Logo Redesign vs. Logo Refresh:
A logo redesign is a comprehensive reinvention of a company's logo, introducing a new, updated version that incorporates different design elements. With a logo redesign, changes are more noticeable and dramatic, making them ideal for companies that want to communicate a new style or aesthetic.
A logo refresher is when a company makes subtle changes to its design. These are often minor things like a change or brightening of colors or a change of typeface. Logo refreshers help enhance a logo design by merging old and new components. These are often done when brands want to introduce new products or attract a new target market.
When to Redesign a Logo:
Redesigning a logo that your current devoted consumer base has become accustomed to is a serious undertaking. While some of your new clients may enjoy the refresher, others may find themselves constantly comparing the old to the new.
Before redesigning your logo, consider the following questions:
1. Has your target market changed or expanded?
When a company wishes to reach out to an unexplored target market, a logo redesign could help its brand appear versatile and attractive. A logo that looks good on digital media and adopts a contemporary aesthetic, for example, may appeal to a younger market.
2. Have you introduced new products and/or services?
While introducing small products and/or services is welcomed, their market success may depend on your brand's logo. This is particularly important if you're looking to introduce items or services not part of your forte. For example, if a lip gloss line decides to offer make-up courses, a logo redesign could help attract a new clientele.
3. Why is your current logo not working for you anymore?
The rationale for a logo redesign is significant since it aids in the planning of future design options. It also prevents you from changing a logo for fleeting reasons, such as following trends, which may be over before you're done with the remodeling process.
Valid reasons for changing a logo include merging with another firm or wanting to disassociate your brand from the previous logo's brand image or PR history.
4. Are you planning on expanding your brand?
Brand growth, similar to target market expansion, may require a logo update, especially if you want to penetrate new markets. Ferrari, for example, began as an automotive company but has now expanded its brand to include perfume, apparel, and footwear.
5. Are you up against new competitors?
In general, new competitors add fresh ideas and style to an industry, attributes that your target consumer may prefer. A new logo may be able to help you stand out among your new competitors. While a logo refresh is preferred, it may be worthwhile to experiment with alternative logo designs that compete with other companies.
6. Does your logo represent old values or an outdated mission?
It's natural for a company to outgrow its initial beliefs and goals. Whether it's social-economic changes or technological advancements that spur these changes, a logo redesign helps communicate a new message and brand identity. These changes are often found in older companies that have been around for decades.
Examples of Logo Redesigns:
1. Dose of Colors.
Dose of Colors' expansion into cosmetics shows brand versatility, and it's represented in the company's latest logo, which is a complete redesign of the logo it operated under when it launched in 2013. The current design incorporates the brand's signature typeface, but it removed the excessive colors to create a sleek and professional aesthetic.
2. Kroger.
In 2004, Kroger launched a colorful logo redesign with an abstract icon and a new typeface not previously used in its logos. However, in 2019, the brand decided to revert back to its signature ITC Avant Garde Gothic typeface that was initially introduced in its 1939 logo. With the current logo, the brand opted to launch a neat wordmark design.
3. Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Airlines used its 1998 logo for 16 years before the company launched a complete logo redesign in 2014. While both logos incorporate the iconic red and yellow tones, the blue color is more prevalent in the airline's most recent logo. The new design also favors simplicity and a heart-shaped accent, which helps the brand appear welcoming.
4. Kohl's.
Kohl's 1979 logo was quite detailed and personal, adopting a handwritten style design that exudes traditionalism. As its target market and product range transformed over the years, the company rebranded in 1985 to feature a solid wordmark design that complemented the brand's professional appearance.
5. Petco.
Petco's 2020 logo redesign took a unique route, opting to remove the brand's trademark mascots of a dog and a cat. This noticeable shift emphasizes the brand's departure from a colorful approach. In the latest logo, Petco stayed true to the 2011 logo's typeface but decided to remove the red tones previously associated with the brand.
How to Redesign a Logo:
Five informative steps for redesigning your company logo.
Plan the direction of your logo redesign.
Review your list of reasons for changing your logo.
Identify and evaluate the causes behind your logo redesign. Define the sort of style modifications that need to be made to reflect the new message and brand identity you want to communicate.
If you're revamping your logo to appeal to a younger audience, for example, you might need to consider incorporating modern colors and typefaces that appear well on digital media.
Think about the message you want your new logo to convey.
Your new design should express the current message your company wants to embody. Whether you're embracing modernity or reinventing traditionalism, you'll need to identify design elements that will help you communicate these qualities to your present and future target market.
Create a list of logo ideas.
Decide which design elements you want to keep.
Identify which design elements should be represented in the new design. These could be in the form of colors or icons, or they could be the logo's overall message.
It's wise to maintain certain design features, such as colors, imagery, or typography so that your current customer base can recognize your brand. Generally, color patterns are kept the same since they are the most memorable feature of a brand's logo and aesthetic.
Brainstorm logo ideas.
Once you've finalized the groundwork, you can start collaborating and exploring different logo ideas with your design team. To help with the selection process, keep an open mind to new ideas, and don't rule anything out until you've created a minimum of ten interesting logo ideas.
Use a logo maker for inspiration. Zarla offers an AI-driven logo maker that's able to generate hundreds of original logo ideas. Whether you're starting a social media network app or opening a bakery, you can create, edit, and download a logo for free.
Gather Feedback:
Ask friends and colleagues for their opinion.
Share your list of logo ideas with friends, relatives, and employees to gauge their recreation of each logo. While trusted peers and family are great for gathering honest feedback, allowing your employees into the decision-making process promotes teamwork and is an excellent way to identify logos that do not match the company's ethos.
Conduct a focus group assessment.
An important part of the logo redesign process is analyzing how your target market responds to the new look. This can be accomplished through a dedicated focus group that includes both customers and employees.
Assemble a diverse focus group with a maximum of ten members. Share your list of logo ideas and analyze which logo designs stand out to the group. This will help you to narrow down your list of ideas.
Test your logo ideas on promotional products.
You may get a better concept of the finished outcome by testing your logo idea on branded items. While a design may look flawless on paper or screens, it takes on a new life once it's printed on your branded merchandise.
Choose the logos that have received the most positive comments and test them out on stationery, uniforms, and labels.
Compare your logo ideas to competitors'.
Because your ultimate goal is to create a logo that's memorable and distinct to your company, it's vital that you compare your logo ideas to those of your current competitors. Do they have the same color palette or imagery? Is the placement or typeface too similar?
If there are design elements that appear too similar, consider customizing your logo ideas further to avoid brand confusion and trademark issues.
Choose a new logo.
Pick the logo idea that received the best feedback.
Combine your feedback from friends, family, and employees with the response you received from your focus group. This should give you a clear idea of which logo received the best response and would do well in marketing initiatives.
Make adjustments based on the feedback you received.
While the feedback process will help you identify which logo appeals to customers, there may be some changes you'll need to implement before settling on your final choice. These could range from minor changes to color hues, or they could refer to a major overhaul of the icon. This process will help you add a polished finish to your new logo design.
Market your new logo design.
Announce your logo redesign to your customers.
Before officially launching your new logo, it's wise to inform your loyal customers that you're undergoing a brand renovation. This builds a sense of excitement and allows customers time to adjust to the idea of change.
Use your newsletter and social media to promote your logo redesign. Design a creative visual and press release that emphasizes the best features of your old logo and how it has served you well over time, and then explain why you've decided to update it.
Consider hosting a rebranding campaign.
Once you're ready to reveal your logo redesign to the public, celebrate the milestone with a rebranding campaign. This is a great way to showcase the new design to the media and your current customers, and it helps make the redesign more official.
Rebranding campaigns can include social events, competitions, and social media games and promotions.
