That’s where I come in. Over a series of posts, I will be discussing how to improve your brand image through intelligent marketing and design. In a way that anyone can easily understand of course. So please check back often and you can also subscribe to my RSS feed here.

What Makes a Bad Logo?

There are many ways to make your logo irritating, unmemorable or downright wrong. I’ll save the details for another time, but here’s everything summed up into one piece of advice. Don’t over-complicate things. That’s right, it’s that simple. Many people tend to add a billion little meanings into their logo or company name. Or they think they are smart by basing their company name on an inside joke that should be kept at the dinner table. And I’m using logo and company name interchangeably because they are similar enough in their function.

Many people don’t realize that there are other companies out there trying to dig into the same piece of pie. When your company logo or company name is on a big list of choices,  you want something simple and direct. Because people do not have time to research every single one of the options available, so any logos that give a vague sense of purpose will be skipped entirely.

Does your Logo tell the story within 0.5 Seconds?

Pretend you are a stranger to the market and to your business. If you, as a stranger, were to see your logo and business name, would you instantly know what the business is about? The consumer’s mind can be sorted into several piles. The “Seems Interesting and Relevant” pile, the “Completely not relevant to me” pile, and the “It is too vague and I’m getting confused” pile. The first 2 piles are straightforward, but if you end up in the Confused pile, it will automatically be sorted into the “Not relevant” pile as well. Simplify, communicate your business function, and do it within 0.5 seconds.

Sounds like I’m screwed, what can I do?

Don’t worry, rebranding can be done to fix it, and it starts with the logo. If you’re stuck with a vague business name, then you will have to fully utilize the power of the logo. Make the logo stand out. Simplify it. Simplifying it some more. Use a symbolic representation that can strongly communicate your business function. And it better be good because it will have to cover for the weakness of the business name. You might want to consider hiring a identity designer at this point, preferably one with typography and branding skills as well.

I will get into far more detailed solutions later on, so please check back often for those. How do you feel about your current business name and logo? Do you feel that there can be room for improvement?