Risky Business

by | Mar 23, 2019

On a recent flight I was reading about University of South Florida’s quest to revise their academic logo and all the public “feedback” that came with the project. After $47K with no discernible results the university spent an additional $8,000 to revise its current logo (left) to a slightly modified version (right). 

This illustration simply reminded me how difficult the logo design process is and the more hands in the pot, the more difficult the process is. Additionally, many outside observers, including those who have been commenting ruthlessly on USF’s Facebook Page don’t completely realize how difficult it is to accommodate all the stakeholders nor how entrenched and costly it is to introduce a revised logo. Imagine all the places the USF Bull appears throughout the school including book covers, recruiting materials, academic reports, signage, awards and that’s just scratching the surface.

Still it’s difficult for some to understand when I tell them that a logo is much more than a sketch on a piece of paper and perhaps more complicated that paying somebody a hundred bucks on “fiver” for a piece of clip art.

If you are thinking about a new or revised logo for your business here are the elements of a strong logo:

When you set aside all the design trends, graphics and fancy fonts, at its core, a logo must:

1- Embody your brand.

2- Be instantly recognizable.

3- Be versatile.

4- Be timeless.

Everything else is completely optional.

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About the author Perry Johnson
Perry is a classically trained commercial photographer and graphic designer with more than 30 years experience as a marketing strategist. He is a principle at Imagica, a boutique marketing agency based in Sarasota, Florida. Imagica is dedicated to developing fluid, distinct and highly effective branding solutions for your business. With all services in-house, Imagica delivers exceptional value and provides both realistic and sustainable solutions to thrive in today's new markets.