Any company has a logo, whether it is a major international brand or a local firm. It is like a business card, brand recognition all over the world depends on it. Therefore, many companies spend a long time and painstakingly working out every nuance of the logo so that the concept is reflected in it. When looking at this, people should have an association with something familiar.
What is a logo redesign?
A redesign is similar to a rebrand, only the process is less costly and expensive. If in the second option everything is processed – philosophy, principles, design, mission. Then in the redesign, only the visual design changes – they update the old logo or draw a new one from the steering wheel.
Marketers recommend that companies redesign at least once every 10 years, as the world’s most popular video hosting did. After 12 years of work, a new Youtube logo was introduced. Inattentive users might not even notice the changes, because they really were insignificant. Why then did the company do it?
The new logo has become concise, unnecessary detailing has disappeared. Graphic designers adhered to all modern trends, the logo came out easy to read, updated and at the same time almost unchanged.
Who needs to change the logo and when
There are several reasons why a company might need a redesign: a change in activities, a bad old logo, a long-term use of the same logo, a change in management, or a desire to stand out.
Change of activity
Usually in the first couple of years, the company develops a concept and makes a logo based on it. But changing activities is not uncommon in a large business, and along with changes in the concept, you have to make adjustments to the logo as well. For example, this happened with Airbnb. In 2014, they turned from a site for the selection of housing into an “experience company”, and with it a redesign followed.
Bad past logo
This reason is much more serious than the previous one. A great example of this is Netflix and Apple, whose first logos were complex and incomprehensible. Both redesign decisions were right and allowed companies to develop in the right direction. After all, even a child knows what a bitten apple means, right?
Long-term use of the same logo
This is when a company gets tired of their current logo and wants something new. This is not the most compelling reason for a redesign. Because of it, you can destroy your individuality and cease to be recognizable, but there are good examples. The same Youtube TV logo, which began to look concise and fashionable in comparison with the previous one.
Change of leadership
The arrival of a new leader in the company does not oblige it to change the logo. But some directors consider it their duty to notify everyone about their new position. This often happens with fashion houses, and the best examples for this are Yves Saint Laurent, Loewe, Diane von Fürstenberg, Calvin Klein, Balenciaga and others.
Logo redesign is not an easy task, but its result is really impressive, and even beneficial for many companies.