Many corporations and brands are initially recognized and identified by their logos, which grant them visibility. Despite the emotional connection that changing times and trends may have created with the brand's logo, some brands feel the need to make alterations. While some brands manage these processes with minor changes, others dive into redesigning with major alterations, attempting to capture the essence and spirit of the times. Consumers who have an emotional bond sometimes welcome certain logo designs while others express harsh criticism, occasionally even feeling disenchanted with the brand.
Understanding how a logo redesign affects customers is crucial. A logo can be defined as 'a graphic representation that awakens a brand's memory.' A logo not only represents a brand's aesthetic aspects but also its most definitive expression that influences a consumer's attitude towards it. Consumers feel connected to brands through logos. Normally, people are resistant to change. When Apple changed the color of their logo in 2003, despite the positive aspects of the logo change, within hours, hundreds of customers lodged various online complaints. However, after realizing the benefits of the change, they accepted it.
Marketing managers must remember the effects of a logo change on brand awareness and customer engagement. It is considered a significant decision as it can either increase or decrease an organization's sales. Brand advocates often assist marketing managers in introducing their new logos to consumers. Therefore, initiating and utilizing various loyalty programs is recommended. This way, the company can easily change its logo without affecting its commitments to customers.
Logo for Product or Service There are several reasons why any organization might opt for a redesigned logo for a product or service. Some marketing managers believe that their current logos aren't appealing enough to customers and redesign them to increase attractiveness. Additionally, some marketing managers believe that the company is already well-established, and the logo should represent a philosophy and uniqueness for customers, thus suggesting a more updated logo for the product and/or service portfolio.
Associate the brand with the customer. Negative connotations should be minimized, and misplaced attributes should be emphasized. This exercise should be carried out on a graphic level, defining the foundation on which the new logo will be created. It might sound simple, but only a graphic expert can offer well-thought-out alternatives that produce the expected results.
Brand loyalty; companies should analyze their customers' loyalty to the brand before making decisions on logo redesign. Subsequently, a logo is designed to meet their expectations, and this is communicated as an expression action for the company to adapt to new consumer profiles and needs.
Integration strategy; it's not just about changing a logo. The graphic representation of the brand is redefined. This means a positive impact at all levels of the organization. This process should integrate all levels and hierarchies of the organization, aligning them coherently to consistently fulfill the value proposition.
Innovation Opportunities with Logo Design There are specific codes common to a product category, but due to the multitude of existing offers, many fall into the mistake of resembling each other too much, similar to the common offers. They are no different from common offerings. Consider the differentiators of the category and dare to innovate by creating a proposal that stands out in competition. A logo design process should not be 'what has been done before,' but rather, it should be adjusted to current requirements, codes, and profiles, and this will change significantly within a few years.
Be willing to change. Inconsistency is probably one of the breaking points in rebranding. Commitment and willingness to change must be constant for all members of the organization backed by the previous 5 points. Change should not only affect all media or scenarios exposed to the brand but should also be synchronized absolutely and perfectly to be successful and not detrimental to the organization.
Redesigning a logo is an important and critical decision for any organization. Marketing managers should calculate the benefits they will achieve, the 'loss' they will incur, and analyze what the strategy will be to take advantage of the situation and improve positioning. If logo redesign is developed based on careful research, solid strategy, and advice from subject matter experts, it will be beneficial for any organization.
