Is changing your logo a good way to attract customers?
“Please draw me a logo”… The Ministry of Culture has started a competition to change the design of the famous pen of newsagents. You have until Monday, January 16 to submit your best model before the jury chooses three to four candidates to work on the prototype.
Saying goodbye to the famous yellow and red feather, the new logo will soon adorn 21,000 newsagents in France. What effect will this rebranding have? Is an effective logo useful or even essential for attracting customers? “Our brains and eyes analyze images faster than text. So, the logo is the first piece of information we receive and work with, as long as it is of high quality,” analyzes Pierre-Louis Desprez, managing director of Kaos, a firm specializing in innovation and brands.
Decisive seconds and square centimeters
The first, and sometimes the only, information reminds Clemon, a graphic designer and videographer with 160,000 subscribers on a YouTube channel specializing in logo rebranding: “Today we are overloaded with a lot of information, so the first seconds are extremely important. and determined not to zap. What matters in those seconds is not the quality or usefulness of the product, but the image of the logo. If the logo is not good, the consumer will move on. We scroll through brands like TikTok videos, so you should get a visual slap at first glance. Another great advantage of the image of the brand compared to the name: “Not everyone speaks the same language, does not read the same alphabet, but everyone understands an image”, supports Marcel Botton, CEO of Nomen, a company specializing in this field. creating brand names.
So what is a good logo? According to Pierre-Louis Desprez, the answer must be found in these first few precious seconds: “It must tell a story that makes sense to the brand.” With a little subtlety, “this story has to fit square centimeters, you don’t have a Picasso painting.” Klemo adds: “The message needs to be clear, effective and relevant to the brand and the atmosphere it wants to create. The logo of a cake brand should tell me what kind of cake to eat: for children, delicate pastry, first prize…”
Father logo, tell us a story
Meaning, but also a story, insists Pierre-Louis Deprez: “If you remove the Starbucks siren just to put a cup or a grain to grind, then you are only selling coffee, and man you wonder why you chose this sign” and why do you pay? your cup macchiato six euros fifty. Also avoid misinterpretation. Marcel Botton gives the example of the CNRS logo, where the arrows point in several directions: “We suspect that they mean that they deal with many different topics, but above all it gives the impression of being omnipresent, which is completely counterproductive to the desired message. »
The crucial question remains: should you redesign your logo at the risk of losing your identity?
? Marcel Botton: “A logo ages faster than a brand, so it can be useful to modernize it. It’s also a reminder that fashions pass and that you should think about a logo that’s timeless enough rather than surfing trends that quickly become outdated. »
Between modernity and tradition
Pierre-Louis Desprez gives his philosophy: “We modernize when the story is not strong enough”, otherwise we settle for small changes, such as small changes to the letters of Coca-Cola. “You need the eyes of an angel to see the difference,” continues the expert. Another example given by Klemo: Adidas, which decided to remove its name behind the famous three stripes. According to him, a detail that illuminates and strengthens the brand. In the eyes of a graphic designer, the untouchable of untouchables, Nike, remains the “perfect logo.”
But time is also for innovation, especially with the Internet allowing you to change your digital logos for almost no cost. “Especially Google often changes and adapts its logo at international events or world days. The world of logos has had a little fun”, continues Pierre-louis Desprez.
A good reason to rebrand newsagents’ pens? Our experts remind us that there is no research looking at the correlation between rebranding and attracting new customers. “Talking about yourself, making a little noise and getting a little attention can be useful, but it’s only temporary,” supports Kaos’ general manager. The expert cites the example of the GAP brand, which tried to change its logo: “They would do better to try to develop more efficient products than to think of a new icon. The logo, yes, is important, yes, a more modern version might bring back a few customers, but it’s still a nice paint job. As beautiful as it is, you don’t save a job with a lick of paint. »
