Thursday, August 25, 2011

"We need a logo."

We hear this all the time from people starting a business, or revamping an existing one. It's so often treated as part of a business checklist, like computers, phone system, furniture, etc.

It's not like those at all. It's much more important.

It's your first face you show the world, and is the basis of your brand. 'Brand' is a word that gets thrown about a lot, often interchangeably with 'logo.' To clarify, a brand is nothing more than the sum total of elements you use (consciously or unconsciously) to make an impression to your customers and the rest of the world. A logo is a huge part of that, as is your website, your company vehicles, your advertising in any media, and even how you behave personally.

This is about managing perception, and putting your best truth forward to people. Every company will have different aspirations about who they are, so there can't really be one-size-fits-all solutions, as you see in those $200 logo ads for logo sweatshops online.

Your logo is going to be part of who you are, so every effort should be made to let the logo reflect that. Your personality, company heritage, the material benefits you offer, and your emotional benefits to the customer are all ingredients that build your brand.


Rise cafe is an artisan bakery cafe that was to be located in San Diego. We came up with the name and logo to evoke, of course, rising bread, as well as the joy of rising in the morning to savor the smell of fresh baked bread.


Eco-Smart is a company fostering the innovation of  green construction materials, from superinsulated construction panels to recycled lumber. Our logo uses a simple icon to combine inspiration and ecology.


Design Excellence is a logo for an in-house corporate design group. We wanted to used shapes from nature to convey beauty and simplicity. The solution of a flower shape containing a linked D and E was found to be most pleasing. The colors were inherited from the parent corporation's brand.

Visit us at www.schreerdesign.com to see more brand work.

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