The Tribune

By Deidre Bastian

At the start of this New Year, let’s fill our hearts with hope and become our brother’s keepers. Let’s keep the family of the late Winston ‘Gus’ Cooper and ‘King’ Eric Gibson, two outstanding Bahamian icons, in our prayers as they battle their loss.

We will all have made New Year’s resolutions, promising to be a better person, spend less time on Facebook, get closer to God, lose weight, have more family time, better budgeting, and even venturing into a new business.

If you are considering an investment in a new business, you might be thinking about unveiling a dynamic logo for this undertaking. Logos are everywhere, and all businesses ought to have one, particularly if they are serious about their identity. But how well do we understand the purpose of our logo?

Consider this: If a customer caught you off guard and probed your business logo and its significance, what would be your response? Do you even know what your logo represents? If not, let’s look at the gymnastics of a well thought-out logo.

A professionally designed logo attracts attention, and leaves an everlasting impression in people’s minds. Look at Nike. When we see that ‘swoosh’ logo, you immediately know it is Nike, the tennis store. It is basically an illustration of an entire company’s image, which is communicated to viewers in a graphic or symbolic way.

So why does my business need one? The answer is simple: Logos are the best way to represent your business via a single, small image, and will distinguish your business identity from the rest.

Every good logo has a story, both obvious and hidden. Far beyond simply being a pretty sketch, strong logos are filled with meaning. I am sure both you and I have seen some very colourful logos without any branding identity or rationale behind them.

Now, let’s not confuse a ‘logo’ with ‘branding’, as there is a spectrum of opinions and perceived messages. A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon, while branding instead says: “This is what I am. This is why I exist. If you agree, if you like me, you can buy me, support me and recommend me to your friends.” It does not explicitly say “buy me”.

I repeat, a logo is not your brand. It is not your identity, and nor does it determine whether you will become a loyal customer or not. The purpose of a logo is to give a visual identification of your company, and that’s it.

Moreover. a logo should not be used to directly sell. It is not about creating pretty visuals, but instead communicating a position that identifies. A continual line of ethical questioning is accepted, even if it induces questions like: ‘Does this logo make sense?’; ‘Does this identify?’; and ‘Is this self-indulgent or just colorful?’.

Remember, most logo designs are used for many years, so be careful not to think about that moment or use styles that may date quickly, because a business that sells children’s books today might be flying people to space in 25 years. Until we meet again, fill your life with good memories rather than regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game!

NB: Columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

• ABOUT COLUMNIST: Ms Bastian is a professionally trained graphic designer who has qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas