Can a Company Exist Without a Logo Design?

Can a Company Exist Without a Logo Design?

There are thousands and thousands of logos out there, and most aren’t good. They’re bland, generic, and don’t move anyone to do anything. 

And that’s not to say that you even need one at all!

A logo is an emblem that represents your brand or company. It is not the same thing as a name. You use a name to identify yourself, your product, or service.

A name is a short statement that acts as a representative for your business. It could be one word, it could be some letters strung together, or it could be two different words combined into one. For example, “Rent a Car” tells people they can rent cars from you. Your branding should be creative enough to find ways to represent what you do.

In the digital marketing era, it has become increasingly common for businesses to outsource their branding entirely—logo design and identity included.

This isn’t new, but it is more prevalent now than ever. Companies have many reasons for leaving their branding up to the professionals, ranging from convenience to cost efficiency.

But what if you don’t have room in the budget for brand identity? Do you still need a pretty picture and solid font choices to build your brand successfully? Or can someone create a brand without those things?

1 – Why Should I Care About Branding?

Your brand is worth more than just a logo. It's what your customers think when they hear your company’s name or see your products/services. You want to make it memorable for them because people can connect with your brand emotionally.

Branding may be about time, not money. Branding is a matter of timing because you could miss out on a massive opportunity if you’re not in the right place at the right time. Putting it into perspective:

A few years back, Apple announced the iPhone 4S. People were sceptical about it because many thought it was just a repackaged iPhone 3G. However, Apple had created an entirely new product line, including the iPhone 4 and 4S. Although some people saw it as a repackage of the previous phone, the company didn’t market it that way.

They marketed it as an entirely different product, and by doing so, Apple didn’t give this new phone model an altogether new name like “iPhone New”. They simply named it “iPhone 4S” but changed its design.

So why should we care about branding? If you’ve been following our brand stories, then you’ll notice that no matter what story we tell: whether that’s how to build a business from scratch or how to take over a dying one; all our stories always focus on one thing: A strong brand leads to consistent growth.

Your brand is more than just a logo or colour scheme —it’s also in mindsets. It’s your identity, and our goal is for everyone to remember who you are and everything about your brand whenever they think of either of them.

2 – Do you really need a logo?

A logo is like a face for your brand, but do you need to design one yourself? While some argue that logos are essential, most experts say you don’t necessarily need one. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Some brands have done away with logos altogether; others use a minimal logo consistently across all messaging. Some iconic images of critical elements of their business—like coffee cups, computer mice or even paper aeroplanes—to symbolise the brand itself.”

Logos are superheroes; everyone knows them and sees them as representing a business. While they are potent tools, many experts in design say they’re overused. Many people use logos to try and describe their company visually when it’s not always necessary. For example, an entrepreneur may want to make personal typefaces and logos for his business consulting company.

Another way that people use logos is by making customers want to purchase through product or service recognition utilising the brand name. Apple uses its logo this way, so while they can be helpful, they don't always make sense!

3 – How can you improve your branding without a logo?

Most people spend way too much time and money on their brand. And the funny thing is they don’t know what a brand looks like. It's straightforward; think of it as a face. 

Faces are what we all have, but none of us have an identity, and we need to be identified. People need to know who you are. What do you stand for? What do you believe in? 

These questions can help you decide if your brand stands for the right things, and if it doesn't, then that’s just more motivation to get out there and change it.

An excellent place to start creating a logo is sketching or roughly designing one from scratch. If you already have one, then no worries! This step isn't necessary.

Some companies feel logos hold the utmost importance in defining a brand, but they couldn’t be more wrong. A logo is great, but not having one can sometimes give off a better vibe.

Branding is a company's core beliefs and values they want everybody to know about. It’s how they represent themselves and their products to their audience.

Again, a logo is great but unnecessary at this step because, in some situations, even using something as simple as an X handle or Facebook profile picture will suffice as branding material for your social media-based company.

4 – How do you make a brand more memorable?

Think back to the most memorable brands you’ve ever come across. I guess they all had one or both of these things: they either have a super prominent personality or are very relevant to some audience. 

Both of these factors contribute to memorability. Because if you put an emotional connection on something, and if you put a cognitive association on something, it’s sure to stick, too!

But branding isn’t just logos and slogans. It’s also the emotional appeal your business makes to consumers. And that has everything to do with your products and services (duh) and your employees, customers, partners, and other stakeholders.

Advertising, marketing, and PR build brands over time — so don’t think of “branding” as an isolated event. It’s a continuous process that should be done closely aligned with your overall business strategy and vision.

5 – Is it ever too late to start a brand?

There’s something special about brands that last for aeons. McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Hershey's started small and became giants of the food and beverage world. 

Aside from being the stuff of legends, they offer some valuable lessons on how to succeed and stay around.

Some people think they'll miss out on sales or other opportunities if their website isn’t up by a specific date. But it’s never too late to start a brand. 

There are many ways to build a brand online without needing a website. The key is picking something popular and worth discussing.

The timing will always be challenging when starting your own business. As long as you have something you believe in, just leap with both feet and prepare yourself for the sacrifices you'll have to make along the way (while accepting that it might not work out).

I’ve met people who didn’t start businesses until their 60s or even 70s, but if you’re not careful, you could find yourself trying to keep your old business alive while building your new one.

6 – What is the difference between branding and identity?

The way people see us is our brand. It’s the window through which we appear to the world. Everything we are known for, or even think we’re known for, makes up a brand. An identity separates us from everybody else. Our personality, or “persona,” makes us unique. Brands are just what we wear; identities are what we wear daily.

A business might also be talking about its “personality.” Businesses’ logos give you an idea of their actions by giving them a face. Well made, it can tell you much more than just its name with one look.

An excellent example to use is Nike. When you see their logo, you instantly think of sports. Southwest conveys comfort. UPS: Dependability. Google: Information 

When people read a business's name and see the company logo, they should automatically get a sense of what the industry is about if it is designed correctly.

7 – How do you know if your brand is working?

Your brand’s got to be analysed if you want to know if it’s working. You’ve got to start measuring your results. Gather as much data as you can. Then, measure the results until what works and what doesn’t becomes apparent. Once it does, use that information to tweak your outcomes.

This psychology principle is called attribution, and it’s based on people making decisions. We all make choices, but they’re usually based on our wants instead of our needs. So if we choose a particular product, it’s not because we need it, but because we want it.

8 – How do you grow your brand?

Building brand equity is what branding experts like to call it. The whole point is for the brand to be so recognisable and emotionally connected that customers will remember you whenever you create new products or services.

Brand equity isn’t just from your regulars. It’s every potential future customer of yours, too.

In this phase, we want growth in traffic, revenue, leads and new customer acquisition. Once you’ve reached that point, you’ll have to ask yourself, “What else do I need to achieve my goals?”

Entrepreneurs and business owners aspire to grow their brands. But how? Growth takes a long time, but there are ways you can expedite the process.

To start with, build a reputation. Be known for the quality of work you produce. Your honesty. Your integrity. Figure out how to become trustworthy, and when building up your brand, customers will see your name and automatically know they can trust your product or service. That’s what proper brand growth is about — trust.

9 – Can I trademark my brand name?

Yes, but only if you can make it stick. The US Patent Office defines a trademark as a distinctive sign, mark, or symbol a party uses to indicate that their goods or services are those of a particular party. 

Trademarks often set apart similar or identical goods and services that might confuse the buyer into getting the wrong thing.

To get your company’s name trademarked, you’ve got to build your brand first. Brands have many parts: names, logos, voices, and images; even the fonts and colours you use in marketing and design are part of your brand. You could say that almost everything about your company gives it its brand. 

There are many reasons why businesses get their brands copyrighted. One is protection— so others can’t just take it from you and profit from something they didn’t create. 

Another reason is confusion— it makes sure consumers know who owns the one they’re buying from.

Lastly, there’s reputation and goodwill— just like how people talk good or bad about someone behind their back, brands do, too (except everyone knows). Trademarking is protecting what they say about you when you’re not listening.

10 – Does brand consistency matter?

Brands have always influenced consumer buying behaviour through logos, taglines and consistency. However, new research shows that consistency might be more influential in this regard than we think it is.

According to an experiment by Harvard Business School psychologist Michael Norton, people were likelier to purchase a product or service if they saw the same brand used in advertisements. It didn’t matter if the participants knew that different companies across different industries used the same brand or had any knowledge about the product or service itself. They only had to recognise that the brand belonged to the same company.

Norton described brands as “consistent selves” in our minds. It’s logical, then, that if one wants someone to act consistently, one must provide them with a consistent self to act through.

Many of us ignore this idea because we associate brand consistency with sameness. However, branding doesn’t have to be identical across all areas for it to be consistent.

When you think about it, there isn’t such a thing as a “brand.” Brands have separate components, which are subject to change, such as colour schemes, fonts, graphics, and logos. For instance, a company can change its colours but remain consistent with its logo and other elements.

Conclusion

Is it possible to build a brand without the use of a logo? The answer is yes. Despite this, logos are still crucial for branding. 

There are numerous advantages to having a brand identity, such as increased visibility and credibility, improved customer relations and the ability to build long-term relationships. So, it’s clear that a logo has immense power.

If you’re yet to create your own or want more info on the subject, check out this blog post now; it’s time you start investing in your branding.

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