of time? Do the colors and graphics you chose then look modern or dated now?

Personal Touches.  Is there any elements of your logo that are so essential or sentimental that they simply MUST be included in the new design?   A talented designer will be able to give your logo a facelift while retaining elements that are important to you.

Format.  Did your old logo perform equally well when it was enlarged and reduced? Make sure you once again receive the logo in all the formats you need from your designer.

DuPage Swimming Center came to us requesting a logo update. The owner had previously conceived the idea of juxtaposing a human and a dolphin swimming together and wanted to retain that in the new logo. The original logo had been created to read “DuPage Swim Center” when the company name was actually “DuPage Swimming Center”.  The new logo needed to reflect this name instead.

Our solution demonstrated our ability to listen and respond to the client’s requests to retain their favorite elements of the logo, yet infuse the logo with energy and passion.

Take a look at your own logo. Is it time for an update?  Call us for an evaluation of your existing logo and learn how a simple update can make a difference in how your logo performs for your company and against the competition!