If we could all agree on two things, it is that logos are fascinating and captivating
A logo has become a core part of business. In fact, if we met someone who did not have one for their business, they would be perceived as lackluster in their practices.
Some say there isn’t any value to a logo, it merely is just a requirement of modern audiences- there’s no storytelling, it’s just an icon. And others believe a logo’s value lies only in how much the audience likes it. To show off how cool you are.
It could be argued that a logo’s true value is visually representing what you do with common icons, like a wrench for a remodel company. Key market leaders would assert back that what your specific services are, have nothing to do with how your logo looks and is valued. Think of Apple’s logomark versus what they sell.
If we could all agree on two things, it is that logos are fascinating and captivating. People love to pay attention to the latest rebrand and determine if it sucks or not (…hey Cracker Barrell).
It is crucial to know that humans have created symbols and icons to represent and signal themselves for thousands and thousands of years. Logos are signs, and they are also ways we communicate.
Think of the symbols of some of the first writing systems developed. Notably we all know of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Commonly used to share, tell stories and even used as signatures.
Yes- hieroglyphics were the first signatures.
A branded cattle was a way for a farmer to identify his herd with his farm. Signatures were even used to identify a manufacturer of goods in ancient Greece.
We have logos because we need a way to share who we are, what belongs to us, what we’ve made or stories we’ve told with a signature mark that says, “That’s me”. Logos give ownership, and share ownership with the audience that participates in your ecosystem.
Credit: https://gingersauce.co/logo-design-history/
A logo signals who you are at its core. From a logo’s very beginning, its history starts with how we identify ourselves to others.
Your logo has to be clear.. It represents who you are as identified by your core brand systems. A taco place called revival means nothing if we cannot understand why it bears that name, and the symbol of a star.
Now it doesn’t mean their logo would be a straight up taco. Brandch does not believe in the argument that a logo must be what you literally do.
Instead we could assert that, “Revival Taco Company” was potentially about bringing back something old and classic in tacos. Their star symbol could be something pinpointed in their story that is known or unknown to an audience.
Their logo is something that helps tell that story, even if not immediately apparent. It identifies who they are based on their internal frameworks and why they exist.
It’s why the cracker barrel rebrand was received so poorly. The man in the logo was a key part of the brand’s framework and history.
The value of a logo lies in the fact that it’s a signal. Yup, that’s it. But what it signals is where that value becomes great.
Signaling you to others, and communicating something unspoken (your story). Without a signal, you become a faceless company, impersonal and not worth connecting to. And with a poor signal, you can become bland and forgettable.
This is why logos take time to create, resources, research, planning, discovery and execution of concepts scrapped to never be seen.
Because its value is signaling you, and that cannot be done easily without a comprehensive understanding of what “you” even is.
Your logo is an opportunity to connect others to you with just a simple mark.
Your logo represents you. So, instead of trying to create the sleekest thing, or the coolest thing ever. Try creating the thing that best showcases your story. From your origins, to your UVP, your beliefs and behaviors, and feelings you want to resonate within others…
Those components all compose a story that connects us to one another. Your logo is a mark, it is a signal.
Let it signal you.
