The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games organisers recently released their logo for the Games. The logo, called Harmonized Chequered Emblem, replaces the first choice which was thrown out last year after the designer was accused of plagiarism as reported on BBC news online.
With the release of the logo in recent weeks, it made sense to write an article about the importance of logos in business. Plus hand you, the business owner, some top tips for getting your logo right.
A logo is an extremely important aspect of your business branding. A logo is a vital way of letting the market know what your company is all about. A quality logo can help your business rise to the top of the pile in a competitive market. Your logo also is the face of your company that enables people to remember you.
What did you think of the new logo for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games? Just seeing this image will have caused a chain reaction of thoughts in your head, one that is instinctive as the process of breathing. You can’t help that reaction of thoughts occurring which result in physical emotions being felt. Logos can evoke strong emotions within, they can divide people and they can inspire people. As human beings we instantly analyse a logo for colour, fonts, quality and other areas that give us, as human beings, an instant response to the logo we see. Although impossible to please everyone with your logo it’s vital to ensure that you please the majority, in order to reach that quality brand recognition just with your logo.
Once an association is made with logo and reinforced over time with other activities it is very hard to shake. Some people who view the new Tokyo 2020 Olympics logo may instantly feel excited for the Olympics, others may feel already put off. What is key, is that this logo made you feel something, this is the importance of a logo.
As a business owner the way your logo looks and the brand image of your company may not be at the top of your priority list as you’re getting pulled pillar to post during your normal working day. After discussing the Tokyo Olympics logo above and the power of the logo to the overall success of an event or business, do you still need convincing to give your logo some more attention? Well maybe we can help:
- A company could have the best product in the world that meets all of your requirements, but if the packaging/marketing/product is poorly designed would you give it a chance?
- Have you ever been on a website and bounced off it straight away because it looked like a throwback from the mid 90′s, even though it may have had the information you required?
I’m sure as business owner you wouldn’t let any of the above happen in your business, as it could be detrimental to all the long hours you personally put into the company to make it a success. Don’t let your logo ruin all of that hard work by turning away potential customers.
It’s vital that you as the business owner look closely at your logo as that is a key visual representation of what you and your business stands for in the market place.
Below are some questions that you can ask yourself to better gauge if your logo is harming your business.
- Is it communicating the right message?
- Is it unique?
- What associations do your customers have with it?
- Is it outdated?
- Does it cause an emotional response?
A good tip to stop bias towards your logo is to ask other people to give their opinions on your logo. Getting good or bad feedback on your business logo will help determine your next course of action. Maybe it’s time to tweak your logo or have a complete overhaul based on the feedback you have received.
To find out more about creating a strong online brand please read the following blog - Learn The Importance Of Creating A Strong Online Brand And How To Implement It.
A logo doesn’t have to cost the earth but it’s definitely worth investing your time, effort and energy in to get right. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics committee had two attempts to get the logo correct due to the global importance of the logo for the games. Follow the steps above to make sure your business logo has a positive effect on your business.
