The next time you’re at the grocery store or driving down an billboard-heavy interstate, take a moment to look out at the different ads and company logos. Now, at first glance, you probably won’t notice anything special about these logos, other than the fact that you may recognize them. But pay attention. Many of those tried-and-true brands we’ve grown up with have changed their logos significantly.
Examples of Companies and the Impact it Had
Starbucks
As they began to become a very popular brand, Starbucks decided that it was time for a logo overhaul. As you can see, very little about the logo is still the same. The shape is the same, which was a winner due to its placement on merchandise; and the female figure is still in the middle. Other than that, the style and size of lettering has changed, the color has changed, and the newer logo is much more simplistic and streamlined. All in all, this change was successful.
Apple
Apple’s logo change is something every brand can use as a solid example of how a change in the color scheme can create an entirely new logo. That old Apple logo conjures up images of playing Oregon Trail on a PC the size of a modern day computer desk. The new Apple, however, fits perfectly with today’s computer technology the company pushes. It has a very “next gen” feel to it.
KFC
Other than offering a few dessert items and a pot pie in their restaurants now, nothing much has changed about KFC. It’s still the same original recipe. You can still get mashed potatoes, gravy and biscuits with your order. But something as simple as changing the shapes and shading of this famous logo gave the restaurant new life. The new logo is a play on the shape of the chicken bucket, and the black outlined Colonel makes this iconic image pop.
What You Can Expect After Changing a Logo
Of course, it’s important to note that the logos above were all famous before the change. But while you might be thinking that an established brand can afford to change, it’s often the other way around. An established brand risks a lot more by making a change. So before you settle on your changes, perhaps a little “brainstorming” can help you.
When you do finally get around to changing your logo, you have to be weary of what’s in store for you. There’s a positive side, as you can plainly see with the great logos listed above, but there is potentially a negative side as well.
Positives:
- Offering up a fresher image
- Seeking out a new audience
- Showing people that you’re willing to make the change
- Displaying an actual personality behind the logo
- Boosting enthusiasm about your brand
- Showing progression in marketing
- Enables you to stand out amongst the competition
Negatives:
- Potentially alienating your customer base
- Having people not like the new design
- Changing to something that’s potentially offensive or harsh
- Changing without seeking the input of your audience
- Creating a logo that’s now too busy or too visually loud
- Changing too frequently
- Customers forgetting about your brand due to no recognition factor
- The new logo being worse than the old one
Everything in life has its ups and downs, and it’s really no different when talking about logos. Services like Logostack have been helping people design winning logos for years, and brands serious about their image always put that extra effort into the design process. But it’s hard to outright avoid every potential negative.
So before you decide on changing your logo, remember the pros and cons of the process and ask yourself if it’s all really worth it.
About the author: Martin Nilsson is the person in-charge with business development of Logosack– a Swedish owned logo design company which provides affordable and unique logos for all types of businesses.