Written: December 2019    |    by Casey Hawes

“We want to refresh our logo, but we don’t want a whole new logo.”
Translation: We want a new logo, but we don’t want to pay for it.

Clients don’t know how to talk about redesigning their logos. They want better, but they don’t like change. Or they simply don’t know how to describe the level of change they want. That’s understandable.

This is how I like to describe the various levels of logo redesign to get us all on the same page.

1: Logo Refresh – Clean up your house

This means minor modifications to achieve the goal of making the mark feel new (more modern, youthful, approachable, etc.). Modifications might include adjusting scale, alignment, color, and footprint.

2: Logo Evolution – Remodel your house

This means more noticeable modifications to the mark without tearing down the equity built up by the original logo. Modifications might include a new typeface or redrawn symbols.

3: Logo Redesign – Buy a new house

The current logo has served you well over the years, but now it’s time to move on. We are building you a whole new logo from scratch, as if you started the company today. We may include some nod back to the previous branding, but this is the dawn of a new day.

Before you embark on this logo hunting journey, ask yourself these questions:
What is wrong with your current logo?
What do you hope to achieve with a logo redesign?
Why is the timing right?

Happy house hunting.

Disclaimer: We can design (or redesign) logos in a vacuum, but we highly recommend taking a broader look at your brand identity to see how any change to the logo will impact other visual elements.