Logo Redesign Case Study #1 (Plus a free brand evaluation guide!)

As the summer days continue to pass on by, I thought I’d hop on the blog today to share a behind-the-scenes look at a brand I was hired to redesign for our local summer festival. Take a peek at the before and after image below to help you visualize the intentional design choices made to simplify and add a summer-fun energy to the logo.

Before + After

Creative Brief

When initially meeting with the client, we talked through what they liked about their current logo and what they would want to change or add in. They loved that their current logo encapsulated all that Summer Celebration is about. It included pictures of the community participating in events and the color palette and sunbeam shape added a fun energy. However, the current logo proved to be difficult to use across a variety of marketing materials because of its shape, and if the logo were reduced in size, the images became ineffective due to the loss of detail.

As a starting place, we focused on how a new design could relieve those pain-points. I jotted down a few key words: fun, energy, whimsy, clean.

My goal was to create a timeless design that could grow with Summer Celebration over the years.

Simplify

Perhaps the biggest design factor was to simplify the logo. By taking out unnecessary details (like the photos), the logo is able to be scaled down in size and still retain detail and legibility. Simplifying the logo also creates a refined, clean look.

Add whimsy + energy

I went with a whimsical sun icon because Summer Celebration is about gathering in our town surrounded by friends and family celebrating all that summer brings to us: joy, friendship, timelessness, lightheartedness, sunshine, togetherness. Whimsy was also achieved through the color palette. Although we decided to go with the town’s colors for the main logo (navy and sunshine), I added softer accent colors of mint, citrus, and champagne to appeal to families with young kids and give it that summery feel. To add energy to the logo, I highlighted “summer” by arcing the letters and increasing its size.

A small redesign adds big value

The size of your investment in a logo redesign is minimal compared to the value it will add to your business (or in this case, town event!). Just think if your logo could resonate better with your target audience, make a bolder statement, and help you stand out.

Take a minute to jot down a few pain-points your logo may be causing your business or marketing efforts (this may mean it’s time to rebrand). Maybe you’ve experienced some of the symptoms?

• If your logo is scaled down on your business cards or smaller, is it still recognizable or are details lost?
• Do your fonts and colors fit with the energy of your business or have they been difficult to work with?
• Is your logo outdated and no longer suiting your business well as you have grown and evolved over the years?
• Do you only have one main logo and could really use a secondary logo and sub-marks?
• Did you DIY your logo when you were just starting out and are ready for a professional redesign so that you can feel confident in your visual branding?

To help you evaluate your brand, I’ve created a guide that walks you through how to determine when it may be time for a logo redesign.

You can download the guide right here!

Pop in the comments below to share how your brand evaluation goes! I’d love to hear. I hope you enjoyed this bright, whimsical redesign right before summer leaves us for fall. Catch you back here in two weeks for another post in the series: A Non-Designer’s Design Guide.

Happy brand evaluating!