[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Your logo lies at the center of your brand. It’s the first thing people see and is placed on every channel your company has. This is why a logo redesign can be frightening. The pressure only grows if you are changing an iconic logo you’ve had for years.Even if your logo is iconic, sometimes a change is necessary. Follow these five steps to ensure your logo redesign is a success.
Consider your brand’s identity
Before fleshing out new designs, consider the core identity of your brand. Write out exactly why a redesign is necessary and what you hope a new logo can accomplish that your old one doesn’t. The answer isn’t always complicated—an iconic logo can simply become dated after years of use.The most important part of a redesign is that you don’t lose your brand’s identity. There are larger questions at play here about your brand’s story. Don’t just consider what you do, but why you do it. Any new logo designs should convey this.Also consider your identity from a design perspective. Despite being redesigned, your iconic logo has colors and other traits that people associate with your brand. If you’re a well established company that has been around for decades, changing too many elements could be off-putting. List out the most iconic aspects that are non-negotiable parts of your identity and make sure they are included in new design ideas.
Research the industry and competition
Once you’ve established the core elements of your design through your brand’s identity, do a comprehensive overview of other logos in your industry. Take a look at your competitors’ logos. Consider the overused design elements among them and find ways that you can stand out.Keep your target customers in mind throughout this step. Consider the values and interests of your buyer persona and brainstorm design ideas that would appeal to them. Design preferences can change drastically depending on the demographics of your target audience—make sure your new ideas appeal to the right group of people.
Work with a creative team
When redesigning an iconic logo, it is well worth the investment to seek help from professionals. Before selecting an agency, review their portfolio. This will help ensure their work is aligned with your own goals for the redesign and is in a style that meets what you’re looking for. Be selective at this stage and ensure you’re finding a team with strong communication skills and a clear understanding of the direction you want.As you’ve already established your core identity and understand industry trends, share this information with the agency you’ve hired. They’ll want to understand your brand and industry as well as possible through their own research and the knowledge you provide them.
Provide substantial feedback
Once you’ve hired a team, set your expectations and a deadline. The more quickly you provide feedback, the faster the project will move along. A constant stream of communication is key and will ensure you’re both working towards the same vision.Also get feedback on these designs from people in your industry and see what their first impression is. This can be an important place to compare your new designs to your original logo. Whether people think the change is too drastic or not large enough, these opinions will be helpful for working effectively with an agency.
Receive your final logo
Once you’ve provided substantial feedback and gone through a few iterations, it’s time to receive your new logo. Your agency should provide you with the agreed upon deliverables. This could include print and digital variations, different versions optimized for mobile or tablet platforms, and a variety of color schemes as well, such as black and white, monochrome, and fully colored.Thoroughly evaluating your brand and working with professionals on a new logo will leave you happy with your redesign.
Key takeaways
A logo redesign is necessary from time to time. Whether your current design is dated or your brand has changed, it can be intimidating to switch from your iconic logo. However, following these steps will lead you to success. Keeping the core concepts of your brand while also considering industry trends will give you a good foundation to work with an agency. From there, lots of feedback and a few drafts will put you in an excellent position for the development of your final idea.Interested in learning more? Click here or reach out to info@97switch.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
