Is Improving Your Logo Key to Strong Corporate Identity?

Google's Logo Refresh: Is Improving Your Logo Key to a Strong Corporate Identity?

Published: 03/09/2015
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

On September 1st, Google introduced its new logo and corporate identity.

Many of you may be wondering: “Why change your logo when your existing brand has such worldwide recognition?” Google explained its motivations in a detailed blog post but the reasoning can be summed up as follows: the Google of today isn’t anything like the Google of 2013, which was when the tech giant last changed their logo. Google’s new branding reflects recent changes in their offering and positioning strategy, as well as their vision for the future of the company. Is it time for your company to adjust its corporate logo too?

See whether it is time for a logo refresh by answering the following questions:

Was Your Logo Updated in the Last 18 Months or So?

If your logo looks old-fashioned, your clients will wonder whether your company and its offering are antiquated too. In order to avoid appearing irrelevant, your logo should follow design best practices that emphasize simplicity and clarity as well as responsiveness. Perhaps it is time to change your corporate branding?

Does Your Logo Reflect Your Evolution?

Your organization has introduced new features, products, and services all due to new strategies and trends in your target market, but what about your logo? As a key item of your corporate branding, your logo should reflect what you do and why you do it in the present, not the past.

Do You Feel That Your Target Market Trusts Your Branding?

Companies go through different phases in their life cycle with the goal of becoming mature and experienced leaders in their field. Sometimes they may enter into a crisis or build their reputation in an area that does not match their image. Changing your corporate branding can revive your target market’s perception of your company and demonstrate your “real image.”

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then it’s time to consider investing in fine-tuning and refreshing your corporate logo.

One recent example of a successful logo refresh is eXplorance. In the past year, eXplorance grew significantly with an expanding international clientele, a series of new products, and improved methodological processes. As part of their new corporate branding, eXplorance launched an energized version of their logo and explained in their press release the reasoning for that change. The new logo allowed eXplorance to strengthen its identity as an innovative market leader.

With the new logo, eXplorance was able to strengthen their identity as an innovative market leader.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Are you in need of a logo refresh? Contact Direct Objective to collaborate and develop a logo that reflects your corporate identity.

Testimonials

“Ranking our Web site high on search engines results, designing a professional Web site look and developing engaging relevant content for a heavy technology company like us resulted in a dramatic increase in client leads that we receive from our Web site.”

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

February 10, 2011February 2, 2023

Lufthansa’s Bad Client Service and Marketing

What Lufthansa’s Bad Customer Service Can Teach Us about Marketing

Published: 10/02/2011
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Recently, I had two friends stuck in Egypt as the country was collapsing into chaos. As you have probably heard, the calls for a change in government grew violent, and as the situation became increasingly unstable, foreign governments began advising an immediate evacuation of their citizens who remained in Egypt. The incumbent government, in an attempt to quell the uprising, cut off prominent telecommunication systems, which included the internet. Thus, my friends who got stuck inside Egypt needed me to arrange their departure.

They already had two tickets for February 20th with Lufthansa Air, so it should have been a fairly simple procedure to switch flights in such extreme circumstances. I called Lufthansa to arrange an immediate flight change.

I was surprised to find, however, that Lufthansa’s “good-will” policy regarding the Egyptian crisis only applied to people flying “between January 28th and February 15th”. This meant that any ticket exchange would cost $250 in booking fees, and would only apply to flights a week later. Without hesitation, the agent noted that, if I wanted to buy a ticket that would leave the next day, I’d be charged the maximum fare for a one-way ticket and my friends’ original February 20th tickets would not be refunded.

When I spoke to the supervisor about the seemingly arbitrary date of February 15th, he curtly replied, “I am not God, sir. We have to set a date for the conflict to end.” He then refused to let me speak to his supervisor and suggested I send a fax. It has been two days, and my friends are now safely in Montreal (flying Air France), though there are still some serious questions that need to be raised.

As a human being, my perception is now that Lufthansa is willing to risk its clients’ lives in order to make a few extra bucks. As a marketer, I can tell you that this is not a good strategy. At the cost of little short-term money, they lost three customers (and possibly more if you’re reading this blog). A company as big as Lufthansa should know that it’s ten times more difficult to find new clients than it is to retain existing ones. If Lufthansa is keen on remaining profitable in the long-term, a humanitarian evacuation crisis is a perfect way to create good publicity.

During this crisis, Lufthansa seemed to ignore a number of viable options to promote themselves and practice actual “good-will”:

- Assist foreign governments and cut deals to fill flights that were partly empty anyway.
- Another option would have simply been to instruct their customer service representatives to stay on the line to resolve a situation rather than abandon it prematurely.
- The company missed the opportunity to pack each leaving flight to the brim, sending plane loads of stranded travellers back home to tell everybody what they feel about Lufthansa Air. Instead, Lufthansa’s “good-will “ included an expiration date.

So, we’re left with a few morals to the story:

1. The quick buck is good for pyramid-scheme operators, but businesses that want to develop long-term relationships with their clients should show respect for their clients.
2. Think outside of the box and find creative ways to turn potentially negative opportunities into positive results.
3. Customer service is part of your company image. Make sure to involve your marketing people when you set client policies.
4. Finally, don’t fly to the danger zones of the world. And, if you must, don’t do it with an airline that turns its back on its clients when they’re really in need.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Avoid Lufthansa’s mistakes! Direct Objective Consulting places significant emphasis on public relations and, with a proven track record of over two decades in facilitating customer retention, we know the ins and outs of client satisfaction. Consult with us to learn more about optimizing your corporate identity efforts.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

May 18, 2010February 2, 2023

Is It Time to Change My Branding Strategy?

Is It Time to Change My Corporate Branding Strategy?

Published: 18/05/2010
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Concerned clients keep asking me whether they need to update their company’s branding strategy– their logo, website look and feel, and marketing materials. Invariably, they worry about the impact on their company’s overall image and strategy.

Essentially, there are two questions that need to be assessed first:

1) How will any changes to your corporate branding identity impact the positioning of your company?

2) When is the right time to change your company’s branding?

The questions are connected. Changing the visual representation of your corporate identity will highlight different aspects of your company. Is that good or bad, you may ask?Well, it really depends on the reason why you need to make this change.

Corporate branding identity can be changed at the company level or at the product level and, regardless of the magnitude at which branding changes, it all comes back to corporate branding strategy. You can see an example below from when Apple launched the iMac in 1998;the company made a drastic jump from a rainbow logo to a monochromatic logo.

Xerox, on the other hand, retained a fairly consistent company logo from 1961 to 2004, before it tried to reinvent itself. Everybody associates Xerox with copy machines and this has always posed a major problem for the company. In 2008, the company changed its logo in the hopes of moving away from that stereotype- they adjusted the font of the corporate branding to include a ball with a modern X:

Did it work? I’m not so sure.

The fact is, before you go making any major changes, you need to be clear about why you need to update your corporate branding and determine how to get the results you want.

Here are some good reasons to consider changing your branding strategy:

- The company/product needs a more contemporary, modern, or fresh look.
- The company aims to address a new target market.
- A new name, product, or trend is being introduced.
- The brand no longer resonates with your target market.
- The current brand identity has attracted limited or negative attention.
- The company has changed its overall marketing strategy and it is no longer consistent with the corporate branding identity.
- The company has undergone major legal, competitive, or financial turmoil and wants to improve or differentiate its image.

For the most part, changes to your corporate branding should be subtle and occur gradually. Take Microsoft as an example. Microsoft has changed its corporate branding over the years but, as you can see below, most of the drastic changes occurred early in the life of the company:

You’ll often see the same kind of incremental changes for their product branding as well. Microsoft’s branding of Internet Explorer evolved gradually to take on a sleeker, more modern look:

The point is that even very mild changes can make a world of difference. Once you’ve justified the change in your corporate branding identity, the next step is to make the transition without confusing clients. This is a professional job which requires you to:

1. Capitalize on your existing positioning.
2. Convey your new or updated message.
3. Bridge between the old and the new corporate branding identity.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

At Direct Objective, this kind of challenge is right up our alley. We create silent revolutions with major image transformations that work. Consult us before updating your branding strategy. We’ll lead you to a successful corporate branding identity change.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

November 18, 2009February 2, 2023

Effective Business Sales Presentation Tips

Published: 18/11/2009
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Some companies invest most of their marketing budget into reaching new clients. But once they manage to secure a lead, they find they do not have an effective business sales presentation to showcase their offerings- something critical to converting clients. What are the sales presentation tips that you need to know?

Business sales presentations have changed quite dramatically in recent years. Here are some of the new trends, as well as some good sales presentation tips:

1. Fewer face-to-face business sales presentations – Online communication has made it much easier to give business sales presentations long-distance. Face-to-face meetings are no longer necessary, and there is no need to book expensive flights across the country. Given the flight security issues that have appeared since 9/11, it is much more convenient to conduct a business sales presentation remotely.
2. Slide sequence, the key to success – Quite often, I will see a client’s presentation that has all the ingredients for success, and yet it just does not work. Much of the time, it is due to the slide arrangement. In order to have a truly effective sales presentation, it is important to develop a logical slide sequence that the target market finds understandable and relatable.
3. Make it short and sweet – Clients do not have the time to listen to a long business presentation. Avoid corny sales pitches and get to the point. Introduce the main idea right away, then elaborate, delving deeper if your prospect is interested.
4. Use visuals, diagrams, and the latest technology – Many complex ideas can be easily explained with an image, graph, flash animation, or even a brief video clip. Invest in tools to facilitate the work of your sales team.
5. Personalize the presentation to your specific audience – Your prospects should feel that the presentation is specifically geared towards them. Research shows that the more you tailor your business sales presentation to the needs of prospects, the greater the likelihood that your presentation will be perceived as valuable.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Using the latest technology and applying these sales presentation tips will help you retain valuable sales. Consult with us to learn how you can get great results with your next business presentation.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

September 14, 2009February 2, 2023

Brand Development Strategy

Brand Development Strategy - Effective Branding Guidelines for B2B Lead Generation

Published: 14/09/2009
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

There is a constant debate as to how much companies should invest in brand development strategy and what the ROI of such an investment would be. I tend to agree that small and medium-sized businesses should not invest in campaigns just for branding, because branding has long-term benefits and small businesses are usually only looking for short-term benefits. Nevertheless, it is instrumental that your brand would project a coherent look and feel, a firm message, and an image that perfectly corresponds with your offering. Any branding guidelines to consider?

Effective Branding Guidelines

1) Make your brand memorable- Business-to-business products and services are often very complex. Make sure your branding simplifies and captures the concept so that your target market can easily remember your business.

2) Ensure your branding is consistent- Implement your branding across all your marketing materials, including your website, business cards, promotional materials, etc. Always present your offering in the same way so that, over time, your target client can identify the same message whatever the media.

3) Differentiate yourself from the competition- Through your branding, use your positioning strategy to emphasize what makes you stand out from the competition and why your offering is better than theirs.

4) Offer clear benefits- Business-to-business purchasing decisions are mostly performed based on rational decisions. Be crystal clear as to the benefits of your offering.

5) Build your relationships- It is your responsibility as a vendor to develop a relationship with your client. The closer the relationship you establish, the more loyal your clients will be. Brand development is building a relationship in the mind of your client.

So what outcome is expected from following these branding guidelines? Why should we invest in a brand development strategy?

Business-to-business companies with strong branding will enjoy:

1) A dramatically shorter sales cycle- Branding brings greater trust in a company, with less time needed to close a deal

2) Higher pricing- Clients will be more willing to pay premium prices and be less sensitive to price increases

3) An established industry signature- Your offering will dictate some of the mandatory purchasing criteria

4) Product/service inclusion in the top shortlistYour solution can find itself at the top of a list, sometimes without any sales push activity

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

It is true that branding takes time for effects to be seen, but, with very small steps following the branding guidelines, you can soon see the difference. Check with me to learn how to succeed in doing so.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

February 20, 2009February 2, 2023

Reassess Your Web Layout Design & Content Copywriting

Assess your Web Layout and Content Copywriting for Better Lead Generation

Published: 20/02/2009
(Revised: 02/02/2023)
Reading time: 2 minutes

Professional web layout design and content copywriting are increasingly important contributors to a company’s credibility. Since your website acts as the face of your company, you should always invest in professional web design, and outsource content writeup to an experienced copywriter or marketing agency. But, all too often, I have seen great sites struggle to attract traffic despite having professional look and great content. It’s a shame to see how such investments fall short of their potential. After all, what’s the point of investing in great web content if nobody is reading it? Particularly, businesses can’t afford deserted websites.

That’s why it’s important to think of your website as a lead generation tool. It can be tempting to structure your web design into an electronic brochure for your products or services and to simply create your content accordingly. But, while this approach can make for a great-looking site, it won’t necessarily drive traffic. To function as a lead generation tool, you must employ advanced strategic web content copywriting methods.

This means investing in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your content copywriting and structuring a professional web layout using methods that are proven to attract more search engine traffic. Other strategies include using newsletters and email campaigns to bring targeted leads to your site, submitting your site to relevant directories, and going beyond just web content into other forms of promotional writing, such as white papers.

Web layout and content copywriting are important parts of any website, however, with increasing online competition, they are simply not enough to bring leads to your site.

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

Contact Direct Objective to discuss online marketing strategies and professional SEO so you can create a website that functions as a lead generation tool in its own right.

Testimonials

Simon Robin CEO, Hardent

Google's Logo Refresh: Is Improving Your Logo Key to a Strong Corporate Identity?

Was Your Logo Updated in the Last 18 Months or So?

Does Your Logo Reflect Your Evolution?

Do You Feel That Your Target Market Trusts Your Branding?

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

What Lufthansa’s Bad Customer Service Can Teach Us about Marketing

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Is It Time to Change My Corporate Branding Strategy?

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Effective Business Sales Presentation Tips

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Brand Development Strategy - Effective Branding Guidelines for B2B Lead Generation

Effective Branding Guidelines

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

Assess your Web Layout and Content Copywriting for Better Lead Generation

What's Your MarketingReadyTM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?

What's Your MarketingReady^TM Ranking?