The Power of The Logo
#TalenAlexanderTellsAll
Logo design can be a hassle when you just want to start your business and do the work that your brand was designed to do. So why bother with a little picture to put alongside your company name?
From highway billboards to restaurant menus, the 21st century consumer is bombarded with messages of persuasion and information every minute of the day. Ever wonder why social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat are so popular? Or why Twitter has a limited word count per tweet? People like straightforward and concise messaging, it’s that simple. Recent studies reveal that any content with imagery or visuals has a 65% recall rate for up to three days whereas written content is around 10%. An online data and analytics website, reported Facebook posts from various brands coupled with imagery “earned 87 percent of all engagements.”
Unlike a paragraph or even a sentence about who your business is and what they do, a logo can speak volumes about your brand without having any written content at all. Take the design and application of your logo as an opportunity to tell your brand’s story. What do you want your audience to feel when they recognize your business and see that picture or symbol? A logo ultimately does 3 things for your business: Showcases your business identity, distinguishes you from competitors, and facilitates brand loyalty.
A Logo Showcases Your Business’ Identity
Let’s look at the Nike swoosh as a model for a powerful, yet quite simple logo. Why a swoosh? What does this logo communicate about Nike as a company? To start off, Nike paid $35 to claim the swoosh as their own. Pretty cheap right? A logo does not have to be expensive to be powerful. The logo was created in 1971 by graphic design student, Carolyn Davidson. The check mark indicates fluid movement and speed while also resembling that of a wing to denote upward movement, and advancement. The name Nike was coined after the Greek Goddess of Victory.
Knowing this information, how do you feel? Empowered? Strong? Qualified? These are the feelings Nike associates itself with through its logo and the same feelings that empower their customers while wearing Nike products.
A Logo Facilitates Brand Loyalty
A logo is an opportunity to connect with you customers in a new way. If you’ve tapped into a feeling or emotion that resonates with your audience, you’ve essentially earned brand-loyalty. While seemingly simple and unimportant, people will choose a pair of workout shorts because they have a Nike logo on them, not because of the fit or style. Consignment stores will pay you more for old clothes with a well-known brand logo because they know people are loyal to those brands and they will sell faster.
A customer will only associate themselves with your brand if you create something that will lead them to encourage you, advertise for you and showcase who you are. If your logo and overall brand identity can convince someone to wear your hat, shirt or bag, you’ve developed a marketing tool that is powerful enough to create an emotional connection between you and your customers.
A Logo Distinguishes You From Competitors
A powerful logo, is a distinctive one. After all, this little symbol will represent your entire business. And that’s why it shouldn’t be easily confused with another brand. For example, if you are in the archery business and want to use a target as your logo, consider Target’s logo and realize there could be confusion as to which brand is which. While your business’ products and services may not be offered everywhere, a logo can travel across land and sea free of charge. Strong brands, like Nike and Target, are recognized all over the world.
Your logo creates an opportunity for your business to stand out on a larger platform. And a logo that is done well is one that is not generic or overdone, but dares to step outside and be something entirely on its own, something that your customers want to associate themselves with and want others to see. So before you start marketing your business, take the time to really develop your logo. After that, your brand identity will start to fall into place.
