How important is a logo? It has never been more important to be able to immediately communicate a clear and powerful message. As human beings, we have always been intensely visual creatures, but as our collective attention span grows shorter and shorter, the use of symbols as primary communication tools (emojis, anyone?) is no longer supplemental, but essential.
This is especially true when appealing to a design-oriented generation that demands better when it comes to imagery because they have never been without these bells and whistles. Your logo must be synonymous with your branding and able to relay your message in a split second – because that’s all the time you’ll have!
If you’re not sure if your brand is really that important, consider this: According to a study by the University of Amsterdam, children between 3 and 5 years old start to recognize a logo as a representation of a specific product, and by the time we turn 7 or 8 years old, we can consistently recall it with 100% accuracy.
That means that whatever associations we have with a certain symbol are retained very early…and as anyone who has ever avoided a product or food because of past experiences can tell you, that kind of gut-reaction fueled by memory is hard to shake as time goes on.
When it comes to designing or making sure that your current logo is the right one, it all comes down to branding. The symbol will be on everything you do – from emails to storefronts to newsletters. Does it truly reflect your company?
When looked at objectively, what does the casual customer perceive about your business based on your logo alone? Does it make an impression and claim a sense of presence for your company? Factors like shape, colors, and font drive perceptions about your brand based on what emotions they evoke, sometimes in surprising ways.
A review of several studies in the Journal of Consumer Research shows that the importance of a logo goes beyond just an easy way to identify a company. Published in 2015, several researchers found that even the geometric (circular or angular) qualities of your symbol affect how customers view your brand.
One of their takeaways was that soft, circular lines “activate softness associations” and angular logos did the same for “hardness associations.” This was especially evident in one of the studies, in which college students were shown pictures of running shoes next to symbols with circular or angular shapes and asked to rate them by appearance of comfort.
The shoes associated with circular logos were deemed more comfortable, but those with angular logos were perceived as more durable. Understanding the effect that different design factors have on customers is essential when designing or redoing your logo.
Chances are that your first logo (or second, or third…) was not exactly stellar. Perhaps you were going for a more utilitarian feeling and you didn’t consider the artistry and psychology involved.
Famous Logos
But no fear! You can still make changes to better represent your brand through your logo. Most of the most famous logos evolved over time. While both Goodyear’s iconic wingfoot and Johnson& Johnson’s font changed slightly over time, Pepsi, Apple, Canon, Nokia, and IBM underwent drastic changes to reach their current icons.
It may seem like considering all of the factors involved, designing a logo could become cost-prohibitive. But you don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for the perfect one! Microsoft, Google, and Coca-Cola’s logos were all designed in-house or by their founders. Twitter and Nike’s logos were designed and purchased for less than $40.
Just take some time to consider both your company’s message and your customer base, and trial-run a few options with focus groups or acquaintances who can be objective and clear-eyed.
Once you’d decided on your design, it’s time to make that symbol and all that it says about your company get to work for you. Dazzle printing offers business cards, flyers, brochures, catalogs, and more to grow your business and your brand awareness in your community!
The symbol you choose to represent your business is essential and you can trust Dazzle’s outstanding digital printing quality to help you get your message out.
