How Low Can Your Logo Go?
 By: Nathan Hood


DEVELOPING A UNIFORMED CORPORATE IMAGE:
Every business, no matter how small, has a corporate identity (whether they've developed that identity on purpose or not). Too often, corporate identities are a hodgepodge of different fonts, colors, and symbols. This is especially true with small family owned businesses. This definitely fails to send a uniformed and cohesive message to your potential clients. Most businesses are simply too busy trying to survive to invest in a carefully thought-out logo and corporate identity. This is a big mistake. A uniformed and consistent corporate identity is essential for any company who wants others to take them seriously. From a brand reinforcement standpoint, this is of utmost importance (just ask Coke, Nike, or Intel). A logo, for example, should be more than just a motley collection of random colors and symbols that have no real meaning; it must be well conceived and carefully planned as to convey the very ethos of the company. The colors, shapes, letter styles, and overall mood should reflect the corporate philosophy and mission, not simply the design trends of the day.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH:
Here at Nathan Hood Imageworks, we take a holistic approach to developing corporate identity. Developing a new corporate image, as with all creative service endeavors, requires a great deal of trust and cooperation between the company and the graphic designer. It is of utmost importance for the designer to understand the client's company philosophy and desired corporate image. Imagine for a moment that we have already completed the corporate identity development process for your company. Let's say that it's summer 2003, and business is starting to pick up again. Envision a prospective client who is learning about your business for the first time: She goes to your web site and sees your logo and colors...when her literature arrives in the mail, she sees that same logo on the envelope...she dumps the contents of the envelope onto her desk, and finds a catalog with the same logo and colors...your business card shares the same consistent logo and colors, as does your letterhead. You get the idea! She has now been exposed to a consistent corporate identity perhaps five times by now, without ever even visiting your operation. Don't underestimate the impact this has on her gut-level opinion of your company. This powerful goodwill drives many a potential purchaser to actually purchase.

What I'm really talking about here is a holistic approach to developing your own unique brand and corporate identity. It's important to carefully choose colors, symbols, and images that accurately reflect the persona of your company, but perhaps even more importantly, YOU MUST STICK WITH WHAT YOU CHOOSE. This is where so many smaller companies go wrong. You cannot continually tweak and modify your corporate identity. The colors and symbols you end up going with aren't nearly as important as committing to keep them for 3 to 5 years ( just look what UPS did with the color brown). Also, any literature your company produces in this time remains viable and relevant. PICK YOUR CORPORATE LOOK, THEN STICK WITH IT!

CAREFUL PLANNING = COST SAVINGS:
When you finally settle on the colors, symbols, and images that best represent your company, the hard part is over ,but you're not done yet. OUTPUT is the next thing to think about. How will the new corporate identity be reproduced? On your web site? In e-mails? In print? Color? Black and white? What about vehicle graphics? How about signage? Will it work just as well in a full color brochure as it does on a two color decal? If all these concerns are addressed at the outset, you will save big money down the road. Basically, we're talking about producing several versions of your logo in many differently computer formats so you can use it with ease in any application you wish for years to come. When you are in possession of the actual artwork, then no printer or graphics house can hold it hostage. You will officially own the artwork, and you will be free to copyright it and use it as you wish!

THE NEXT STEP:
It's hard to overestimate the importance of developing a consistent professional image. If you've thought about it at all, you are ahead of most companies. If you don't plan a corporate image on purpose, the one you end up with won't be pretty! If you're ever in the Tulsa area, I'd love to sit down with you and chat about this face to face. If you live farther away, send me an e-mail. I do many long distance projects for clients in other parts of the country, and in this modern age, distance isn't a problem. I can help you brainstorm about some ideas, and also talk about my services and what I can offer you. If your company and Nathan Hood Imageworks seem like a good match, then we'll move forward. If not, then at least I hope I've got you thinking about the importance of developing a uniformed corporate identity. Thanks for you time. -NH

© Copyright Nathan Hood 2003