How Do I Update my Current Logo?

Why update your logo instead of a completely overhauling it

If you've had the same company logo for a while now and it no longer represents exactly what you had in mind when you started, it's time to do something. So, should you choose to do an update or complete redesign? 

It may be easier to opt for an update if you don't want to start from scratch. An update can also be a way of modernizing your brand image without having to spend a fortune. Every year, many companies opt for a brand image refresh to maintain consistency and avoid upsetting their customers.

Five ideas for refreshing your logo

If you choose to update your logo, but don't know where to start, here's a list of suggestions. Keep in mind that for this brand refresh to be successful, you need to ensure continuity between the old and new logo.

Go for simplicity

To begin with, if we analyze the new logos of several brands, we will see that many of the original logos were simplified. There are two main reasons for this. First, simplicity and minimalism remain important trends in logo design. Second, a flexible logo can be easier to use on the web. So, if a company has a logo with several components, chances are they will opt for something simpler.

Components that can be simplified include details or the number of colors or fonts. Ask yourself if all the components in your logo are necessary. A good example of a simplified logo is Nissan's, they only kept the outlines for their latest redesign.

Keep the important components

In order to successfully update your logo, take the time to analyze what the important components of your brand image are. How do people recognize you? Is it because of your color palette or your icon? When refreshing your brand, consider keeping these components or something very similar so that people continue to recognize you. 

For example, did you know that IKEA recently changed their logo? The changes were subtle, but they were chosen so that the logo would easily be used everywhere. In addition, if your company has a certain notoriety, you could opt for a specific logo type, like symbol or monogram, that removes superfluous components. 

Choose a new font

Just as there are trends in logos, there are also typography trends. In fact, some font types can be popular for a certain period. If you feel that the font used for your current brand no longer represents your values or has become boring, you can choose another when updating your logo.

As mentioned above, we analyzed several corporate logo redesigns. We noticed that most of the time a sans-serif font was chosen for the refresh. Again, the reasons behind this are simple: sans-serif fonts are considered accessible, simple, and modern. Of course, it all depends on how you want your new logo to look.

Think of a new color palette

Similar to fonts, if you want to modernize your logo, you can make changes to your color palette. First, how many different colors are used for your logo and branding? For your logo, we recommend no more than three colors to ensure harmony.

Also ask yourself whether your corporate values are still represented by the colors used by your brand. Colors have meaning and can help you convey a particular message. A bad example of this is the oil company BP. They chose green as the main color for their new logo, despite being responsible for one of the biggest oil spills at sea. The color doesn't work for the company and their messaging, unfortunately.

Create variations

We've already talked about the importance of having a flexible logo these days, one that can be used everywhere, from printed materials to the web. If you only want to make a few changes to your logo, you could create different variations to suit your needs.

For example, if your logo includes several colors, you could decide to have a single-color version or a black-and-white version. This will ensure that your logo looks good no matter what the background. Also, if you've chosen to create a combined logo, you could have a version that is only the company name or icon.

In conclusion, there's nothing stopping you making small changes to your logo once in a while. You may decide to simplify it, change a component, or create variations to suit different needs. It's important to mention here that you shouldn't blindly rely on new trends. On the contrary, it's better to opt for a timeless logo, to which you'll only have to make minor changes over the years. We hope you enjoy designing your logo!