Great logos last a while. But every once in a while, even the best logos need an update.
Updates are a great way to show your brand evolution without throwing the old logo entirely out. You can do simple things like change colors, or you can edit heavily.
Dramatic changes are things like new fonts, borders, or even new shapes and illustrations.
Many logo updates are miniscule. You could thin or thicken lines, for example, and tone down colors in brightness. You could add an accent color or two while keeping the theme the same. Whatever your choices, your logo should still accurately reflect your brand.
Here are some ways you know it’s time to make an update.
It Looks Like It’s from Another Time
Visibly dated logos should always be reworked. Have you ever taken a look at vintage logos and thought “Wow, what a difference!” It doesn’t always show how much logo trends evolve right away.
Try putting your logo next to some older logos and some more contemporary ones. Which type does it match more closely? If the answer is the older ones, it’s time for a revamp.
You don’t have to know exactly what needs to be done with a logo to start fixing it. Many businesses depend on having a fresh approach. You can just try something totally new. There’s no harm in leading the pack in design.
It No Longer Reflects Your Brand Values
Brand values (and brands!) evolve. Keeping up with trends in business and culture requires that people constantly reinvent their offerings and approach.
Say you started out with a niche in fashion. As time went on, you may have worked toward supporting local designers or things that were made in the country. You might have taken on a women’s empowerment project. You could have worked toward providing green packaging.
While trends can sneak up on us, the impact can be large. A brand that supports local designers and uses eco-packing has a dramatically different approach than your standard clothing store.
With today’s countless options in retail, consumers might not make people very aware of the differences between boutiques.
But a savvy business owner will know that those are specialized niches. Whether you’ve brought your customers along with you on your journey or acquired new ones, you’ll need a new logo.
The Company Grows
If your company has reached a new size, it’s time for a new logo. Logos reflect the size of the company quite well.
You want to clearly communicate to your customer base how large your company is. Whether you’re in B2B services or the retail sector, people will judge their experience partially based on the size of the company.
Larger companies usually have a more refined sense of their values and mission. Those should be accurately reflected with a new logo. In short, as the company grows, the logo should evolve with it.
You Need Something Simpler
Logos in the past tended to be more complex. Minimalist design is going for a full takeover, however. People are inundated with graphics and interfaces everywhere. They need to simplify what’s in front of their eyes.
However, minimalism itself is also a trend. People are simplifying more than is necessary in many parts of the world.
Besides the trends, many logos are becoming simpler so that they are recognizable on mobile devices. The small scale makes simpler, iconic designs a necessity.
It’s Not In Fashion
Sometimes it’s about keeping up. Even if your logo is fairly modern, it might not match the trends. If being on-trend is important in your industry, consider making an update. New colors, finer lines, and simpler shapes will all help you stay on top of the game.
It Doesn’t Look Good on the Internet
You want something that looks great on the internet. Sometimes, people create logos that are designed for print. The logo may not make the transition to the web very well. Whether it’s pixelated or buried amid other graphics and bold colors, it may be time for a new design.
Designing for the web has its own challenges. You may want to consider talking with not only a graphic designer but a UX/UI designer as well. Some people like their logos to fit in with a lot of other designs and characters on web pages.
The Font Is Wrong
Your font should look amazing in both print and web format. Text-only logos are becoming more common. If you have an unusual font in your logo that doesn’t look good in both formats, consider changing it.
Do this even if you don’t have a text-only logo, because the font is taking over design.
