Resources

Connections Vol. 1 Issue 3 October 2006

Invasion of the Logo Snatchers

It's almost inevitable. Someday you'll be looking at your logo and realizing that it's no longer a viable component of your company or organization. Both large and small businesses share the same reasons for opting out of their present logos and for good reason: times change and you must reflect that change in your industry or be seen as being behind the times.

Corporate Change

A wonderful case in point is UPS. The logotype was designed by graphic design icon Paul Rand and displayed a package wrapped in string. UPS believed the time had come to revamp its image: how long has it been since anyone sent a package wrapped that way? The two-dimensional shield was changed to three dimensional and a swoosh was added to the top of it to show speed. Even design icons are made over.

Recently, Spike TV changed its cursive logo to bold lettering to emulate a more masculine programming schedule. Morgan Stanley dropped Dean Witter from its identity to, in part, streamline its identity.

Logos are no longer timeless

Graphic designers understand the reasons for change and welcome the opportunity to help your business reach its potential. A designer may create the foundation of your identity but it's the public that in turn creates the perception about your business. That is why it is essential to meet with clients to go over what message needs to be conveyed in a logo. If your logo looks outdated, potential clients will think your business practices are also obsolete. What once may have lasted fifteen to twenty years may now be turned around in five to ten years time.

If you're to successfully compete in an ever-evolving marketplace, look at your logo and think what it says about you. Maybe it's time for a change.

Reasons for Change

The company's growth must reflect the transformation.
The name of the company has changed.
Management wants to indicate a change in marketing strategy or business.
The current logo has a controversial stigma attached to it.
The current design looks outdated.
The company wishes to reposition itself in the marketplace.

Anatomy of a Symbol/Logo

Blaine's symbol and logo were changed from a nondescript entity to one that matched the company and founder's identity.

The symbol itself engages viewers in a virtual mind game. Originally, the mark was a "fast forward" symbol (>>) that linked technology with Blaine's goal to serve all clients promptly. That morphed into the v-shapes or arrowheads.

Each v-shape represents the four-pronged approach used to help clients attain their business goals: Graphic Design, Web Site Development, Web Application Development, and Marketing Strategy. Blaine had talked about business problems as parts of a puzzle that fit together. The blue and green shapes fit together as puzzle pieces into the blue section that carries the logo. The arrowheads are also connected and pointing toward the company name (the subtle hint that this is the place to go for solutions). They have a 3-D quality that suggests building blocks to your success.

The chosen colors represent both Blaine's keen loyalty to clients (true blue) and his concerned involvement with environmental issues. The font used in "Blaine's" has a technological touch while "Business Services, Inc." gives the logo a modern, business quality.

October Feature
Coming to Terms with Design

Q and A

Q What is a logo?

A Logos are easily recognized because of their color, shape and line. Words are used to form the identity of the organization or company.

Indiana University is an example of a logo.

The term has become a generic definition for anything that labels a company.

Q What are lettermarks and wordmarks?

A The terms are interchangeable. Letters or letterforms are used to identify the company.

RCA and 3m are examples of lettermarks or wordmarks.

Q What are symbols?

A No text is used in identifying the company. A figure, sign or letter does the trick here.

The red and yellow abstracted shell tells you the gas station on the corner is Shell.

Q What are combination marks?

A These are also known as a company's signature. They are simply a combining of a wordmark and logo.

The white sock and White Sox together form a combination mark.

Q What is graphic design?

A It's a visual communication process that offers a solution to a specific problem a client has. Graphic designers work with an arrangement of shapes and forms including, but not limited to illustration, photography, fonts, and multimedia. The final creation is what the designer and client believes will be most beneficial for the client's image and marketing concerns. What you use depends on what direction you want your company headed.

Graphic design is also known as commercial art.

Not just for sports teams & colleges
Mascot Mania Musters Marketing Memories

Can a duck actually increase visibility and sales? Look at what's happened to Aflac and you can see why more companies are adopting a mascot to support and promote their identity. Using a mascot in your marketing campaigns gives you a competitive edge because it makes you stand out from the crowd. It helps to attract attention and effectively communicate your message at first glance.

Mascots increase enthusiasm toward your product, message, and company. They help place your goods in the minds of potential clients in a fun and beneficial way.

In Aflac's case, the mascot made the company memorable to all consumers. Aflac began with nothing but a blue silhouette of family members standing by the name. No one took notice. The design and marketing team switched to lower case letters to make it easier to remember the company as a name rather than a confusing acronym. The duck sealed the deal by bringing humor into the mix. He was easily able to showcase what type of offers the company provided for its clients in a simple way.

If you're trying to increase brand awareness, think about employing an original, custom made mascot in your marketing mix. Are you ready to change your corporate identity with a mascot?