Your logo plays a huge part in brand identity and can make or break your business. If your current logo isn’t working, it might be time to redesign it.
But how do you know when it’s time to redesign your logo?
There are many reasons a business changes its logo, like opting for a modern font. Changing your logo keeps your business fresh and looking good on different platforms.
Logo redesign can be intimidating, especially if you’ve had your current logo for a while. But making a few tweaks can benefit your brand image in a big way. Learn from the pros and discover the best ways to make your new logo pop.
Reasons You Should Redesign Your Logo
Logo design is expensive and time-consuming, so you might be wondering if you can keep your old one. But the logo you created ten years ago might look dated today, affecting the way people view your brand.
It might be time to redesign your current logo if any of the below examples apply to you.
Your Business Recently Changed
Have you ever realized how getting a haircut or new wardrobe completely changes the way you look? Changing your logo is like updating your look, but for your business. It tells people that something is new and different about your company.
This is why one of the best times to change your logo is after a big change. Some examples include if you’ve expanded, remodeled, or added a new product type.
You Have an Outdated Logo
Look up the evolution of the Google logo and you’ll see how fonts become dated over time.
Another example? McDonald’s. The famous golden arches didn’t appear until the 1960s and every few years the logo undergoes another redesign.
The Logo Doesn’t Make Sense
Your logo should tell people about your business. Sometimes, this is tough to do on such a small scale. But if people are looking at your current design and scratching their heads, it’s time for a brand redesign.
Your logo should convey a message about your business. This message should be obvious to your audience, even without any graphic design knowledge. It can even be subliminal, but it should resonate with people.
Also, unlike the iconic McDonald’s sign or the Nike Swoosh, your business logo may not be recognizable with only an image. Sometimes you need to include your brand name for clarity.
Your Intended Audience Changed
It’s a great feeling when you have a loyal customer base, but what if you need to expand or reach out to a new demographic?
Let’s say your audience is adults between the ages of 30-60, but you want to attract a younger demographic. You can do this by changing the font style or color of your logo to make your brand appeal to them.
Learning from the Best
Trends come in and out of style and that includes digital design trends as well.
How do you know which colors are in and which fonts look dated? Learn from these examples and find out how changing your company logo benefits your business.
Tinder
If you’ve ever used or heard of dating apps, chances are you know about Tinder. With an estimated 50 million users seeing the logo every day, that’s a lot of exposure. So it’s no wonder the company removed the name and stuck with the trademark flame instead.
The decision to remove “Tinder” from the logo isn’t just aesthetic, either. It reflects the user experience of the app itself by focusing on the importance of images.
YouTube
YouTube is another company with a recognizable logo. The new design features a more eye-catching red and emphasizes the play button. The red play button is an integral part of YouTube, appearing on each video.
The change isn’t a huge transformation, but it’s effective. The audience recognizes that red play button.
“It’s an evolution, not a revolution,” says Christopher Bettig, head of the YouTube art department in The Verge.
Huffington Post
Sometimes you realize that your company name itself is outdated. Most people have shortened versions of places they go or objects they use every day. Companies shorten their names to remove unnecessary words and focus on what works.
Apple Computer became Apple. Dunkin’ Donuts is now Dunkin’. And the Huffington Post recently became HuffPost.
Not only is the name shorter, but the new font is big and bold. The teal color is still there but now works as a digital bookend, holding up and directing attention to the name of the company.
Tips to Make Your Logo Pop
Now that you’ve seen examples of redesigned logos, you might be wondering what changes to make to your own. Before you begin, you should ask yourself some questions.
- What elements of my logo still reflect my brand? This can be a color scheme, an icon, or the name of your business.
- Does my current logo stand out? Sometimes making your logo pop is as easy as altering the color and making it brighter.
- Does my logo make sense? If people can’t tell what your logo is a picture of, you might need to rework the design.
- Does my logo reflect my customer base? You want to find a font and design that resonates with your target audience. If you’re a dating app, for example, you might want to switch to a warmer font that appeals to more people.
Once you have a solid understanding of the message you want your logo to convey, you can work on some designs.
Graphic designer websites are always on top of new digital trends. Check out popular logo styles from graphic designers to find ideas and get inspired.
Designing Your New Logo
Changing your logo might be daunting, but you should redesign your logo every so often to keep your business fresh and relevant. In order to be successful, you want your logo to resonate with your customers and reflect your brand.
Once you’ve done the research and discovered what parts of your logo you want to change, the next step is the design process. Need extra help before you get started? Check out our logo design section for tools and guides.
