Logo design shouldn’t be expensive

Listening to Radio 4 today I caught the tail end of a programme about logos and logo design. The usual stuff….the London Underground logo is brilliant and the Olympics logo is rubbish etc etc. It was like listening to life in slow motion as the chat moved predictably towards the horrendous price paid for this work by large companies and nightmare wastes-of-money like Consignia.

By means of refreshment, at the end a customer rang in and said that his chili company got it’s logo designed by a tattoo artist for £20. He added that it’s brilliant and I bet it is.

What initiative. Tattoo artists have all the essential ingredients for an efficient logo design….

• It needs to be eye catching and simple
• It should say everything about it’s owner;  core values, image oh yes
• Avoid being trendy so it may last for many years
• It is often one or two colour
• It must be flexible
• Be able to be discernible when expanded

So what is the big deal about logos? Logos tend to take far too much of people’s time when launching a business or creating a brand. At the end of the day you need something unique and easily recognisable. It should work in a single colour and represent your corporate personality. Yep. that’s all true. But your logo is not your brand.

Your brand is how good your product and service is. Your brand is how well you treat your customers. Your brand is how clearly you communicate to your target market. And, as a business owner, your brand is you and how you act.

Look at Richard Branson and Virgin. I bet he’s so fed up of red. But he lives that brand. He is that brand. He is good quality and he is people-focused. He is also completely committed and invested in that brand and will protect it should anyone try and damage it…. Jeremy Corbyn….

So don’t pay a fortune for logo design. It’s not that important. Spend your time getting really clear on what your logo will stand for and build a business that would make any logo a symbol of greatness.