Getting a logo is exciting, no doubt about it. Whether you’re designing it yourself or outsourcing it to a professional, branding is fun. And logos, which will adorn everything from your business card and website header to merchandise and social feeds, are especially alluring.
Yet there’s a challenge, too: how do you get something so small, so simple, to say so much about you? This is why some people spend their entire careers creating logos for businesses. It’s also why entrepreneurs tend to get sucked into the logo design process, drowning in Pinterest boards until they give up and eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s instead.
Ultimately, lots of people opt for the trend-based, DIY logo option just to get it over with. Thing is, that’s a bad idea.
Say No to Trendy Logos
Why shouldn’t you follow design trends when creating a logo for your business? Good question … and one with any number of answers.
The main one is that a good logo should have common characteristics that never go out of style. It should be memorable and relevant, simple yet timeless. If you follow trends too closely, you not only run the risk of dating your logo, you may give more of your energy and attention to trends than to the creation of something truly lasting.
There are other, more specific reasons to avoid jumping on the trend train, though. Here are 10 of the most compelling.
1. You’ll have to redesign your brand every year or two
We shouldn’t have to say this: trends change. Pretty quickly. If you choose a logo based on trends, then it will quickly become outdated. That means you’ll have to either accept an antiquated brand, or redesign to fit new trends. Not only is it a lot of work to redesign your brand every few years, but it can be really confusing to your customers. It means you will:
- Lose brand recognition
- Have to spend a lot of resources relaunching brands
- Need to engage in extra communication and explanation with established audiences
- Have to have more staff hours overall to do your job and work as a part-time self-design agency
2. Trends might not align with your core values
You might not know it, but great logos stay true to the core value of the brands they represent. Through the use of fonts and colors you can express elements of the values that you want to highlight to your audience.
Now, it might be that a current logo trend aligns perfectly with your values, and that your audience relates with that trend. However, this is usually not the case!
The whole idea of a trend is to pander to pop culture, but is that your core value? If you’re a boutique clothing shop, then trends make sense. If you’re an actuarial service dealing in decades, they don’t. This is why it’s super-important to know what core values lie at the center of your business before you start the design process.
So, before you jump a trend, take a step back and ask yourself if this trending design look really speaks to you as a brand. If the answer is yes, then jump on-board, if not, then pass.
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3. By the time you see it, a trend is getting old
Usually, by the time you notice it, a trend has saturated the market. That’s why you’re seeing it and loving it … because it’s all around you, even if you think you noticed it “just in that one place.” That means the trend is already getting old.
Think of it like this … if you absolutely love or can’t live without a certain color, pattern, texture or shape in your logo, it likely means it’s all the rage. Which in turn likely means it is already getting gray hairs and soon won’t be all the rage. Back to the drawing board!
4. “Coolness” doesn’t equate with money
Ask anyone with an Instagram following of 50k how much money they make, and you can pretty much guarantee the answer will be “not a living wage.” Sure, they might make some money; and occasionally, someone does make a career out of being an influencer.
For the most part, though, being “cool” genuinely does not translate to that dollar bill y’all (if you’ll pardon the Wyclef shoutout). A logo should help your bottom line, period. If it doesn’t, it’s wasted.
And at the end of the day, the job of a logo is not to be cool! That would be a very hollow design. While your logo can look cool, it’s more important to make sure it speaks to target audience, while representing your brand’s personality and value.
5. Logos should be simple
You know what never simplified anything? Fitting in trendy colors or patterns that conflict with everything else you’re trying to do.
A logo should be a true reflection of your company’s brand identity and should transmit who you are and what your vibe is, without unnecessary clutter. Usually, trends don’t add anything to the picture. All they really tell people is that you like trends.
For logo design, less is always more. All the elements should get together, not fight with each other. Stick to one or two colors, the same for fonts. And use icons in a meaningful way.
6. Trends might conflict with color theory
The basic idea behind color theory is that certain hues transmit certain feelings. Green and blue are calming, and so are often used in healthcare. Red gets you fired up, so it’s great for social justice. Yellow is happy, and is often employed for design, toys, clothing and retail in general.
Not everyone believes in color theory, and that’s okay. Nevertheless, you should think about what your color conveys. If your services are pretty sober (like, outpatient alcoholism treatment), yellow might not be the best for you. Fighting for a cause? Cool lavender probably doesn’t send the right message, no matter how trendy it is.
7. You lose your message by following trends
When you follow trends, your message becomes “I’m cool.” Which, ideally, you are. But at what cost?
If you help cancer patients get the mental healthcare they need, you don’t need to be cool. If you clean carpets, a nifty modern pattern isn’t going to help you get more clients. (Although it will help you visualize new carpet ideas.) And if your clientele is largely in the 70-and-older set, then trendiness is at best wasted on them – and at worst, it loses their trust.
So if following trends is what you’re all about – perhaps you’re an honest-to-goodness patternmaker – then by all means go trendy. Otherwise, stick to your own message and let the tides of taste pass you by.
This is also related to No. 2, your core values. Again, if you haven’t gotten that far, do that exercise before getting a logo.
8. Don’t become the next blacklisted logo
The other downside of following trends is that while this year your logo might make the “What’s Hot” list, next year it could well be featured on the “What’s NOT” screed. You can avoid this altogether by ignoring trends and choosing timeless shapes. Think of it as the little black dress, but for branding.
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9. Fonts get old FAST
Raise your hand if you remember Comic Sans, God rest its soul. This font has become synonymous with silly and dated, mostly because it was overused on bright green backgrounds back in the 90s. It’s … not a good look.
Unfortunately, Comic Sans isn’t the only font to make its appearance and then bow (ungracefully) out of the performance. Papyrus got used up when it was employed for subtitles in the movie Avatar, while Times New Roman makes it look like you’re submitting a middle school paper.
In your logo, use a simple font, without stylistic flourishes or overly pronounced serifs, that will stand the test of time. Ideally, get a designer to make you a custom font for your logo, because you will never go out of style.
10. Overused symbology makes you look uncreative
Didn’t know what to use for your logo, so you slapped on a crescent moon with some geometric greenery? Well, so did literally every other wedding photographer in 2017. Turning to popular logo-making sites or desktop design apps like Canva will only make you blend in with the crowd, rather than stand out.
So, What Should You Do Instead of Following Logo Design Trends?
Again, glad you asked! If you’re not sure how to design a compelling logo without compromising the long-term viability of your brand, you just need a little professional help. (No, not from a psychiatrist … although psychology does have a lot of great stuff to say about branding.)
At the end of the day, all you really want is a beautiful, long-lasting and truly memorable mark that will convey your business and mindset with ease. Make sure to explore all your options before simply jumping on trends, and you’ll set your business up for the brightest possible future!
Growth Hackers is among the best graphic design agencies helping businesses from all over the world grow. There is no fluff with Growth Hackers. We help entrepreneurs and business owners create a unique, impactful and relevant logo design for their brands, generate qualified leads, optimize their conversion rate, gather and analyze data analytics, acquire and retain users and increase sales. We go further than brand awareness and exposure. We make sure that the strategies we implement move the needle so your business grow, strive and succeed. If you too want your business to reach new heights, contact Growth Hackers today so we can discuss about your brand and create a custom growth plan for you. You’re just one click away to skyrocket your business.
1 Comment
The problems you mentioned above are really important to consider and there major problems too, Thanks for sharing this insightful article with us, keep posting.