In this past weekend’s New York Times Ideas & Trends column there’s a story about “the new breed of corporate logos” [sic].
It got me thinking about when it’s appropriate to “refresh” a logo (a term the writer used).
First (my definition of) what a logo is: A Logo is a visual element of a organization’s Identity that helps the viewer immediately recognize that organization.
What a logo is not is an ad. And that’s exactly what I suspect many organization, including all of the companies represented in this story—except Blackwater*—thought they’d be getting when they had their logos redesigned.
I think a Logo should only be redesign when…
- The company has changed its focus and has become a new business.
- Two or more companies merge—each having equal weight in the new business’ focus.
- The original design was so badly designed that some quick thinking CEO recognizes that it has to change immediately.
- The company has a new name.
- A city hires a design studio to give it a new look.
* The company provides no information on how it chose its new name, “Xe”. The attempt to rebrand itself comes as six former employees face manslaughter charges for a shooting that killed 17 civilians in Baghdad. The company has also faced intense scrutiny since four of its employees were massacred and two of them hung from a bridge in Fallujah in 2004.
