January 29, 2009 | Category: Logo Designing | Tags: logo re-design, rebranding

The term “logo redesign” can be quite confusing to some business owners and graphic designers. After all redesign means to make a new sketch or alter the current theme so as to be better than the original. We crave for something innovative or very different from what we currently have. The dilemma is how different should the difference be.

The idea behind logo redesigns is to uplift one’s image or signify big changes in one’s business. It can be a new business process, improved customer service, better quality, or more innovative products. One of the most effective ways to convey all these changes in one coherent message is through a new symbol.

Just because you’re making some major business changes doesn’t mean you have to make some big revisions on your logo design too. You may not agree with me but simple modifications can also deliver big impact to your target audience.

A classic example of subtle yet effective redesign is the telecoms giant AT&T.

The new logo is simply a sleeker version of the old one. The globe which symbolizes the company’s worldwide communication was retained as well the blue horizontal stripes (or is it wire?) surrounding the globe. Instead of creating a unique logo, the people behind this redesign opted to use a different shade of blue to produce a more modern personality and change the typography from all caps to lowercase. For a company renowned for leading the world in wireless technology, the new logo is more fitting to its brand image.

Subtle changes are very useful particularly if you have an established brand reputation and solid customer base. As much as people preach for change, we paradoxically hate the idea of changing our habits. The same is true for logo designs. No wonder so many city logos are highly criticized by their communities despite their uniqueness and beauty.