Your company’s logo creates a first impression—does it reflect who you are and what you do? Just like individuals, companies and organizations grow and evolve over time, and if you’ve evolved away from your logo design (or other significant changes have taken place in your industry). it might be time to give it a refresh or update.
Take a look at these eight signs that your logo is due for an update. Any of them ring true?
1. Your logo doesn’t adapt well to modern media.
If your logo was designed 15-20 years ago, it might not be optimized to work well digitally, either on a website or social media. Since brands promote themselves in so many new ways these days, your logo should be adaptable across all media, including mobile.
2. Your logo looks dated.
Typography trends change, and if your logo has outdated typography and screams “We loved the ‘90s!” it might be time for a trip into the 2020s. Your logo may also include old design trends—for example, shadows were commonly used in the early 2000s. That’s not the case anymore, so a refresh might be in order if your logo is still sporting those shadows.
3. Your logo doesn’t represent your current brand.
Over time, most businesses change as they grow and morph into something a little different than when they started. It’s common for entrepreneurs to start out with one product or service, then grow into something else. If your logo doesn’t reflect what your brand currently offers or represents, it’s time to make it a better fit.
4. Your logo was a DIY project.
If you or a friend created your logo in a snap just to get something on paper, it could be time to have a professional step in. This is more common than you think, especially for new organizations and startups that have limited resources. If your brand has grown up a bit since your DIY logo, it’s probably time for it to grow with you.
5. Your logo is too complex.
The growing logo trend for a while now has been toward simplification. Gradients and drop shadows were popular at one time, but these techniques look dated now, plus they don’t translate well across all media. Your best bet: Choose a simple logo design that uses up to three colors but also looks good in black and white and is easy to reproduce in a variety of sizes.
You might want to ask yourself these questions: Can my logo be stripped down to its most basic elements? Can the size of it be expanded or shrunk without losing its readability? Does it look good in black and white or a single color? If the answer is no to any of those, think about a refresh.
6. Your logo doesn’t differentiate your brand well enough.
Maybe when you started, your logo worked fine, but since then, others have moved into your space with similar logos and/or colors. Or maybe you look at it now and your logo seems too generic—like it could represent any number of businesses or brands that aren’t even in your industry. If it seems like your logo is weak in representing your brand, it might be time to empower it with an update.
7. You don’t have a logo, OR you’re using inconsistent versions of an old one.
You may have started your business thinking, “We don’t need a logo,” and in the beginning, maybe that was true. But if you’ve grown into a brand that you want consumers to recognize and, more importantly, follow, you need a solid logo that you can use consistently across all platforms and media. Time to get a designer.
8. Your company has outgrown your current logo.
Businesses grow up. Like people, they start young, but over the course of time, they evolve into a more mature, more evolved version of themselves. If your current logo now looks like a younger version of your business (maybe it’s too juvenile, or it doesn’t reflect the professionalism you’ve since acquired), it probably hasn’t aged well. A few tweaks or a simple update could fix the problem.
One thing to note: A new logo doesn’t necessarily mean a total redesign. Oftentimes, brands will benefit more from a logo refresh, where minimal but important changes are made to give their logo a slight facelift—this type of update can mean a more modern look while preserving brand equity.
Got questions about your own brand’s logo? Work with our creative team to develop a logo that represents your brand and all it offers.