When Is It Time to Update Your Brand?

Remember when your brand was shiny and new? Branding materials are always reflective of the design norms prevalent at the time they were created. You may think your brand is timeless, but it’s easy to become complacent after a few years. Fonts, colors and graphic elements (remember swooshes?) can all show their age in the presence of new design trends.

• If your logo is older than a decade, odds are it looks a little rusty. A design update shows your company stays ahead of the curve. Review your logo with your designer to discuss options for updating without completely disrupting your current branding. It may be as simple as a font change, a new tagline, or changing the color palette.
• Many of yesterday’s complex logos and images need to be simplified to adapt to today’s digital uses, such as social media. Today we’re seeing simple graphics like flat icons come to the fore. Drop shadows or highly detailed images will not work as well on your website, social media profile sites, and in emails.
• Websites age even faster than logos. How’s your website doing? Has your company changed direction? Are you offering new or different products and services? Your website (and print collateral) should evolve along with your company. A website that never changes can hurt your profits. Customers like to know the companies they deal with can communicate well and are keeping up with the latest trends in design and marketing.