Is it time for a logo redesign?

The perfect logo can have a significant impact on your business. But getting it right the first time is difficult, especially for new businesses.

In addition, design trends, technology, and consumer behavior change over time, calling into question your logo's ability to convey trust and credibility.

This applies to companies that were founded some time ago. If this applies to you, then you may have some catching up to do when it comes to being viewed as modern.

The best way to fill that void is to redesign and revitalize your logo(Affordable Modern Logo Design Agency in London, UK).

When should a redesign be considered?

Knowing when to redesign your logo is not an exact science. Taking something as familiar as a logo and tweaking it may seem daunting and counter-intuitive. But if you get it right, the results can be amazing!

If you're still undecided, six questions can help you find out whether you should stick with what you have right now or if it's time to take the plunge and redesign your logo.

Has your audience changed?

If you are targeting a new audience, e.g. E.g. younger consumers, it may be time to rethink your current logo design, especially if you have trouble interacting with them.

A new company logo design can help give your brand a fresh, modern look that will help them identify with you.

Are you facing new competition?

It often happens that top companies in all industries face stiff competition from new entrants who claim to be more agile, modern, and with better technology. Publishing a redesigned logo shows your customers that you are not resting on your laurels.

Has your company expanded or does it have a new focus?

It is common for companies to expand or shift their focus, such as adding a new line of products or merging with another company. If your business has changed in any way, consider changing your logo to reflect those changes.

Does your logo look out of date?

This is a tough question to ask yourself, but it is an essential question. If your logo hasn't changed since it was first drafted, then fashion and design trends have probably changed significantly since then, and you run the risk of people thinking your company is a dinosaur (it's old and died a long time ago) .

Is your logo still recognizable?

Marketing channels have changed dramatically over the years. Chances are you're not developing TV commercials or paying for billboard advertising, but instead using internet marketing media like Facebook, Instagram, and PPC campaigns. This means that logos must be designed with small screens in mind. If your logo is hard to see on a smaller screen, you'll need to redesign it.

Does your logo have a meaning?

Your logo represents your company and should convey an important message. If it's “just a logo” then consider creating a new one to highlight your company's core values ​​and strengths.

How to redesign your logo

There's more to redesigning your logo than simply tossing it in the trash and starting over. Maybe your logo just needs to be updated instead of completely redesigning it.

Refreshing your logos isn't necessarily easier, but it is less dramatic as the changes can be minimal. Whenever you freshen up your logo, you'll want to keep your current design elements, update your color palette (if necessary), and simplify the look of your logo in order to modernize it.

MasterCard updated their logo in 2016, and it's a great example of how updating your logo's design elements can have a significant impact.

MasterCard kept its color palette, reduced the interaction of the circles with one another by gently overlapping them instead of connecting them with harsh cut lines, and removed their name from the center of the design.

But sometimes even an update is just not enough. In more severe cases, a complete redesign is required. But before you cut your logo drastically, there are three key questions you should ask yourself.

Why does my logo need a redesign?

You need to be clear about why your logo needs a redesign. If your answer is “just because of that”, that's not good enough. Until you identify the specific problem with your logo, you will not be able to resolve it.

Read the “When to Consider Redesign” section if you don't have an answer.

Which elements should be kept?

Your logo is made up of many elements that are combined with one another. Before revising or deconstructing your logo, you should inspect and identify every single element of your logo:

A. What they are (such as the specific color scheme, font style, shapes and symbols).

B. What is the meaning behind it. This will help you remove any items that you don't need to keep.

Which elements of your logo do your customers associate with you?

One of the biggest challenges in redesigning your logo is making sure you keep the visual elements that your customers use to identify you.

Mastercard knew that their most distinctive element of identification was the color and layout of their two circles, so these elements remained unchanged.

What they changed was the way the two elements are connected. But anyone familiar with MasterCard can still spot it right away.

Don't risk confusing your customers by changing your most iconic element unless you absolutely have to.

Your logo redesign process

When you have completed all of the above then you are ready to move on to redesigning your logo. This part is very similar to designing a logo from scratch, except that you have more information and research to work with.

The most important factors to consider when designing your logo are not the design itself to start with, but the fundamentals that go into the design.

Before a new house or building can be built, you need to dig deep into the ground to lay the foundation. Otherwise it will tip over in strong winds. It's the same with your logo. If the foundation is shabby, it won't stand solidly.

Understand the purpose of your logo

Your logo needs to appeal to your target audience (the right customers) and give them an incredible first impression of your brand.

Communicate your brand identity

It is difficult for new companies to showcase their brand's identity and personality because it takes time to develop one. After redesigning your logo, you will know what values ​​and beliefs your company has, what you do better than the competition, and what makes you unique.

Examples of amazing logo redesigns

Lego

The Lego logo is an icon for many people as it was crucial in our childhood. How many hours did you play with Legos as a child? And just like us, the Lego logo has grown over the years.

The biggest design change took place in 1973 when Lego hit the US market. A perfect time to redesign your logo. The final design included blurring the font style and adding a yellow outline around the letters. It quickly caught the eye and channeled feelings of joy.

BMW

BMW recently presented its new logo for marketing and communication. They updated their logo by removing the black background in favor of a transparent background and at the same time removing the 3-D effect from their font. The end result is a new, minimalist, flat and modern logo that is suitable for the digital age.

Lufthansa

The airline Lufthansa caused some turbulence when it redesigned its logo in 2018. Their original crane design was one of the oldest logos in the world, designed by Otto Firle. It changed again in 1969 when the crane was placed inside a circle and given the famous yellow splash.

Lufthansa wanted to freshen up its logo by making it more modern and sharpening its overall effect, as the logo is used in many places, from the tail of the aircraft to the uniforms of the stewardesses. One of their most important requirements was that the logo could be reproduced in an expressive way on smart watches that had little space for logos.