You’ve created a great basic logo design for your brand, so next up is your tagline, right? You know, something catchy and concise that sums up your brand, sings of quality and works perfectly in that logo design. Maybe, but not so fast…
Today, many branding experts recommend you create a tagline only if it communicates additional, useful information that differentiates your brand from competitors.
The reason is simple. Your tagline can accompany your logo in many places and for many reasons, but it shouldn’t be a required element of your logo design. You should have the flexibility to use your logo without that tagline whenever the situation necessitates it.
For example, your logo with your tagline might look great together on your business letterhead or in a print ad. However, it’s highly likely that they won’t look as good together on a business card. The imprint area is so small that a tagline that’s part of the logo design becomes illegible. That’s also true when you imprint your logo with your tagline as part of the logo design on giveaway items like pens.
Think about some of the most recognizable logo designs. Most are typically used without their brand taglines. However, most of those logo designs can include a tagline when it’s appropriate. For example, the Nike logo is used both with and without the “Just do it” tagline.
Your brand tagline is an important part of your brand identity, but it should enhance your logo design and add value to your brand message rather than obscure your logo design and clutter your promise behind a bunch of words. With the vast majority of print and online media, white space is valuable real estate. White space matters in your logo design, too. Too many elements in a logo design make that logo less memorable and the brand harder to recall and recognize.
Most importantly, don’t use a brand tagline as part of your logo design unless it communicates additional, useful information that differentiates your brand from competitors. If your tagline is redundant or offers no meaningful information to consumers, then it can have a negative effect on how consumers perceive your brand. If your tagline isn’t great, leave it out of your logo design and start brainstorming to come up with a better one.
