In an age where life moves fast and most everything is at our fingertips, it’s tempting for a new business to be all things to all people, but the truth is that a business will only succeed in the long term when it focuses on a single mission and has simple branding. People want to find simple answers to their problems. Your business needs to provide a simple solution. Let your branding show them you are the solution.
Clear Mission
A business first needs to be clear on what they do and how they do it. Then, condense that into a single purpose statement—this is your brand. Nike’s mission statement is “to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” Every choice, every product, and every advertisement they make stems from this one purpose. This kind of clear purpose statement behind your brand is what keeps your business on the right path over the long haul. As the world changes, companies shift to update their strategies—but the core brand remains intact because the single focused purpose remains the same.
Once your brand message is clear, your logo must reflect that message. Your logo should tell your brand’s story in one quick glance, the rest of your branding will do the rest. A great logo immediately connects the viewer to the idea behind a business. Again, when we see the Nike swoosh, we immediately think of movement and action. Look at any Apple product—we know the exact quality of technology we’re buying when we see the image of that apple. A powerful and simple logo can bring images, reactions, and emotions to viewers’ minds before they can even verbalize those thoughts.
Simple Logo
A simple logo is like a memory aid for a company’s purpose statement. It’s much easier for our brains to remember a short phrase than an entire paragraph of information—visual information is no different. If we are in the business of providing solutions, then we certainly don’t want to make our customers work to understand what we represent. In addition, a simple logo has more flexibility to fit into a variety of formats and platforms for a brand, whether it’s in advertising, on products, on websites, or in personal communications. Try formatting a complicated logo for a small phone screen, and the details are lost.
In a complex world, people need simplicity. When you are clear on exactly what you do and how you do it, your ideal client is drawn to that. They need help with a specific problem, and your brand and logo should very deliberately convey that your business is the exact answer to that problem. Be clear and be focused, and your business can build upon that strong branding foundation. Remember, less is more.
Looking for some simple logo design inspiration? Check out our logo work.
