Do You Need A Logo?

Here are some reasons you might think about needing a logo, and whether or not you do.

1. You need a graphic for a presentation/deck.
   🚫 You probably don't need a logo here. Try a small illustration. Or a headline in a nice font. Some color. All three. What you need is a bit of visual interest, but not a logo.
2. You are ready to launch a new product/service/company.
   ✅ Saddle up, because you need a logo. But in order to create a logo you need a lot of information – what do you stand for? what is the strategy? who is it for? how will it be used? Do you have this information? If this is a new idea and you haven't thought through these things, maybe take a beat. Your designer will ask you these questions and more. If you need help thinking through these questions, just ask.
3. You need a project to feel real.
   🚫✅ This could be valid. A logo can make an idea that's been in someone's head start to feel like it's really happening. Making an idea tangible can also be very useful if you're asking for money. Have you answered the questions from #2? A placeholder logo is possible, but so many times people get used to it, and never go back to review and adjust.
4. Legal reasons.
   ✅ This is legit. I worked with someone who bought a business, but that did not include the name of the business. Sometimes those things are separate. Or maybe there's a trademark issue.
5. Making a logo sounds fun.
   🚫 Fun, but also work. Are you willing to spend money and time on it? It's not an all you can eat buffet.
6. You need to create separation from another product.
   ✅ If you have a product/service/company that has an existing logo, and this new logo will fall under that, you are creating separation from the original thing. This could be good or bad depending on your strategy. But know that you are creating separation. This is where I see a lot of folks who want a logo for the new thing, and then spend the rest of their time trying to tie it back to the old thing. If that's the case, you do not need a new logo.
7. Won't having a logo solve all my brand problems?
   🚫 Sadly, no. A logo is a great first step once you have a solid idea and a strategy. The logo alone is not actually meant to convey every single thing about your product. Your brand is built with many layers over time. A great logo will not solve a bad idea.

One last note about #6 because I can't stress enough how this can turn into an ongoing designer nightmare. Companies that make a lot of products can end up using their internal product org chart as an external brand organization. Consumers either don't care or get confused. Brand hierarchies can work if the strategy is right, but I think mostly they just create confusion.