Logo Refresh Vs Rebranding
A logo is a crucial part of any business regardless of whether the business is a multi-million-dollar enterprise, or a start-up based in a garage. It’s the foundation and sums up the company’s values and personality. By looking at your logo, customers can decide on whether your business is exclusive, pretentious, or friendly. They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but it’s a completely different ball game when it comes to your brand!
The business landscape is always shifting and evolving due to innovation and creativity, and it’s critical that your business’s brand stays relevant. This is where logo refreshes and rebranding come in, but what is the difference, and which one should you go for? Let us walk you through the two options and assist you in making an informed decision that will benefit your brand.
Logo Refresh
Think of a logo refresh as a makeover. You’re essentially changing the aesthetic features of your business to look more appealing and relevant to your target market without changing its DNA. Perhaps you’ve noticed that your company’s brand is giving off an exclusive and pretentious feel, whereas you want it to be seen as approachable and friendly. In this case, you could look at a simple brand refresh. Let’s take Discord, a VoIP platform, who successfully implemented a brand refresh.
Discord’s logo refresh didn’t rock the boat, but it surely made a big impact. It transitioned from obnoxious all-caps text to friendly and bubbly lowercase text.
Tip: Pay attention to the weight and font that your logo uses. Heavy, solid fonts give off a strong and demanding brand, while swirly, thin fonts give off a playful brand.
When is it time for a logo refresh? You should consider a logo refresh if:
- It’s outdated/irrelevant. For example, Starbucks used to sell coffee beans, but they eventually evolved to selling beverages.
- Your brand has changed. For example, Yellow Pages used to be a thick book full of phone numbers, but now it’s an app to fit today’s technologically inclined world. Their new logo perfectly shows this with its modernized, simple style.
- Your current logo is giving off the wrong impression. San Diego Zoo’s new logo shows that they’re child-friendly as opposed to their old logo which gives off a more formal look.
Rebranding
Now let’s look at rebranding. If a logo refresh is a makeover for your company, then a rebrand is plastic surgery. It deals with the outward look as well as the underlying features. You’re reconstructing your brand image, identity, aesthetic, and voice. Maybe you’re a clothing company who attracts the elderly, but you’d prefer to direct your sales to the youth. You would need an entire brand redesign, as your current one doesn’t attract your desired target market. Let’s take Old Spice as an example.
Old Spice was largely seen as a brand for older people. It was seen as old-fashioned and didn’t appeal to the younger generation at all. However, after a rebrand that rocked the boat, the image of the brand was completely changed by capitalising on the latest trends like humour and online video, as well as trendy terms like “swagger.”
Tip: Pay attention to what your target market is interested in, competitors, and how the industry you’re in is evolving.
When is it time for a logo rebrand? You should totally do a rebrand if:
- Competition is growing.
- Your target market is changing.
- Your current identity is outdated/irrelevant.
The world is constantly evolving, with new tastes, innovations, and demands from customers. Your brand will need to keep up. If you have customer loyalty and things are going well, a simple refresh will suffice to stay on track. If you want to change the DNA of your company completely, you should look at rebranding. Ultimately, you need to ask yourself: How far do you need to go to revitalize your business?
We know, this is a lot. Your logo and brand is everything. Let us assist you with your logo and branding needs to ensure that your business reaches its full potential. From robust logos and fresh colours to brand guidelines to stay consistent, Polkadot Digital can offer you the perfect package at an affordable price. Take a step towards improving or building your brand and contact us today!
Email: hello@polkadotdigital.co.za or call 064 8077 268. We would be happy to assist!