Stand By Your Brand
One of the most gratifying feelings I get as a professional graphic designer is the moment in the logo design process when I hit that sweet spot, creating a mark that really defines and supports the client’s brand and, through the precise juxtaposition of line, type and color, perfectly expresses and reinforces the client’s message.
Then there’s the feeling I got just the other day. Picking up a local magazine, I was happy to see an ad from one of our clients. Then I saw what the publication had done to the logo, dissecting it and randomly rearranging the elements to suit their layout. Beyond the fact that this is a total bummer for the designer, messing with your logo in this way is just a very bad idea.
In any conversation about branding, you’ll hear the word “consistency” over and over again. A truly effective brand stands strong against turbulent changes in the marketplace, providing a reassuring constant for consumers looking for reliability and stability in a shifting, changing environment.
A professional designer will always provide the client with “brand standards,” a kind of rulebook that puts strict creative guidelines around usage of the logo. Followed closely, these guidelines assure brand consistency and longevity. Ignoring them dilutes the brand, rendering it unremarkable and ineffective in an overcrowded market.
Basically, brand standards serve to protect the consistency of your logo (and your brand) with clear information about color, proper spacing and sizing, color options, type style, etc. Those guidelines also ensure a consistent flow of feel and design across all branding platforms.
Marketing research has shown that the buying decisions of today’s consumers are based more on feelings than on facts. As much as they might like your product or service, how they feel about your brand is far more important to that final decision to buy. An inconsistent or watered-down brand is the quickest way to foster customer discomfort. So remember, don’t mess with that logo, and always stand by your brand!