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What is more important for a company: a well designed logo or a good chosen name?
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6 Answers
This is a great question, Kevin, and as a brand marketing professional, I can see viable arguments for both. While some folks might take the easy way out to avoid answering and respond that both a well designed logo and good name are critical, I think that there may be specific industries where that might be true.
But I believe that the name needs to come first. Consider Coca-Cola's cursive script or McDonald's golden arches. Without a doubt, the logos are memorable - but the logos may not be as memorable without the names. Also, once the name has become part of our culture, we tend to associate the logo with the name, so in time, the name can disappear completely. Consider the Nike swoosh - the swoosh is seen more places than the company name. And what about the apple from Apple? But consider Google...the logo is the company name.
From my perspective, start with a good name. In time, the business and brand can evolve into the logo, but you need to allow consumers, customers, and prospective customers to develop a relationship and conversations with the brand before that can happen.
Think of it in terms of marketing leverage...
A good, strong name can quickly differentiate you, convey what you do, help you sound professional, contemporary, etc., etc. With a generic or weak name you lose all that marketing leverage. A good name can be a huge help to you.
A good, strong logo can help the name work better, amplifying its meaning, professionalism, etc. More than that, an intelligently designed logo can also add a specific style, personality and uniqueness to the name. With a generic or weak logo you lose all that marketing leverage. Or worse, a bad logo can give you minus points, making you look unprofessional, small-time or even junky.
So, both name and logo are very, very important. Think of them as the one suit you're going to be wearing out in public every day for years to come. You need to dress for success.
Al Shultz
http://www.alshultz.com
I would say neither/nor. It does not really matter what the company's name is or the logo looks like unless it's something really abusing or highly unappropriated. IMHO what matters is how it positioned, branded and promoted later on. Plus how good of a product or a service offering the business provides. Look at Starbucks - a siren? A coffee? But then going to Starbucks we are purchasing much more than just a cup of coffee - we are buying the whole set of senses, emotions and experiences. We feel ourselves do-gooders, cosmopolitans, fashionistas etc. And that what's important.
The name of your company is more important than logo - You speak and write the company name, but you can't speak your logo. Logos are represented visually ONLY whereas names are both visual AND auditory - Your logo should reflect the company name in a memorable way. It's a powerful reinforcement of your brand, but the name takes precedence.
I tend to agree with Elizabeth that your company name is more important. If you are starting up a new company – you can almost forget the comparisons with Coke and McDonalds because you are a long way from them. In my mind there are two simple attributes:
1. It must be something that average degreed individual with a superior vocabulary can pronounce. You would not believe how many companies I come in contact with and my jaw drops when I take a stab at their company name because I have no idea how to say it.
2. It should reflect the product or service you are selling so that I, as a potential client, can relate to it.
Logos no longer captivate me – they all look like Nike had a hand in their design. I remember when I was young(er) and my dad would quiz me on the year, make and model of cars he pointed out as we would drive on trips. I was really good at it too. Over the years, most all cars began to look similar and I noticed that the logos were so similar I could not tell you the difference between makes unless the brand is spelled out somewhere on the vehicle today.
If you have done your work in building your brand – it’s not a good idea to throw it all away and come up with another name. For example, ITT started in 1864 and is a fairly well-known brand including ITT Federal and Defense. Well, the Federal and Defense Group is now known as “Exelis”. When this came over the radio my first thought was they were referring to the Amtrak Acela train. When I first saw how it was spelled it looked like Microsoft Excel. I hope they do well but people in this industry are shaking their heads in wonderment.
Logo is the crucial aspect for the promotion. consumer's perception towards a logo is different compare to product. i conducted a survey regarding the brand identification and brand equity, where 70% of the population agreed, that Logo makes them to attract to the store in Mcdonald's. Logo makes a greater impact in the minds of the customer. Logo which will be there for the long time compare to product as per the survey.
http://www.nichesuite.com/
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