My Thoughts and Ramblings on Why Your Logo Shouldn’t Suck - Part One


I need your help with my logo. I paid [insert your-choice-online-logo-generator-website here] $100 for a logo last year, and I don’t like it. I then paid my cousin’s kid who has a graphics app on her iPad to create a logo for me. I’m still not happy with it. Can you help?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this (or something similar) from clients who come to me looking for help with their logo. I’m thrilled when I hear this because it means several things….

1. They realize what isn’t going to work. They may have had to drive down a bumpy road to realize this, but now…they get it. Clients who get it are the most fun to work with. 

2. They realize the blood, sweat, and tears they pour into their business is deserving of a logo that reflects their efforts. It’s mind-blowing to me that folks expect to pay $100 for a logo that is, most often times, the very first impression of their business to potential clients. I was recently listening to a podcast interview (by William Matthews) with John Mark McMillan. He made a reference to the quote, “The medium is the message”, by the Canadian philosopher, Marshall McLuhan. JMM said “The way you say something is what you’re saying.”  Yes! I was just discussing this with a client the other day. A half-assed executed logo says to your client/customers, “Yo, check out my half-assed business. It’s not great. It’s just ok and I really don’t put a lot of thought into it. But please, come on in and let me see what I can do for you!” I don’t think I need to expound any further on how much sense this doesn’t make for someone who is serious about their business and the customers they service.

3. It’s yet another case for proving that logo generating sites suck and are ruining the art-form that I, along with my designer cohorts take much pride in. Nah, I’m kidding. They don’t suck. But they definitely aren’t the solution for everybody. I’ve thought long and hard about this and I’m not so cocky to think that my method (and the countless droves of other seasoned graphic designers’ methods) of logo development is the only way for everybody. It’s not. Just like a 2016 BMW i8 isn’t for everybody. Some people only need a 1985 Yugo to help them carry out their daily responsibilities. And some people might need a 2014 Honda Accord. I’m not being facetious, here. No, really. I’m not. Warren Buffet isn’t going to hire Fuzzy Bison to develop the next identity for his bazillion dollar project. He’ll hit up Pentagram or Wieden + Kennedy to knock that out for him. I’m not on his radar…and neither is 99designs or [insert your-choice-online-logo-generator-website here]. I do believe, however, that those generator sites can confuse and displease those who have no clue about logo design and what all it entails. It can leave them severely dissatisfied and yearning for something more. But, that’s okay, because even though they’ve lost a hundred bucks or so, they’ve now been educated about logo design. And hopefully they realize that unless you’re little Johnny Jenkins running the lemonade stand up the street, or Deb Bradshaw going door-to-door selling boondoggle keychains, then you’re probably going to need something other than a logo generator to create an identity for your business.


I’m going to take the next couple of blog posts to continue down this talk of logos. Hang with me. And thanks for hanging out. 

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