BRANDING – MORE THAN JUST A QUICK LOGO
When your business is in its beginning stages, you immediately think about getting a logo ASAP. Sure, there are online sources that can make you a $20 logo, but at that price, you’re getting a single icon, not a brand. It is important to realize that there is a lot more than goes into the creation of a brand than meets the eye, and a logo is merely a stepping stone to building a brand. Here are 8 reasons why brands come with a price tag.
- A True Branding Process Is Time-Consuming
At ocreations, when we’re helping a business create its brand and logo design, we always love to meet the employees, see the office/business space, and get a good sense of the brand personality.
Once we understand the goals of the brand, we do research on other brands in the same industry to see how the brand stands out against the competition. This can include visiting competitor’s stores, trying competitor products, visiting their websites/ and their social media accounts.
Once we have all the information we need, the creative process truly starts. We find colors that match the brand’s personality, fonts that speak for the brand, and switch gears in our minds to think of how to visually represent a company. For example, a logo that looks like a stamp may work better for an industrial company than for a jewelry store, which may need to look more decorative. Every company is different in some way or another, so no logo should ever look the same.
In the initial stages of a logo creation process for a new brand, it is important to create a variety of concepts for the client to look at. It’s important in this first round to listen to the client’s feedback to understand what they like and what they don’t like. When the client narrows down to his or her final choice, the logo is only left with minor tweaks and changes, which means your brand is coming together.
- Your Logo Will Need Variations
Depending on what type of business or institution your brand is, your logo may need to come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, ocreations worked with Baldwin Whitehall School District and designed 27 different logos – from academic word marks, to athletic emblems for each sport. Larger brands that have sub-brands need to be prepared to have a logo for any situation, whether it is for web, apparel, or even a gymnasium hardwood floor. A $20 logo isn’t going to cut it, especially in circumstances like these.
- Your Designers Have Degrees
All of our employees have degrees from colleges in the Pittsburgh area, including the Art Institute and Duquesne University. Our creative staff has taken courses in the history of design, theory and strategy of design, and all have internship experience in branding development. Getting a branding package from an expert is going to come at a higher cost.
- Your Brand Identity Is The First Thing The Audience Sees
When we create a logo, we always keep in mind that when consumers see that logo, they think of the brand and what it stands for. When customers walk into a restaurant, the logo is right at the entrance. When consumers are shopping at the grocery store looking for coffee, they look for the logo. Creating a logo means creating something impactful and memorable. When you’re paying for a logo, you’re also paying for your brand’s identity and its ability to be recognizable.
- Your Logo Represents The Company’s Values
When designing a logo, it is also important to recognize that as designers, we always base our design on the company’s values. This can affect color schemes, font choices, and how to use visual cues, not only in the logo, but across the entire brand; this includes items such as business cards, a website, advertisements, social media posts, etc.
- Your Logo Determines How The Public Will Perceives Your Brand
A logo has to be visually appealing to the public, and can determine how the public perceives your brand. At ocreations, we can make your brand look like an expert in its field, conservative, casual, modern, or old-school. It takes a creative mind to be able to visually represent a brand’s perception.
- Your Brand Will Be Around For Years
Since your brand will be around for years and years, it is important that you, as the client, love your logo and your brand, and can live with it for the foreseeable future.
- Your Logo Is The First Step To Developing The Rest Of Your Brand’s Materials
Just as your logo will be around for years to come, your logo will also be on everything- business cards, outdoor signage, advertisements, apparel, etc. It is important that the logo exceeds your expectations and works well outside of the computer screen it was built on. At ocreations, we understand how to design logos that will work on a variety of marketing materials. When you work with ocreations on a branding package, we’ll give your new brand everything you need to get started. Although each brand is different, we typically start with a logo, business cards, sell sheet, and basic website. However, we do create other specialized items to custom fit your brand. For example, a dentist may need appointment cards for patients, whereas a restaurant might need a print menu designed.
Before you turn down an agency based on their pricing, take a step back and consider what goes into developing a brand, and how much your brand is worth. Logos are only the first step in creating a valuable brand. When you work with ocreations, you don’t just get a logo. You get a brand. Contact ocreations to get started on your branding with our timeless, transformative design.
