IS A LOGO ENOUGH?
In most cases, no. Not if your goal is to build a successful brand and build brand recognition. The role of the logo is to be the sign-off. It should confirm who is communicating. A logo should exist in a system together with other visual elements such as colour, typography, imagery, graphic elements and tone of voice. How you use these elements consistently on all touchpoints define your visual identity. Being consistent is very important in building brand recognition. It means being predictable and ensuring the user who is communicating. In time, users don’t have to spend time and energy trying to find out what brand it is. In a way, the goal is to instantly recognise the brand, even if you remove the logo!
If you use several different fonts and colours, and place the logo in a different place each time, it might signal uncertainty and lack of professionalism. It might confuse the users. Having said that, being consistent does not have to mean boring. The key is to define which elements are “locked” and which can you variate.
“WE HAVE TO RENEW OURSELVES. WHAT NOW?”
You don’t have to throw everything out the window. In many cases it is better with an evolution, rather than a revolution. For example if your brand is well established in the market, then evolution might be the better option. But f you have changed direction completely and want to enter a different market, then starting from scratch might be best.
Another solution could be to keep some elements, such as logo, colours and font, and build new brand elements around them to create a richer visual toolbox, so you have more to work with. It could mean designing graphic elements and defining a photographic style. Maybe your brand is using 3 colours equally, and it is not clear which one you “own”. In this case it is a good idea to define which one is going to be your primary colour, the one you want to be associated with, and which ones are supporting colours. Looking at the competitor landscape will help you figure out how to stand out. That being said, going too far away from the industry standard, might not be beneficial. What about fonts? Maybe you have reached a point where you’re using 3-4-5 different fonts. Sames as colours, stick to one or two.
BRAND RECOGNITION IS VALUABLE
The most important thing regarding visual identity is to have enough visual elements to create on-brand communication which attracts the target audience and helps build long term recognition. Be creative, but consistent.
There are many ways to solve the problem, and each project is unique. If you are wondering if it is beneficial to update your visual identity, then don’t hesitate to get in touch. Let’s have a chat about what is the best option for your business.
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