Have you ever wondered whether having your brand name written in lowercase on your logo is appropriate?
Logo design can present some challenges in terms of creativity. Often, companies are predisposed to some more traditional design and strategy rules. We have recently faced this challenge when a customer came to us looking forward to rebrand their business.
Any marketing team knows that there is much more to do in creating your brand than simple colorful scripts and pretty pictures – it's about building your identity and passing the good message to the good public. To do this, customers and designers must both understand who they are and who the target audience is.
The identity of the mark does matter
Questionnaires that allow the customer to honestly reflect on his identity, creative character and buyer identity help both parties to consolidate the brand identity of the customer.
After asking our customer to answer these questionnaires, we developed a logo that reflects the brand's identity, conveys the right message, is memorable and durable.
Despite this, the customer expressed a slight concern – the logo was tiny. "You really got it out of the park, that's exactly what we're looking for, but … should not the company name start with a capital letter? " The customer has continued to wonder why and who else has tiny first letters in their brand.
Logos in lowercase? What were they thinking?
Amazon, ebay, facebook, flicker, intel, citibank, macy's, bp, vitamin water and xerox are trademarks that have shifted from the capital letter to the first letter for n & # 39; to mention only a few. ]
There is a trend in this direction. You can find proof of most of the before and after changes found on the new blog of Under Consideration. JCPenny, Sears, Airtel, Coinstar, Nickeldeon, Xfinity and Mapquest are some notable examples.
Lowercase logos provide a casual and accessible environment, making it easier for businesses to connect with their target market. Despite this trend becoming more popular, a number of companies do not feel the need to change their logo to adapt to this trend in order to channel an accessible personality.
Those of you who are meticulous about writing rules and who are wary of the very thought of this trend, do not worry. There are still many companies that follow the traditional rules of language and grammar that will definitely keep a smile on the face of a teacher. Examples include Lipton, Kool-Aid, Coca-Cola, Google, Spotify and even our good friend, the King of Inbound Marketing, HubSpot .
No, they are not yelling at you.
Now, despite the popularity of this trend, it may not be suitable for all brands. Some companies that need to assert a strong, strong or massive presence in the marketplace often go with bold brand names and / or brand names in fully capitalized logos. Take for example IKEA, BAND-AID or BEST BUY ; naturally, these brands have chosen the brand logos in capital letters.
The bottom line is that behind each logo is a strategy. These are not cool fonts, beautiful colors, nor the rules of language and grammar. At the end of the day, it's not a good idea to stick to the staple simply because that's what you're used to in your industry. If you want to stand out, you have to break the mold. Make sure your decision is backed by a solid strategy based on your brand identity.
For capitalization rules, choose what best fits your brand identity. Today's consumers respond to personal contact and character. They are well aware of the choices they have, what they want and who they want it to be.
F sick of making a connection with your target audience is pretty much the suicide of the mark. Do not be afraid to create pathways to a closer relationship with your audience.