Each year, Interbrand releases a list of the top 100 brands, and brands like Coca-Cola, Apple, McDonald’s, Toyota, and Walt Disney appear on the list again and again. From...
Coke “is” red. UPS “is” brown. IBM “is” blue. These corporations understand that the proper use of color is vital to creating a positive image among consumers. Furthermore, color plays a huge role in memory recall. It stimulates all the senses, instantly conveying a message like no other method of communication.
A common logo design mistake is making a logo that will become outdated too soon. A far better strategy is to develop a timeless logo that can consistently represent your brand for many years to come. This can be done by sticking with a simple word mark logo that uses a timeless font or by using an icon in your logo design that is flexible enough to evolve with your brand, customers, and market.
Your logo design appears on everything from your letterhead to your website, reaching customers, prospects, suppliers and the press. In other words, your logo reaches everyone and is the first impression someone will have of your company, therefore your logo needs to create a favorable introduction. Present yourself clearly and dynamically by using these logo design rules, and you’ll look like a pro, even if your office is your basement.
An important part of your logo design and overall brand identity comes from the typefaces you use in your logo. Depending on your choices, your logo design could create a perception of a fun brand, a sophisticated brand, a modern brand, or an old-fashioned brand to name just a few.
Extending your brand can be dangerous. While it might seem that casting a wide net increases your opportunities to connect with more people and sell more products, the opposite is more often the result. In other words, it’s usually more expensive and less profitable to try to be all things to all consumers than it is to define your strength and your competitive advantage and then focus on winning by niche branding.
When I interviewed graphic designers for my agency, I’d always get a little nervous when they claimed they could double as a great copywriter. That’s because good design and good copywriting require two different skill sets rarely found in one person. I’d experience the same nervous reaction when clients discussed “brand extension,” or launching a new product. It’s not as easy as it seems.
When a company extends a brand (launching new products or services under the same brand umbrella), it’s expected that the new product or service will benefit from the popularity of the existing brand. This reduces advertising costs (people already know what the brand stands for) and increases sales potential (people already trust the brand). Great brand extensions can even help the parent brand.