What do Nike, McDonald\u2019s, Apple, Coca-Cola, and Ford all have in common? Iconic logos!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minute you see the \u201cSwoosh\u201d on a billboard or a sneaker, you know it\u2019s Nike. Similarly, the legendary red and white Coca-Cola wordmark is recognized by more than 94% of the world\u2019s population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Businesses of all sizes rely on logos as the cornerstone of their branding strategy. However, creating a logo isn\u2019t an easy task. It requires time, a lot of effort, and the expertise of branding professionals and designers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without a logo or a semblance of brand strategy, your company will have trouble standing out from the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your logo is a core component of your brand\u2019s identity. As defined by Investopedia<\/u><\/a>, a brand identity is \u201cthe visible elements of a brand, such as color, design, and logo, that identify and distinguish the brand in consumers’ minds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It only takes 0.05 seconds<\/u><\/a> for a customer to develop a first impression of your brand. Choosing your logo wisely will help create a lasting, memorable first impression of your brand\u2019s identity for new and future customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within milliseconds of seeing the golden arches, we can identify McDonald\u2019s signature logo and brand. This rapid recall is known as brand recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All elements of a brand\u2019s identity, including the logo, must work together to strengthen the instant recognition of the company. On average, it takes 5 to 7 impressions<\/u><\/a> for customers to remember a brand. The stronger and more identifiable your logo is, the shorter the recall time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While colors and font choice are key elements of a branding strategy, a company\u2019s logo is also tied to their reputation. A brand\u2019s image<\/u><\/a> and reputation are what drives consumer action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers look for brands to display their values, be transparent, and live up to the promised expectations. As a result, the company\u2019s logo becomes a symbol of that promise to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this in mind, it\u2019s imperative to select a logo that aligns with your company values, products\/services, and mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many companies make the mistake of designing a logo based on personal preferences or desires. But remember to keep the target market in mind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research your industry and see what the competition\u2019s logos look like. Ask yourself questions like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more market research<\/a> you have to reference, the better your logo will be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before meeting with a designer, it\u2019s best to have a general idea of what you want from your brand identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by selecting a range of colors, fonts, shapes, and symbols. And choose wisely! Studies have found that brands using a signature color can increase brand recognition by 80%<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your logo and brand identity can even be centered around a wordmark as Coca-Cola or 1-800-FLOWERS<\/u><\/a> do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From here, your designer can create logos<\/a> using these parameters as a foundation\u2014logos that not only reflect your brand\u2019s identity but also resonate with your target audience and stand out in a competitive market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When designing a logo, it\u2019s important to consider the message it sends to existing and new customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think back to your core values and mission statement throughout the design process. If a particular iteration of a logo concept doesn\u2019t align with your values and company goals, scrap it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your logo will be used everywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Business cards, Instagram, merchandise, product packaging, websites. The list goes on and on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When designing a logo, make sure its appearance will easily translate to multiple physical and online mediums. For instance, super-thin lines may look great on a laptop screen but will be drowned out when embroidered on a shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, your logo has to communicate a lot, but if you go overboard and try to create an art piece, it will only work to confuse and deter potential customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Listen to the feedback from your design and marketing teams. They\u2019ll know what your target market looks for in a logo, from the symbols to the colors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve got a few logo concepts solidified, seek out the feedback of your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask them about their first impressions of the logos, what message each logo concept sends, and other questions related to the brand identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use their feedback and suggestions to finalize your logo design. To be safe, consider doing another round of customer insight before sharing the logo with the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once your new logo is finalized, incorporate it into your marketing plan. From your local SEO efforts<\/u><\/a> to paid advertising campaigns<\/u><\/a>, make sure your new logo is displayed prominently and proudly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What do Nike, McDonald\u2019s, Apple, Coca-Cola, and Ford all have in common? Iconic logos! The minute you see the \u201cSwoosh\u201d on a billboard or a sneaker, you know it\u2019s Nike….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":831,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing-strategy"],"yoast_head":"\n2. Brand Recognition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Brand Reputation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6 Helpful Tips for Designing a Strong Logo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Do the Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Define Your Brand Identity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Consider Your Core Values<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Consider Where Your Logo Will Live<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Don\u2019t Go Overboard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Ask for Customer Feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n