Take a look around, how many logos do you see? The familiar swoosh of Nike, the ubiquitous “bitten” Apple, and the ever-changing Google doodles. Consumers are bombarded with thousands of logos everyday, and inevitably some are forgotten while others are remembered.
Is it a coincidence that the most popular fast-food chains use the most red in their logos?
This begs the question: Can a logo affect business? It is not a coincidence that many of the major fast-food chains (eg. McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King) are very generous with red in their logos. Red has been suggested to make consumers hungrier by raising their metabolism. However, a well thought-out product or service can still do well despite a dreadful logo. One such company is Amazon. It is a globally recognized, well-run company that provides a great service but yet still has one of the most uninspired logos of any major company out there. The arrow running from A to Z to form a smile feels so forced it is almost as if it was added on as an afterthought.
Can anyone see the smiley face?!
In contrast, one of my personal favourite logos belongs to FedEx. At first glance, it just looks like a clean, no frills logo but upon closer inspection one can see the shape of an arrow to signify speed and precision, both attributes FedEx would like to communicate to their consumers. The great allure of this sublime message is simply that – as its creator Mr. Lindon Leader puts it – it is a “hidden bonus” and not essential to the impact of the logo.
Can you see the arrow between the E and the X?
Many years have gone by since I learnt of the arrow but I am still eager to share it with anyone who will listen and that, I’m sure, can do nothing but help business.
In response to:
http://themarketingspot.com/2007/10/importance-of-logo-branding.html
Sources:
http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000273.php
http://www.toxel.com/design/2010/06/09/24-cool-logos-with-hidden-symbols/