If you are a business owner looking to get a logo from a designer on Craigslist for $100 and you truly and honestly feel that this is the way to achieve your brand, then stop reading now. I'll bet you'll be out of business in a year anyway.
Sound harsh? How else can I convince you that branding is a dead serious business that involves a lot more than making something look pretty. Survival of the fittest is the name of the game, and the odds are against you. Of course, the designers and ad agencies can take some of the blame for the carnage of lost business, with the constant politically correct blanding barf talk that does not give any business a reason to invest in advertising other than, "wouldn't it be super?" I've just seen it, over and over again, wasted time, foreclosure signs, all because one does not realize the face value of a great logo. Like the tale of the emperor's new clothes, you don't want to be naked to the world and not realize it.
In short, why do you need to invest in a logo that's stylish and effective? Two reasons.
1) Your logo sets the tone for the rest of your advertising campaign. Everything you do starts with your logo. It is the visual foundation of your message. The degree of inconsistency between what the viewer feels when seeing your logo and what they experience when interacting with your company may decrease your profit margin.
2) An effective standout logo will increase sales. It does so by presenting your clients with an honest view of you and your business. Honest is the key word here. This isn't manipulation, it's simply a dynamic visual message which leads you from point A to point B.
Granted the average customer does not go through the time to think about the logo and what it means to them and why they feel a little uncertainty about throwing dollars on your counter. It's subliminal, but it functions with the same principal they find in children, recognizability patterns. Human begins (as in you and me) are hard wired into finding pleasure in familiarity. Like a magician's trick, your logo acts like a teaser of things to come. This is why it is critical the interaction between you and your clients needs to be visually echoed in your logo and your brand. The logo gives the viewer a feeling about your company, the following business interaction needs to be that same feeling times ten.
As for how one echoes the feeling of your entire company by designing a logo and the resulting brand that follows, here's a simple overview. Let's take into consideration that all of us are bombarded by thousands of visual messages a day, from cereal boxes to bumper stickers. And, that with a hundred years of graphic design to draw from, the visual world has earned it's own unique language. Certain fonts and colors work better for certain companies because we've become visually accustomed to a particular style leading to a particular industry. Rules are set in place by the majority. Then the genius comes along and decides that BP Gas Stations need to be white and Green, with a little spark to indicate a move towards cleaner energy, something the public is leaning towards, and boom... the industry has a new standard. A fabulous example of great design is Lamb's Ear logo designed by Society Co., found at http://lambsearshoes.com. The thing looks nothing like a shoe store logo that I've ever seen. But it instantly says urban, heart, love, stylish, and grabs my attention. The store itself echoes the logo in design, which looks like a carved out cave with long linear shelves and shoes that just pop out from them. I love this, and I don't even buy women's shoes. (Feel free to insert silly childish jokes about a man buying women's shoes here, cause I know you're think it.)
Now, of course we have to throw in the artist process, which if he or she has any talent will includes some research, a dash of gut instinct, an ability to learn and listen, process a ton of information, come up with possibilities... and then give it a fresh spin. If I had to pick one talent that's the most critical, it's the ability to memorize thousands of styles, and process visual information. I have a semi-photographic memory, which as a designer comes in real handy. Now, I can go in much further detail, but I think you're getting the idea. Like a magic trick, this is more complex that it looks.
And in the end, it's a matter of how much one wants to invest in your business. Look in the bottom of the barrel, and you should expect leftovers. And you don't have to dish a million dollars for a red coffee stain, which is what Lucent technologies did. (Great logo, but come on! was it necessary... was it?) There's enough talent out there that can deliver a great design without breaking the bank. If you're ready to commit, either as a new business owner or one looking for a facelift, go loco for your logo and increase those odds for a better profit margin. And in this business climate, it's time to start thinking differently
Visit Lamb's Ear ShoesVisit Society Co.
