Category: Branding

As a passionate (read: obsessed) marketer I was recently spurred into writing this article after coming across this campaign for foster parenting, as I thought the logo in the adverts was so apt. A gorgeous symbol of togetherness of an adult and a child – simple, striking and touching.

http://www.fosterparenting.org.au/

Then I did some research for this article, and I was overwhelmed with responses to a request I put out asking small businesses to submit if they had a great logo, with their rationale for why. I got such an array of logo examples that I am going to do a few articles on showcasing great logo's, so here goes.

This is not an exhaustive list of great logo’s by small businesses by any means, but a worthy list, and for each logo I give a run down of why it has strong marketing appeal for small businesses. As you read on, please play a little game: look at the logo & before you read more, quickly think what the logo tells you, then see how this matches (or doesn’t) the business.

1) Know The Game

A marketing view: On the surface the logo looks sports oriented, so it positions itself in the right industry. What I love most is story and intent behind the logo and how it relates to the purpose of the business.

The business: Know The Game educates people about Australian sports.

The logo was created to reflect their Australian focus (using green and gold) and an array of Australian sports -through the imagery of the icon which reveals cricket stumps, a tennis ball, the front row of a rugby scrum and an AFL football. The three people/figures also represent teamwork and inclusion: the emphasis of our business. Our aim is to enable those who have not grown up watching or playing Australian sports and now find themselves in a work or social situation where sport is frequently discussed to know enough about our local sporting codes to confidently engage in conversations with others about the game or go to a game and follow what is happening. We want people to engage, learn, be included and know the game.

 

2) The Tasting Bench

A marketing view: Intriguing, modern, the name indicates hospitality industry. The business is a premium wine club, and the logo empitomizes a boxed dozen, how clever!

The business: Delivering a new ‘edition’ or combination of four boutique wines each month as a boxed dozen The Tasting Bench chose this imagery for its simplicity and contemporary style, which they believe is what their market look for, and the 12 dots represents the 12 bottles of wine in a box.  

 

 

 

 

3) Ruby Slipper

A marketing view: A stylish logo for a business that has to deliver visual beauty – a floristry.  What I like most about this logo apart from the practicality of saying exactly what the business is about, is that it evokes feeling: it feels calm and fresh at the same time – through a clever combination of a modern floral symbol in pastel colours. Also the fonts contrast and provide both a personal and professional feel – enabling this logo to present the business to both the consumer and the professional/ corporate markets.

The business: Ruby Slipper is an independent boutique floristry in Paddington, Sydney and the logo was a redesign from a previous logo that focused just on the name Ruby Slipper. Looking at the previous logo (below) I am sure you will agree the new logo is a subtle yet striking improvement for Ruby Slipper. 

     

       Ruby Slippers' previous logo updated to the one above

 

 

 

4) Lunch Boxes with Love

A marketing view: What a fun logo – this quirky, colourful text based logo incorporates fun and relevant imagery into the logo which is the business name, making it very clear what the business offers/ does. It also provides strong visual links to children and food, making the logo work really well for the business.

The business: Lunch Boxes with Love provides tips and tools for making kids lunchboxes fun – such as sandwich cutters for making sandwiches into anything from a train to a princess. Owner Cath Bakker loves that the logo conjures up so many images that relate to the business and gets lots of comments about how creative the logo is. 

 

5) Grand Millesime

A marketing view: This logo makes a splash indeed – clearly focused on wine, represented by the modern wine glass offering a swish of red, as well as the ‘wine’ text under the business name. The logo also indicates a business of luxury or prestige, via the name ‘Grand’ and the overall polished style of the logo.

The business: Grand Millesime offer their clientele a rich and prestigious collection of wines, and are specialist importers of fine French Wine, hand-selected based on quality.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully this article has been a useful insight into branding and how it plays a key role in marketing for small business. Tell us what you think about these or any other logos you've seen, like or love.

Also check out our article 5 essentials to a great logo to read about the characteristics or aspects of a logo that make it great, that give it marketing effectiveness.

 

Like most small businesses, when I started my business, I wanted the logo to be perfect. But a perfect logo means different things to different people. As a marketer and business owner, a rule I always use is to put yourself in the shoes of the customer, or more importantly in the headspace of a customer. What makes a logo perfect is subjective, but there are some strong do’s and don’ts that can make a logo much more effective. 

So what makes a great logo? Here are top 5 aspects that give a logo marketing effectiveness.

A logo should:

1.            reflect what you or your business does – ideally in 10 seconds or less – in the headspace of a customer, not in your mind. Pretend you know nothing about your business, look at your logo & see what it says about your business. Does it position you in the right industry, with the right target market, etc?

2.            have a style, a personality that reflects your business – be it fun, professional, modern, quirky or otherwise. Fonts, colours and images are all ways that can help a logo have personality.

3.            have longevity – not to say a logo can’t evolve or change over time, but ideally a logo should have a shelf life of at least 2-5 years to enable you to create impact and memorability.

4.            evoke a connection – brand logos that create feeling or emotion have pull power with customers. Aim for the “I love that” brand image response rather than the “I can’t stand it” which is the undesirable repellant factor.

5.            create impact and be memorable – by being unique, by hitting a chord with someone who really likes your business offering, by being relevant, clever, meaningful, or just down right cool.

Creating a logo can be a challenging process, look around, see what other brand logos you like, and why, think about the components of a logo (text, imagery/ icons/ symbols, a tagline or descriptors that anchor your brand) and use the top 5 aspects that give a logo marketing effectiveness (above) as a guide to getting or assessing your logo. Maybe it's time for a change/update!

What do you think makes a great logo? What is a logo you love by another business or brand, and why?

Check out other Marketing Space brand articles featuring logo examples to find out more about small business marketing via effective logo creative – see what a great logo looks like!

The other week my hair stopped curling. Let me explain: my hair has a gentle wave but I create lovely even curls (if I have the extra 5 mins required during my get ready time) with my GHD. If you are a girl you no doubt know what a GHD is, if you are a male with a girl in their life you also probably know what a GHD is, but for those who don’t: a GHD is a hair iron – it flattens, curls or kinks you hair. Really, really, well. The best I say.

The GHD is like the soulmate to the Hairdryer. An invention no less impressive and game changing as the iPhone was to the mobile phone market.  

So upon my recent hair misdemeanour of curls falling out just hours after being created with my GHD, I started to distress about having a hair problem, a hair disease. Then the marketer in me started thinking how funny that was because I didn’t even think for a minute that maybe something was wrong with my GHD, so sold I am on the brand and product being pretty much perfect (could be perfect if they figured out a way to stop you burning your fingers),

GHD were an unknown brand and they became a hair styling staple, as commonly bought and demanded as a hairdryer, almost overnight. Girls, and women, the world over, flocked to shell out $400 (or thereabouts) on this product, most of whom probably never spent more than $100 on a hairdryer and whom never would have dreamt of spending such a seemingly large sum on a nice to have (not need to have) product. I was certainly one of them. Girls even had birthday cakes made in the shape of a GHD, look: 

In a very short time, the GHD became the must have item for women who wanted gorgeous hair, ie. pretty much every woman on the planet. They had just one product, and hence why it was and is still simply called “The GHD” or “My GHD” – it straightened hair, perfectly, no frizz, little fuss, beautiful. My Mum tells me she used to straighten her hair with the clothes iron, and I have seen a photo of it or else I wouldn’t believe her. From hairdressers to your best friend, everyone became a fan or owner of a GHD, and if you didn’t have one, you lusted after it until you could afford or justify the price tag.

The GHD is/was product gold – the best in its field, yes I believe so. I remember my older sister bought one and I chastised her for it, how could she possibly justify spending so much money on a hair styling thingy. I bought a competitor one for a fraction of the price and thought it was pretty good, that was until I used hers, then I just had to have one too. And so it went for no doubt many, many girls and the brand and global business that is GHD now, a decade on, remains a firm market leader, a quality that competitors aspire to copy yet can’t.

Looking into GHD for this article, I found two brand taglines, both powerfully apt:

 

ghd: a new religion for hair

ghd: you can do anything with your hair

 

This is what GHD say about themselves on their website:

“A decade on from revolutionising hairstyling with the launch of its first styler, ghd remains true to its founding ethos: the spirit of transformation. In addition to its iconic stylers, which continue to be a cult must-have for women in search of beautiful hair, new product line ghd Style and a collection of professional brushes complete the ghd range.”

I can’t pick any holes in that. This is not a sponsored post. This is simply a marketing story of an amazing brand that I thought of following my hair uncurling incidents. My hair has recovered its ability to hold curls again, so I am putting it down to a different hair shampoo or leave in product that I tried. I have way too many of those in my bathroom cabinet.

GHD will be in my bathroom cabinet as CEO of my hair for some time to come.