What Does Your Company Logo Say?

I am going to go off on a complete tangent today, purely because I’ve had a day of interesting debates about marketing with business and hospitality peers.

To give you some background…

I am currently developing my own training and marketing focused company here in China. The market research is complete, the business plan is written, and now the brand, logo, and website are being debated and designed. I spent last week talking to a designer who asked lots of questions about the company values and culture. And, it seems that he really listened to the answers, because he presented me with a logo which I believe is all-encompassing and totally captures the image I want for the company.

Guinea Pigs

So, the next step was to find some guinea pigs to gauge their reactions to the logo. I explained the company objectives and services to them, and tried to provide them with some insight into the values we hold. I then showed them the logo and on every occasion was asked, “Should I find some meaning in there?” “Am I missing something?” and “It doesn't conjure any understanding of what your company is about.”

Their reaction has led me to ask myself how much of a story a logo should tell about the products and services of the company it represents.

A Logo Should Embody the Culture

In my opinion, a logo should embody the culture of a company, not the product or service. The first logo that comes to mind is Apple. Apple sells music players, laptops, and mobile phones but is represented by an apple with a bite taken out. The logo is very fresh and clean, which is an honest representation of the company and its culture, but in no way represents actual Apple products and services. The same is true of Coca Cola, McDonalds, BP, and Nike, to name but a few. Nike doesn’t use the image of a trainer and McDonalds doesn’t have a burger in the logo!

The argument offered by my guinea pigs in return has been, “but how will your prospective customers know what you do?”

I had trouble answering this at first, but have come to the conclusion that I don’t need people to know what the company does from the logo alone. How often will they see the logo on its own? The logo will be on business cards, on the website, on posters and flyers, all alongside a greater marketing message displaying the services the company offers.

Represents Values

Take for example the Sheraton logo; a golden S inside a laurel wreath. The Sheraton doesn’t need the logo to show a hotel in order for its guests to know that it is a hotel chain; they need the logo to represent their values. A laurel wreath is known to represent victory, nature, and the continuation of life from year to year.

Despite many debates and opposing opinions, I am still of the firm belief that a great logo portrays aspirational ideas, rather than literal ones!

What Do You Think?

I would be interested to hear which direction you went in for the logo of your hotel or hotel booking system . Does your logo actually show a hotel? Or have you opted for a logo which portrays your company’s visions? If you have any views or comments please email me on eharradine@hotmail.co.uk or leave your comments below.

Many thanks for reading,

Emma