These are questions I have been asked many times before, and with good reason. A good logo can require a not-insignificant financial outlay, and it’s good to know what you are getting for your money. It’s wise to consider the longevity of your logo from time-to-time, because even great logos need updating, and in this article, we will explore when and why you might need to make a change, what to look out for and what options are available to you.
There is no definitive rule about the lifespan of a logo. That being said, a good, professionally designed logo should last you about 10 years. Though some logos achieve ‘lightning in a bottle’ and last a good deal longer than that. It should be noted that this is only a guide and does not consider external factors such as changes to your market and societal culture. It should also be noted that your logo will likely not have such longevity if you design it yourself, or use a service such as a budget logo design website.
It is not uncommon of brands (particularly bigger brands) to ‘refresh’ their logos every 4-5 years, to attempt to keep them performing at their best. However, it is important to be aware of the reasons you might not want to change your logo, and bear these in mind before taking the leap.
There are numerous attributes that can distinguish a logo as good or bad - we could dedicate an entire article to this topic. Essentially a good logo should be Distinctive, Simple, and Memorable. It should identify your brand clearly and be memorable enough for your audience to recognise it when they see it again.
In addition to these attributes, it should also look good - who wants an ugly logo anyway.
As a rule I would say you should avoid budget logo design websites who offer the promise of custom logos for far less money than a professional. Unfortunately, the majority of these services just give you a logo built from a stock template with your business name on it. Little care is taken to ensure the style is suitable for your industry or target audience, or if it matches your brand personality.
Professional logo designers are able to distil the essence of your brand and create a logo that identifies your brand, whilst hinting at its personality and values. All of which help your audience learn about your brand and form opinions about it. The design itself goes far beyond aesthetics, and research into what is the best approach makes up a large portion of the overall project.
The list of reasons a company might choose to change their logo is considerable. Any one of them could be the catalyst to make a change, but realistically it is likely to be a combination of a couple. Here are some reasons below:
This is a very common, particularly with start-ups who don’t have a lot of money to spend on a logo, resulting in a logo which often ends not being sufficient as the business grows.
This is also a common situation for start-ups. As your brand naturally evolves, you begin to realise that your logo doesn’t fully represent your values any more.
Identification and recognition are the key purposes for any logo. If your logo is too complicated, it may be hard to identify or remember. Simplifying it may improve its effectiveness.
If the market in which you are trading evolves, it may be necessary to change your logo to fit into the new environment better. An example of this would be the car industry and its gradual shift towards electric cars. The new Kia logo has a far more modern and tech-influenced style than its previous incarnation.
Similarly, the technology we use is also constantly changing and with this comes the need to keep your logo usable across this new media. Making it more scalable across devices, or simplified for easy recognition could be vital. Logos designed in the early 2000’s didn’t have to fit into a social media avatar like they do now.
Your current logo may include words or imagery which have fallen out of favour or have a new meaning which is detrimental to your brand.
Maybe the attitudes of your existing audience have evolved, or maybe your audience has changed, due to your business offering a new product which is of interest to a different type of customer, for example. If your logo is not engaging with them, you might want to make changes to fix that.
Any restructuring of this kind may require a logo change in order to bring the two businesses into line. Joining two names together, or maybe altering the logo to reflect elements of the parent company etc.
Finally, on our list, we have ‘It just looks old fashioned’… Whilst this is a valid argument for a redesign, I would suggest that this isn’t a strong enough argument on its own. However, if your brand is associated with technology, or other modern things, or if the dated look is causing any of the above issues, then you absolutely have a case for a logo change.
These are the most common reasons a brand might choose to change its logo.
There are many tests you can perform to work out how effective your logo is, and if it might benefit from a redesign. Paul Rands ‘7 Step Logo Test’ is a great example of this.
Changing your established logo can come at a cost, and these costs could be more detrimental to your business than leaving the logo as it is. Here are a few reasons you might decide not to change:
Equity in this instance refers to how recognisable your logo is. If your logo is recognisable by your audience and clearly identifies it, a redesign might be a bad idea. Following any redesign, it will take your audience time to get to know your logo and recognise it again. Identification and recognition are a logos two key functions so you would do well to bear this in mind before making any further steps.
Changing a logo can be costly. The cost of having a logo professionally designed is one thing, but consider the additional costs of reprinting literature, updating your website, new stationery, signage, etc. These costs need to be weighed against the benefits of changing your logo. In some cases combining a redesign, with a move to new premises can be beneficial as you would need these items reprinted at that point anyway.
Whilst we just stated that it can be beneficial to change your logo at the same time as moving to a new premises, it is still wise to take time to consider this. If you have a business that requires physical visitors to your premises, retaining your current logo could help customers recognise your brand immediately. A change at this stage might hinder your initial impact and negatively effect sales.
If you brand is doing well as it is, changing your logo could be a foolish step. As the saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Enjoy the fruits of your labour and revisit the idea of a rebrand in a year or so.
It is rarely a good idea to soley change your logo just because you are bored of it, or you think it isn’t attractive enough. Current trends and fashions influence a lot of brand owners to update their logos. But nothing dates a logo more than a modern trend that is now classed as ‘old-fashioned’, so you may end up with a new logo that only stays fresh for a year or two. You should always remember to make your decision based on facts rather than personal opinion.
It's worth considering the impact of these risks, however, they could be a reasonable risk if your current logo isn’t performing. A redesign could be the reset that you need to help align your view of your brand and that of your audience. Just be sure to balance the pro’s and con’s before making you decision.
As an example of the above, Paul Rand's UPS logo (1961) lasted over 40 years before they made any changes. Having had such a simple logo for so long they made the choice to follow a number of current trends of 2003 (specifically Photoshop light effects and lower case). The result, whilst not unpleasant, was altered just over 10 years later to remove the effects and make it more ‘flat’. Granted this is still an admirable lifespan, though it does still fall drastically short of the 40+ year lifespan of the previous iteration.
If you are still unsure a redesign is right for your brand, get in touch. We can offer advice and guidance with no obligation.
Call 01202 287 807, or hello@amadoo.co.uk
Once you have decided your brand needs a change, the next step is to decide how big a change that needs to be. A professional logo designer or brand agency can help you with this if you are unsure. In a nutshell, here are some of the options available to you:
Each option here has its place, depending on your current situation and your answers to the reasons for considering a redesign.
We specialise in logo design, brand identity and brand development. Get in touch if you are considering a redesign, and we can help find the best option for your brand. Call 01202 287 807, or hello@amadoo.co.uk
It is true that in some cases logos can last many years longer than 10 years and this may be true of your logo. Numerous logos have lasted decades without a single change or with only minor tweaks to the design, maintaining the overall concept. But some have achieved the unthinkable, lasting considerably longer.
Twinnings logo has remained unchanged for over over 120 years. Many more have chosen to make minor, incremental changes, keeping the essence of the logo concept, but merely keeping it relevant for its time. Shell has followed this strategy having used an image of a scallop shell since 1904 (and a mussel shell before that).
In conclusion, your logo is the face of your brand and should reflect your business and its values, whilst being engaging to your audience. If you find that this is no longer the case, it could be time for a redesign.
