Most businesses are already aware of the importance of having a brand logo that’s memorable and recognizable. However, considering the way that information is shared these days and the scope of reach that the internet grants people, there is a much greater reason to avoid potential errors. A brand logo can influence a prospective buyer’s purchase just as much as it can dissuade buyers from doing business with your brand. Here are a few logo mistakes that could be hurting your brand.
Complex Logo Design
There’s nothing wrong with expressing your artistic abilities, but an overly complex logo design can come off as incoherent and directionless. Instead, you should be aiming for a logo that’s simple, memorable, and sufficiently encapsulates what your brand stands for. Too many details can also drive up the cost of logo design unnecessarily.
Oversimplified Logo Designs
Big brands such as Starbucks, Instagram, and AirBnb have caught on to the simple logo trend and these logos are the perfect example of what a simple logo can do for your brand. However, don’t make your logo so simple that a consumer isn’t able to tell what your business is all about. Leaning too hard in this direction can confuse and direct customers away from your brand.
Design Dissonance
Another design mistake to avoid is not matching your font and colors to your brand goal and culture. Brands that are geared toward professionals should use cooler tones and simpler, straighter fonts, while brands that want to be viewed as fun and lively should stick to vibrant colors and curvy fonts. Always make sure that your logo reflects your brand properly.
Offensive Elements
As previously mentioned, the internet grants brands greater exposure. While this is a very potent means to grow your brand, mistakes can spread like wildfire. Avoid any offensive elements that even remotely suggest sexism, racism, and other sensitive topics. This is especially true considering the political climate we currently have. Always stay politically neutral if possible.
Design Plagiarism
Most times, observing and learning from your competitors will help you determine which approaches work and which don’t. Logo design is not an element you’re going to want to copy, as this makes it more difficult for your customers to differentiate your brand from that of your competitors. It can also cause your customers to mistakenly purchase your competitor’s products instead of yours. You’ll be better off if you study the elements of your competitors’ design, and deciphering what it is you can improve on or do differently to gain some traction.
Finally, we also have to consider the fact that not everyone is gifted at graphic design, and not everyone has the time and resources to learn how to design their own logos. There are many logo makers on the market that can drastically simplify the process. You don’t have to hire a logo designer as long as you keep these key things in mind.
