LexFather

Crap, now I want KFC

IS-SV

Lexus, Mercedes, BMW automotive logos are doing just fine btw.

-J-P-L-

...the power of logos!

speedflex

Exactly. I design logos and brand strategies for a living. A company's logos is its signature, its identity. It stands for you and identifies you in a sea of competitors. Millions are spent not only in developing the right brand mark but in protecting it.

Of course a logo is only as viable as the product behind it but a well done mark can elevate and reinforce your brand in the public consciousness in a ways that are hard to quantify... but one knows when a logo is successful.

The best examples of this are Nike, Apple and Target. When you see those logos you think not about a graphic design but the company's values, its style, its quality as a whole.

IS-SV

The power of wafting grease smell is more powerful at KFC.

speedflex

Nah, KFC doesn't even have fryers. They use pressure cookers. Popeye's actually drops their bird in hot grease.

chikoo

Nope. People know coke because it is a good product, not because it is a good logo.

-J-P-L-

The point is that a logo is an identity. And that's very important.

Imagine a can of Coke that was plain white with Coca Cola printed in plain black Arial font. Wouldn't be very inviting to buy regardless of what's inside. And you can double down on that idea assuming that logos/identities are worthless, and imagine every brand sold as I described. You wouldn't be drawn to products as we are now and we'd have to carefully figure out which is which. As it stands, you can distinguish between Coke and Pepsi from across the store.

chikoo

Wrong again.
See my example of TOYOTA.

chikoo

Logos are useless to make a product famous.

For somebody who can read english 'TOYOTA' on the back of the truck is good. for those who do not understand/read english TOYOTA is the logo.

Over-Designing logos is a worthless and time wasting effort.

eg. MACY's, SEARS, AT&T, TOYOTA, HONDA, Carrier.

Point is people will remember whatever text or logo or color was on the product that they liked. They did not like the product because it has a good logo.

LexFather

And that is what I had LAST night (and that is why I had Tums in the morning)

Sorry bud, you are really going against every marketing course taught in history here. I agree the product is important but the brand is more important.

Its the reason people buy crappy cars.

-J-P-L-

Numerous Toyota's, including Camry and Corolla no longer even have "Toyota" on them. It's just the logo badge and model name.

I think you're missing the point though.

We're not saying that a logo makes a product or that people buy specifically because a product has a nice logo. That's silly.

A logo serves to supplement a company's name by quickly triggering your mind to notice and recognize a brand. Some a lot more than others.

When you see golden arches a mile away, you know you're approaching a McDonald's without the need for the restaurant putting up "McDonald's" up in the sky and worrying if you can make out the print.

Point is, pictures and graphics do more than words. Granted, many companies rely on a printed name serving as their identity, but it is always distinct. And that serves as a graphic that triggers a similar recognition of a brand (Google or eBay for example).

chikoo

I have done marketing courses myself too....and I disagree vehemently.

Like I said, if you had flower on the bottle of Coca cola when everybody liked it, flower = Coke.

speedflex

You do realize that the name Toyota on the back is a logo. Wordmarks are logos as well.

So what about company's that don't use a word mark? Like I mentioned... Apple, Nike and to a lesser extent, Target. There is tremendous equity in those logos. Noone else can use them, and if you mimic them too closely you risk trademark infringement. They are a company's fingerprint.

You're going by the mistaken rationale that a logo is the brand. That is not true. The logo communicates, reinforces and supports the brand. And it's really clouding the issue to use Toyota since they have such a pervasive reputation. What if it was a company you never heard of. You're surfing the web looking for, let's say a personal accounting agency. You compare two companies. One has its name spelled out in generic Helvetica. The other has a well thought-out symbol which effectively communicates that company's unique approach to service and professionalism. It conveys a sense of precision and authenticity. Now pick your accountant.

chikoo

What I am saying is that spending millions in developing a logo is time and money waste.
You can spend little on a logo, and if you have a good product, that inexpensive logo will be pervasive.