When to change your company's logo

To some people the answer to every problem at a company is to change the logo...

Our customer satisfaction is down...it's because the logo doesn't do a good job representing our brand promise.

Sales are down...our logo is not recognizable.  

We have a bad reputation...let's change the logo.  

Here are some other reasons...

The GAP

"We want our customers to take notice of Gap and see what it stands for today," she said. "We chose this design as it's more contemporary and current. It honors our heritage through the blue box while still taking it forward."

Wendy's

“Wendy’s brand transformation is re-energizing all of our touch points with consumers,” chief executive Emil Brolick said in a statement. “We’re transforming our brand, from bold restaurant designs to innovative food that consumers want, to improved customer service. This exciting evolution of our brand reinforces our mission to position Wendy’s as ‘a cut above.’”

JCPenny

“The new jcpenney logo, which combines the elements that have made jcpenney an enduring American brand, by evoking the nation’s flag and jcpenney’s commitment to treating customers Fair and Square. The square frame imagery will be evident throughout all of jcpenney’s marketing, to remind customers to frame the things they love.”

Microsoft

This wave of new releases is not only a reimagining of our most popular products, but also represents a new era for Microsoft, so our logo should evolve to visually accentuate this new beginning.

So when should you change it?  

I view a company's logo as its seal of approval.  The logo appears on experiences that the company approves as representative of its brand.  The only time I think a company should change its logo is when its brand has failed so completely that you need to create a new seal of approval.  Any other time, I think every dollar spent on developing a new logo would be better spent on executing on your real brand.