In a blind taste test between Coca-Cola and Pepsi the results are almost always a 50/50 split; however, Coca-Cola has 43% of the market and Pepsi has 30%. Why? It would seem that Coca-Cola’s marketing is far superior. Many factors could be argued but I’m going to focus on one, the logo.
The Coca-Cola logo so iconic, that some people use it as a home decoration. While Pepsi has changed its logo over and over again,
Coca-Cola got their logo bang on back in the early 1900s and stuck with it. Compared to Pepsi the Coca-Cola logo looks better every time. It’s a competitive advantage that leads straight to the bank.
There are many factors that lead to the success of a business. I’m simply focusing on this one ingredient to the recipe. Although it may be difficult to quantify, the quality of your logo will affect your bottom line. It adds credibility by giving an impression of quality. If a company is dressed for success then there must be quality in their product.
A logo should be:
- Simple
- Timeless
- Appropriate
- Memorable
- Versatile
Take your logo design seriously. Don’t cheap out on the design. There are companies that offer cheap logo design but all they do is connect your name to an icon that they pulled out of a collection. Chances are someone else will have the same logo with their name attached to it. Just because some people got lucky doesn’t mean you will.
Make sure that you have a vector copy of you logo in your possession. A lot of design companies will design a logo for you but retain the rights to it. You end up paying for your logo over and over again every time you get an ad or website designed. I’m surprised by how many companies aren’t in control of their brand.
Don’t let people mess with your brand. I’ve come across companies where the logo is one way on the website, another way on the building and another way on their print media. This dissolves the impact and memorability.
Your logo is a vital part of your success equation. You may be doing just fine without one but how much more successful would you be if you had a solid brand? How much money are you not making? Get your logo right the first time and stick with it!
Paul Nicholson
Senior Media Designer