Tool Box
Issue No. 52 - April/May 2010
Seven reasons to update your logo
by Alex Aleksic
Have you noticed that a number of high profile organisations have changed their logos recently? A few that come to mind include Woolworths, ANZ, RAA and Advantage SA, formerly SA Great. For better or worse re-branding has become popular among companies and not-for-profits of all sizes.
But being commonplace doesn’t necessarily make it the right thing to do. If there are no compelling business reasons to change, it’s best to keep your existing logo.
Then, there are times when updating your logo is good business. Here are seven good
reasons to update your visual identity:
1. A company changes its name
Whatever the reasons for the name change, updating the logo should be considered. This is especially the case when the symbolism of the old logo clashes with the new name. An example of this is SA Great changing its name to Advantage SA.
2. The logo becomes controversial
A shift in society or political policy can render a logo inappropriate. When this happens it is wise to change the logo. International coffee bar franchise Starbucks preempted this problem before it had a negative impact on the bottom line.
3. The logo becomes obsolete in meaning
When a technology becomes obsolete, so does the logo linked to it. For example, recall the His Master’s Voice logo. Eventually the logo of the dog listening to a gramophone was dropped in favour of the stylised RCA acronym.
4. The logo appears out...
