Who among us hasn’t experienced a little Apple envy? The logo and visual identity of this company is a success story that we all should be so lucky to experience. Logos and visual branding programs have been a foundation of smart, effective communications since graphic design first emerged as a field of work. Famous and infamous logo stories make for great reading and offer important lessons on how to approach this critical step in staking out your territory and attracting people to your services or products.
Just like everything else in communications these days, however, logos are caught up in the “everything is available online for cheap” approach that the Internet makes possible. We’ve seen a major Federal agency crowdsourcing its logo development. You can find $1.99 logos online or give your office assistant a program that does almost instant art. These options provide a logo that may look pretty good but has little relevance to your key positioning messages and organizational vision.
This 3-part series will give you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the creation of an effective, successful visual branding program. The process we’re sharing is one that we’ve developed and refined over many years. Whether you decide to use professional design services or not, I hope it helps you make wise decisions and achieve your goals.
Part 1: Discovery
Decide that it’s time
Obviously, when your organization or business is brand new or you’re going through a merger or acquisition, visual branding has to be a top priority. It’s also time for a change, however, when a logo ceases to match your organization’s position in the marketplace.
Starbucks’ unveiling of its updated visual branding this year is a perfect case in point. With the shift in the corporate plan away from a sole focus on coffee, their mark had to change, too. Now only the iconic mermaid remains.
The overhaul of the UPS logo several years ago is another prime example. Paul Rand’s design served UPS well for a long time, but the industry changed. UPS had grown into a highly technical company with carefully plotted routes and complex automated systems. A parcel package tied with a neat bow no longer represented the heart of the organization. The logo, as good as it was, had to be retired.
It’s also time for a change when you find yourself saying, “This logo is good enough.” We’ve seen a steady decline in the quality of communications as more and more organizations opt to publish materials created by sales or administrative staff. Maybe that sounds like sour grapes coming from a design team, but think about it. If your logo isn’t imprinting the uniqueness of your organization on the minds of your customers and constituents, it’s decoration not branding. “Good enough” just isn’t good enough when competition for attention is so fierce.
Logos are key when you really want to lead the online conversation. One of our clients commented recently, “Do we even need a logo? We don’t print letterhead anymore.” The value of a strong visual brand is more important than ever today. Try to establish an effective page on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or a blog without one. The list of marketing options is exploding and so is the need for good, solid branding.
Budgets have been slashed these days. You’re expected to do more and more with scarce resources. But the visual branding of your organization is foundational. Working through the visual identity development process will help you take an honest look at how you’re perceived, clarify your organization’s unique value and provide a powerful set of marketing tools to help you tell your story.
Gather internal perspectives
The first step is an inside assignment. We always start the logo process off with a survey of key stakeholders and staff to identify the internal perceptions about how an organization’s values, mission and vision line up with day-to-day realities. We may gather the information through one-on-one interviews, simple survey questions or a focus group approach. The goal is to capture the prevailing internal perceptions about what your organization really is, what you believe those on the outside see and how you want to be perceived.
It’s wise to have an objective third party gather the feedback so that answers will be heard without any pre-existing or conflicting opinions. We have a short survey with a set of questions that works in most cases.
It’s also important to do a scan of other organizations that operate in your same area of influence. Who are your competitors and collaborators? What messaging and identities are already in use? What sets you apart from these organizations?
Conduct external research
Frequently there is a gap between what people on the inside believe about the perceptions of their target audiences and what we find out to be true in our research. External research is an opportunity to verify your theories about the people you are trying to attract, sell to or influence.
Finding the right level of external research can be tricky, especially when you factor in the cost and time involved. It takes a combination of wisdom based on experience and reality-based planning to find the best approach. Here are some of the choices available:
- One-on-one interviews with peers and colleagues
- Surveying members or customers by inviting them to participate in a focus group or online survey
- Posting a general survey or poll on your website or facebook page
The questions used in your research are not meant to determine whether people “like” your logo or hate your corporate blue. They are broader and deeper. Here are some examples of questions we’ve used for interviews:
- What does [Name of Organization] do?
- What adjectives or phrases would you use to describe [Name of Organization]?
- How do you compare [Name of Organization] to [Name of Competing Organization]?
- What is your impression of [Name of Organization]’s communication tools?
Write a creative brief
Now that you have done all your homework, summarize your findings and put it in writing. This doesn’t have to be a long and tedious job. A creative brief should be just that — brief. You need a written statement that can be reviewed and approved by the people who have the authority to accept or reject the new visual identity. If they don’t agree with the assumptions and findings that will guide the creative work, no design can win approval.
How long does this beginning process take? We’ve had Discovery take as little as two weeks or as long as ten months. Of course, the extent of the external research has a huge impact on timing. Don’t skimp on this process. Don’t let it bog down the momentum. Let your creative services team guide the process, make recommendations and keep things moving along. That’s why you hired them, right?
Coming next week: Logo Design Part 2: The Creative
Cindy Fowler is the editor of Smart Thinking / Great Design. Her insights and practical approaches come from over 35 years in marketing design, many miles on a bicycle and life as a fearless babyboomer in the world of social media. 