Dealing with a prospect that does not know they have bad branding is a delicate bridge to cross for a branding agency. When a client would come to us looking for new packaging or a new website, they often didn’t realize how important elevating their logo was to their project (as well as updating assorted brand assets like fonts and colors).
We were often met with:
“Our CEO would never change it”
“The owner’s son designed it”
“Our customers like it”
“We are a legacy brand”
. . . and a host of other excuses.
Despite what often seems like impenetrable objections, more often than not, we were able to convince clients otherwise. You just have to be careful because a lot of pride, history, and emotion can be associated with an organization’s logo mark.
As a branding agency we felt it was out duty to bring up these difficult conversations early, and sometimes it cost us work. But we did learn how to improve our chances and have more productive discussions. Not to say there is anything that works 100% of the time, but we got better at it. It was often possible to help organizations understand that a logo redesign should not be about losing anything valuable–it should be about showcasing the value of what you have. This can even involve increasing heritage and legacy, not reducing it.
How Not to Say “Your Logo is Bad”
Well, first of all, the quickest way to end the conversation is to say a logo is bad. So don’t do that. Even pointing out that the logo has issues can be tricky. A client may even suspect their logo is bad, but if you say it, it will hurt their pride.
Instead, ask questions about the logo’s utility. Focus on the practical, technical issues rather than the overall quality. This will likely bring up issues that they’ve experienced with their logo and allow you to have a deeper conversation. Here are some common utility issues that may help with these kinds of conversations.
Common Functional Issues With Logos
Lettering and Readability
Fancy fonts or lettering can make a logo difficult to read. You can ask the client if this ever becomes an issue.
Scaling Issues
Logos that become unreadable or lose detail at smaller sizes pose significant usability problems. How will this logo appear on a tag or a keychain? What about as an icon on a social media site, or the tiny favicon that appears in your browser tab.
Poor Color Contrast
A lack of proper color contrast can make a logo difficult to read or visually unappealing. This issue also ties into accessibility guidelines and potentialy running afowl of the law, as it can affect how people with visual impairments perceive the logo. Sometimes just testing if the brand colors meet accessibility standards is a doorway to a new logo design.
Limited Versions
A versatile logo should have multiple versions for different purposes—such as an icon, a wordmark, and a combination mark with and without a tagline, black version, white version, color version, etc. Without these variations, a logo can become restrictive and hard to use across various mediums.
Category Fit
This one is a little tricky, but sometimes a logo just isn’t speaking the right language. Maybe a “mom and pop” business has a very “corporate” logo or vise versa. You can ask your client if there is ever confusion or perception about their services, size, offerings, based on their branding. Or look at other logos in their industry to show differences.
How to Start the Conversation
The key to addressing these issues is to frame your observations as problem-solving rather than criticism. Instead of saying, “Your logo is bad,” try asking thoughtful questions, such as:
“Does your logo scale well for all the sizes you need, like a social media profile picture or a website header?”
“Have you noticed any challenges with color visibility or contrast in your logo?”
“Do you have different versions of your logo for various uses, like print, digital, or iconography?”
“Do you have a brandbook with colorways, fonts, logo do’s and don’ts, etc that we can see?”
“Are your customers ever confused by what you offer or what you do?”
These questions open the door to discussing practical improvements without putting the client on the defensive.
Proposing a Solution: The “Logo Refresh” or “Evolution”
If the client hesitates or outright says, “We can’t change the logo; the owner loves it,” suggest a “refresh” or “evolution” instead of a full redesign. You can also reassure them that a well-executed refresh can be subtle enough that most people won’t even notice the changes. And renaming the process can sound less intimidating. Again, you can focus on how you can improve the logos functionality.
- Improving scalability so the logo works better at smaller sizes
- Adjusting colors for better contrast and accessibility
- Creating additional logo versions for flexibility across platforms
Now just because you sell them on small changes now, doesn’t mean they won’t grow bolder when they start seeing fresh new designs . . .
We usually always do close-to-home examples and farther afield design examples in our process. Sometimes the client changes their tune.
Quick note: A logo refresh should not nessisarily cost less than any other logo process. Dealing with a client that has a lot of emotion around changing their logo may actually be a good argument to charge more, not less.
It’s a Win Win!
By positioning the logo redesign as a low-stakes win with tangible benefits, you’ll be more likely to secure buy-in. And chances are, your work together will be more successful. And the case study you make when it’s all over . . . will be a lot stronger.
