Logo: why change over time?

We can no longer ignore that good design makes all the difference in a business. After all, a utilitarian and pleasant visual identity is one of the main communication tools for brands. It is responsible for making a good impression and giving credibility to them. And, the synthesis of the visual identity of a brand, is their logo, which is usually the most impactful element, being the first memory of consumers when they think of the company. So it is important to pay special attention to it!

Thus, the logo needs to keep up with the constant changes, whether they are related to the company or to the world in general. But that does not mean that the company must present a new logo each year. An update must be thought strategically, to communicate something really relevant and of interest to the public. There are several reasons that lead a brand to make this change, and in this article, you will understand some of them.

# 1 To mark the merger or differentiation of brands

One brand that recently changed its logo for this purpose was Facebook. But we are not talking about the social network, but Facebook as a company. And the change occurred precisely to highlight this difference!

When we talk about Facebook, we usually remember the blue symbol with the letter “f”. Then, we associate the name with the social network. Because of this, the company had some difficulties communicating as a corporation (which represents more than that platform).

As a solution, a new logo was created, which does not have the function of replacing the icon of the social network, but rather be something extra, which conveys the new face of the Facebook Company. And, as part of this strategy, it was applied to some of the company’s products, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, in order to highlight the change to the public.

# 2 To show a new stage of the brand

When major changes occur internally, it is necessary to communicate to the consumer that the company is in a new moment. Consequently, the brand communication will be rethought, and this unfolds in several ways, including a new visual identity and, in some cases, even a new logo. One of these examples was the project that Pande carried out for Broto Legal, which is a brazilian food sector company from the São Paulo State!

After being acquired by an economic group, the company gained a new direction to reposition itself in the market. From this, we developed a more contemporary strategy for its brands and its product portfolio, in order to represent, in fact, the concepts that currently guide the company’s operations.

In this way, we made a complete redesign of the brand – from the logo to the packaging – which gained modern air, with more sophisticated features and more attractive colors – ensuring that the consumer recognized the change of the company, both on social networks and on supermarket shelves.

# 3 To reveal a new portfolio

There are rare occasions when a company begins and continues, for a long time, with the same products. This is very difficult, because the market is constantly changing, so new opportunities arise and the business evolves. These changes reflect directly on the design, after all, it needs to be aligned with the company’s purpose! Thus, the brand has to be redesigned, especially if it has a descriptive logo.  

To illustrate, we can mention two very famous cases: Adidas and Starbucks. The first logo of these brands included elements that refer directly to the product sold: sneakers and coffee, respectively.

But over time, Adidas has diversified its sporting goods portfolio (such as clothing, backpacks and squeezes) and Starbucks has added snacks to the menu, such as sandwiches and cookies. In this way, the brands were restructured, becoming more comprehensive.

# 4 To update the logo

In some cases, it still represents the company’s portfolio, but it goes against what is currently practiced in design. This does not mean that with each new trend it is necessary to redesign the logo (this is not even recommended). But, when it becomes obsolete, failing to communicate well with the public, it requires changes.

One brand that recently realized this need and chose to modernize its logo was Volkswagen. For this, a more minimalist design was developed, and the brand symbol started to dialogue better with one of the trends that are rising: simplification in design.

These are some of the reasons that lead a brand to make changes to its logo. But they are not the only ones. It can, for example, make a commemorative or promotional logo, to be applied in a specific action or for a temporary period. The best time and the most appropriate change need to be thought out strategically, looking at the purpose and the current context of the company.