Logos on the Cheap

What�s a logo worth?

This is the latest from Seth (Purple Cow � Free Prize Inside � Tell a Story) Godin. He states, �all a logo needs, is to be GOOD ENOUGH� when just a few weeks previous he wanted you to reject �good enough�.

Ok � perhaps he meant to say that your brand is built (or not) regardless of logo design. If that�s what he meant, I agree, but not at the expense of great design.

Let�s make this clear:

A logo is your Brand Identity. It matters. The identity becomes the symbol for your brand image in the mind of the customer. �Good enough� is a well designed logo that will feel fresh for a long time. It�s one you and your customers won�t tire of in a few short years � let�s say the first 10 - 20 years or so. A �good enough� logo is one that differentiates itself within its category and begins to tell the story before you know what that story is. It�s memorable. It�s distinctive. It�s representative.

Nike is a great example. That swoosh was commissioned for $35 (they have since upped that payment significantly) but price doesn�t always dictate quality. The swoosh logo gives the viewer a feeling of activity and motion before we begin to know the story of the brand. In �Godin speak�, it fits the brand story. I chose Nike because it�s such an obvious example but there are many good ones: Kodak, Amtrak, Cotton, or I Love (heart) NY.

A distinctive, well conceived and designed logo is worth every penny you can spend, but ultimately, it�s only going to be as good as the brand you build around it.