The logo is the face of your company. Not only does a strong logo reveal the company’s identity, but it also attracts new customers, which is why you must invest your time into making the face as attractive as possible.
But, the million-dollar question is, how temporary logo changes can affect your brand image? While it is good to maintain the good-looking face of your company, giving it a temporary makeover from time to time can greatly work in your favor.
According to a study, “temporary logo changes can be one of many steps towards a shift to an improved brand image in the customers’ minds.” The study further reveals that temporary logo makeovers are a part of an ongoing process for brand image extension campaigns.
“For ‘Brand Image Focus Campaigns,’ temporary logo changes contribute to a stronger brand awareness, stronger positioning in the market and improved customer relationship.”
As a marketing tool, temporary logo designs are used to get people to notice your brand. While the logo is an essential element of the brand that seldom changes, temporary makeovers attached to socially relevant causes can positively influence the audience.
What are logos?
Before we explore how temporary logo changes can affect your brand image, let us take a quick look at the meaning of logos.
Wikipedia says: “A logo is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition.”
In simple words, a logo is an uncomplicated design that reveals what an organization does. The following are the various types of logos:
- Emblem: A pictorial display of the company name.
- Wordmark: Stylized text that spells out the brand name.
- Letterform: A single letter used to depict the brand image.
- Pictorial mark: A literal depiction of a company through a related image or symbol.
- Abstract mark: a shape or a symbol used to depict a big idea or a concept.
Interesting read: Logo shapes and their meaning.
Themed alterations
While the term is not yet popular now, it is something that will be done a lot in the future. Themed alterations are the future of logos. Google has been applying the idea of themed alterations for over a decade through its doodles. When a company temporarily changes its logo tied to a specific event or a socially relevant cause, it is referred to as a themed alteration.
Yahoo’s new themed alteration represents Black History Month
While Google has been doodling around for over decades, Yahoo’s latest temporary logo makeover has become the talk of the town.
Every year, February is celebrated as Black History Month. Big brands across the world celebrate it by tweaking their logo for a month. This year, Yahoo decided to celebrate the month by changing its logo.
Influenced by her Ethiopian roots, Trap Bob has beautifully turned the logo into a piece of art.
Apart from the colors (black, yellow, red, and green) that represent Black History Month, the new multi-colored yahoo logo appears to have been inspired by the colors of the rainbow. The other visible changes are made to the two ‘O’s. The first O has been replaced by an image of a black woman, while the other one represents the world.
According to Trap Bob, the new makeover is meant to be “futuristic” and symbolize the “out of the world black history.”
Google doodles
The temporary logo changes by Yahoo may be the current topic of discussion, but Google has been supporting various social movements through its imaginative and creative doodles.
What are doodles?
A doodle is a piece of drawing made by a person whose attention is otherwise on something else. A person drawing some abstract lines while speaking to someone over the phone is an example of doodling. Doodles are generally made by never lifting up the pen.
Doodles are used by companies in their logos or websites to create the maximum impact while using minimum content.
Wear a mask
In 2020, Google released a doodle encouraging people to wear masks amid the pandemic. All the letters can be seen wrapped around in masks to protect them from the deadly Covid-19 infection.
Detected in 2019, Covid-19 took the world by surprise. The infection spread rapidly and killed tens of thousands of people. Governments across the world imposed restrictions and informed their citizens about the importance of masks in combating the deadly virus.
Top brands did their part by sharing important messages about how they could avoid the life-threatening disease. Google’s doodle informed the users about the importance of protecting themselves with masks. The doodle expresses how something as simple as wearing a mask could help combat the death-dealing virus.
Black Lives Matter
Black Lives Matter (BLM), a social movement focused on bringing justice and highlighting racial discrimination experienced by black people, started in 2013. The movement gained international momentum after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020.
How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody | Visual Investigations
The BLM doodle, however, was created by Akilah Johnson, a sophomore at Eastern Senior High School, in 2016.
The doodle moves from right to left, just like texts are read. The doodle represents beautiful and colorful childhood, which moves right to more serious social issues experienced as adults.
McDonald’s International Women’s Day Logo
In 2018, McDonald’s flipped its Golden Arches to turn the ‘M’ into a ‘W’ in “honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere.”
Apart from launching its temporary logo change on various social networking platforms, including Instagram and Twitter, the fast-food giant distributed rebranded clothing across its locations in the US.
While the temporary facelift garnered a lot of media attention, it failed to impress a large number of people as it remained unsuccessful in raising any social awareness.
CokexAdobexYou
REDESIGN
In 2020, Coca-Cola, together with Adobe, ran a global contest called CokexAdobexYou. The project celebrated the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This was a bold move by the soft drink giant as they are known to jealously guard their iconic logo.
The contest encouraged people to use Adobe to recreate the iconic logo. The project donated $35,000 to support the Special Olympics—an organization that involves adults and children with intellectual disabilities in sports.
How is a temporary logo change a powerful marketing strategy?
Let me ask you a question first: Why do you really use a logo? Well, your obvious answer is to foster brand recognition and let the customers and potential buyers know about the brand. You are right, which is why it makes perfect sense to keep your logo intact. However, temporary changes can do you a world of good by reaching out to a wider audience.
While the short-term logo makeover can be a good tool during brand image focus campaigns: it must be done the right way or chances of it backfiring looms at large. Here is what you need to keep in mind while making the temporary switch:
- Attach your redesign to a socially relevant movement.
- Avoid highlighting your brand; instead, highlight the cause.
- Do not force any changes;instead, blend in seamlessly with the theme.
- Use symbols, colors, and texts that are aligned with the cause.
Temporary logo change is a powerful marketing tool because
- It grabs the attention of the audience quickly.
- Positively impacts your brand image.
- Customers get connected to your brand at an emotional level.
The bottom line
As a business owner or a marketing expert, you should always find ways to positively highlight your brand. A temporary logo change can be just the right marketing strategy you need to take your brand image to the next level.
Businesses accross the world have consulted DesignBro to build their brand with logo, website, packaging design and much more.
We can help you too!
Business Development Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Media and Digital marketing sector, Passionate about innovation and bringing the future into new business solutions.
