The need to create, refine, revisit and revise your brands’ logo and imagery is not just for small and mid-sized businesses. Global brands, with seemingly limitless marketing and communications budgets, high visibility and brand awareness are faced with these very issues too. In the last year, instantly recognizable brands, such as General Motors, Burger King and even Kellogg’s have changed their symbols to ensure they continue to appeal to their audiences. Some have been spot on and some have been met with mixed results. (Sorry, Toucan Sam!)

Announcing the brand changes, General Motors chief marketing officer Deborah Wahl shares that GM “…changed to a lowercase “gm” with a softer blue gradient evoking clean skies of a zero emissions future and an underline below the “m,” a nod to GM’s underlying Ultium battery architecture. The negative space around the “m” even looks like an electrical plug…but overall, it really wants to humanize our company.” 

See what they did there? Colors, font, and spacing to convey a feeling, a belief, a product and a legacy. All in one symbol. Impressive stuff.

But remember, this isn’t just for firms with the means. You can do this too. With a thoughtful approach (and the right partner, like, um, I don’t know….Bounce?!), you can convey so much through imagery that speaks to who you are and what your business is all about.

So unless you invented Velcro, sliced bread or those plastic covers at the end of shoelaces, (SEE: aglet. Who knew?), you should consider how your brand is showing up, before it even arrives.

Don’t have one? Not sure where to begin? That’s ok, we assembled 5 questions to help us, help you. It’s time.