Logo update, refresh, or redesign
Learn the difference in this case study.
Imagine this scenario. You started your business eleven years ago out of desperation. Both you and your spouse lost your jobs due to the financial crash of 2008. You needed income immediately. You had no money and no idea what you were doing, yet somehow, while filling buckets with your sweat equity, you’ve accumulated a team of 20+ employees.
You accomplished this by hitting the pavement and networking, notifying those along your path that you were willing to clean anything. ANYTHING. You rolled up your sleeves, polishing everything you touched with your state-0f-the-art elbow grease. Word-of-mouth spread. Referrals brought more business, and after a few years, you and your team were considered the best in town. You managed this growth and success with little to no marketing. Your focus was on customer service and quality control.
The world stands still.
Then 2020 arrives bringing a pandemic. All businesses become impacted in unexpected ways. Luckily, your industry is one of the few who’ve benefitted from the pandemic. Customers now need cleaner than clean. You’re positioned in the right place at the right time. You have the team, the experience, and the tools, to offer a premium ‘Covid Clean’ service.
Q: How do you quickly alert new and current customers of your new product and service offering?
You have no website. Your last ad was printed in the yellow pages. You have no brand, in fact, your logo is incorrect – it inaccurately represents what you do.
Where do you begin?
- When you are serious about expanding your business…
- When you care about your customers…
- When you offer a great product…
- When your service is better than any other…
Then you are our ideal client, and we are here to help. We’ll begin by branding you as a leader in your industry, an expert in your field, with the best product available.
Your new brand will have the power to communicate your expertise, quality, and professionalism – attracting customers willing and able to pay a premium. But, a compelling brand isn’t possible without a great logo at its foundation. You’ll have to decide what to do with your existing logo.
A compelling brand is only possible when it has a great logo as its foundation.
Need a logo refresh, update, or redesign?
Now that the pandemic has pushed all businesses online; your brand and online presence are more important than ever. Not sure if your logo has the legs to support a beautiful brand?
Below, follow along as I step through a cleaning company’s logo makeover using the 7 design principles of a great logo. Then decide if your logo is working for your small business.
Original Logo
Final Logo
Logo issues:
- The palm tree symbolizes an island, but communicates nothing about cleaning. Many small businesses on Hilton Head Island use logos that symbolize the island but not their business.
- Using a tree instead of a mop, let’s say, is a missed opportunity to communicate what you do quickly.
- In color psychology, colors that communicate cleanliness are white and tints of blue.
- The palm frond behind the letter C impedes legitibilty.
Modifications:
- Flipped the palm to frame the badge better.
- The letter C no longer overlays the palm.
Logo Update
- Reduced the letter spacing in “IN AND OUT”, improving legibility.
- Tightened the space between the tree and orange frame
- Removed “Steaming” as its no longer a service the client offers.
- Added a background to “CLEANING”, giving it prominence.
- Added the client’s areas of focus. This filters out customers who don’t need these services.
Modifications:
- The logo now quickly communicates cleanliness by adding sparkles to the palm tree.
- The logo is more cohesive by changing the secondary text to black.
Logo Refresh
- Huge improvement! The logo communicates quickly and efficiently.
- The sparkles are orange. Without a colored background, the white sparkles on the palm become invisible.
- This version works but could be pushed further – it looks like two separate elements, a tree beside a badge.
Logo Redesign
- A redesign pushed the logo further – the elements now fill the frame, nicely.
- The logo no longer looks like clip art.
- The palm tree replaced the letter i in ‘Cleaning’, connecting the elements in a meaningful way while maintaining legibility.
- The white sparkles are easy to see.
- All caps is replaced with upper and lower case creating heirarchy and improving legibility.
Wow! Great Logo
- Recognizable
- Pleasing asymmetrical layout
- Easy to read
- Communicates effectively
- Iconic symbolism
- Adaptable
- Timeless
In the steps above we see the process of a logo update, refresh, and redesign.
Do you consider this service valuable?
You’ve been successfully doing business a while with little thought toward marketing, but Covid-19 has changed things. The pandemic has shifted all businesses online. Your brand and online presence matter more than ever before to the growth of your business so it’s up to you to decide whether your logo is working for you? Learn more about what makes a great logo.