Logo & Brand Identity Design–Nudging Clients in the Right Direction

I receive leads on a regular basis. From website to mobile to an array of print projects, if it’s design-related I’ve probably done it. Along with project specifics I can’t count the times that a potential client presents a logo to me that is just not up to snuff. My response is always the same: “Would you like some help with logo design as well?” Here are a few of my favorite responses:

“We don’t have a logo. We just don’t need one.”
“My nephew created the logo with Power Point. We love it. He’s only in high school but he’s so talented.”
“Yeah I know it’s hard to read but people seem to like it.”
“Our HR department spent several hundred dollars on it”
“We’ve had the same logo for years and it seems to work fine”

Unless the client’s mentioned otherwise she is usually ok with pushing ahead with a mediocre mark.

Logo design is hands-down my first love. We all know how important brand *image* is. A logo is usually at the apex of what a company’s image is. If a client doesn’t need a new logo they just don’t. We push ahead. Many clients however simply don’t understand. It’s the whole “lipstick on a pig” thing. “Sure I can create a beautiful website for you but what about this really ugly logo? – I don’t think your users can read it. Also do we really want a mark that’s purple, red and green?”

It’s a constant balancing act as to how much I push the client. It’s dependent on a combination of trust budget and rapport.

Our job is not prescriptive. We are obligated to solve design problems and advise our clients on what we believe to be the best solution. We collaborate with the client, agree on an execution then iterate until the job is complete. Ultimately it’s our job to educate and push our clients to the best of our abilities but the bottom line is sometimes we do have to put “lipstick on a pig”.

This post was inspired by Marie-Cécile Paccard’s article: “Logo 101 – What you need to know before giving a face to your project” via Medium.com. If you need to educate your client on the fundamentals of logo design, this is not only a great refresher but also a good article to point them too.

#brand #logo #identity #image