Checklist : Logo, Logo Design, DIY or Hire a Professional / Agency – Part 4

Welcome back to the 3G’s & MHO Checklist Series.

This is Part 4 in our series looking at logos and more specifically company logos, brand logos and product logos, for use wherever a logo will add value, including but not limited to your Facebook logo, Instagram logo, Twitter logo, LinkedIn logo, website logo, anywhere the business logo can be used to represent your business / organization, ensure recognition, facilitate recollection, illicit positive association, and help drive sought after action.

Picking up from part 3 and all other articles related to this series that you can access on our blog, we are working towards wrapping up our initial planning through taking a look at multiple organizations within a stable of organizations, or multiple product / service offerings within your product/service line, all in the context of logos – the focus of this particular series.

Now this might be a reality right from the outset, or it could be a likely eventuality based on your business / product / service vision and strategy. If either multiple organizations and/or products / services are the case, then it is something worth considering now so as to avoid potential (likely) issues at the time of design commencement and implementation as the various logo derivatives are required.

This doesn’t mean you need to design logos for organizations nor products / services that are still a long way off (however you define that timeframe within your organizational planning), but at least to have an awareness at the outset so that you do not design your logo in such a manner that it prevents a logo evolution, or logo extension that may be required (think of the 3G’s logo evolution planning we did at 3G’s as highlighted in part 3, or that it forces you through a complete logo redesign to accommodate those changes where it is only the way the logo was implemented that forces you down this road, but all other business / organizational / product / service requirements and / or considerations make a strong case for retaining the initial logo (there can be various reasons for that – but it will need to be the subject of a separate article, or possibly series of articles).

And though branding in its broader context is not the specific subject matter of this logo series, it is lightly touched on here due to the interplay with the logo and its application.

Right, so let’s take a look at options…..using the motor industry for reference (whether the scale of the businesses / organizations and/or the nature of the product / service are relevant to your specific business / organization is not the purpose, the purpose is purely to demonstrate some possible approaches).

Please note, these are not intended to be formal, definitive categorisations and applications / usage cases, they are merely used to demonstrate different ways of going about logos that you may want to consider.

There will also be changes over time, or there are more obscure implementations of any one of the facets below, but at the time of writing it was accurate enough for the demonstration of these conceptual approaches.

One logo, one logo application style, one brand application
- Renault
  - One logo
    - The same logo is used on their private vehicle range that is used on their commercial vehicles
    - Example Renault Clio and Renault Trucks
    - Searches
      - https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=image+renault+trucks+showing+the+renault+logo&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
      - https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=image+renault+cars+showing+the+renault+logo&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
  - Logo application
    - The logo is applied in if not an identical manner, then near identical manner across their private vehicle range and their commercial vehicle range
  - Brand application
    - The brand is applied consistently in terms of the logo. Any model specifics are dealt with elsewhere on the vehicle separate from the logo
    - Logo on showrooms and other collateral
      - The logo appears with the Trucks text but as separate elements.

One logo, one logo application style, varied brand application
- BMW
  - One logo
    - The same logo is used on their private vehicle range that is used on their motorcycles
    - Example BMW 3 Series and BMW GS1250
    - Searches
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+bmw+cars+showing+the+bmw+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt6ZbokYb9AhUMR8AKHSFZCGcQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+bmw+motorcycles+showing+the+bmw+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiW45e1kob9AhWEoVwKHZtfA70Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
  - Logo application
    - The logo is applied in if not an identical manner, then near identical manner across their private vehicle range and their motorcycle range
  - Brand application
    - This varies
      - Private motor vehicles this is consistent
      - Motor cycles,
        
        Logo on actual motor cycles
        
        In some cases the logo is used consistently as per motor vehicles
        
        In other cases the logo is incorporated into a design element that is unique to its motor cycle business, and more often than not to a specific model / range of motorcycle
        
        Logo on showrooms and other collateral
        
        The logo appears with the Motorrad text as a “unified” logo / badge.
        
        In both cases model specifics can be dealt with elsewhere on the vehicle separate from the logo, or be used as an “unified” logo / badge

One logo, multiple logo application styles, one/varied brand application
- Mercedes
  - One logo
    - The same logo is used on their private vehicle range that is used on their commercial vehicles
    - Example C-Class and Mercedes Buses or Trucks
    - Searches
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+mercedes+trucks+and+buses+showing+the+mercedes+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHmKSdk4b9AhXYFcAKHRyeAZwQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+mercedes+cars+showing+the+mercedes+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjc7uS3k4b9AhUUSkEAHddCA88Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
  - Logo application
    - The logo is applied in a variety of ways, even within a product category, as is the case with private vehicles
    - Example the tri-star in a circle as a “statuesque” application standing upright in 3D on the bonnet (how often have those not been wiggled around by curios hands); compared to
    - Example the tri-star in a circle as a 2D application as part of the front engine grill or on the bonnet; or
    - Example the ornate built up 2D application that is sometimes applied on top of the bonnet
  - Brand application
    - The brand is applied consistently in terms of the logo. Any model specifics are typically dealt with elsewhere on the vehicle separate from the logo

Multiple logos, one logo application style, one brand application
- Nissan
  - Multiple logos
    - Separate logo between private vehicles (Nissan) and commercial vehicles (UD)
    - This is even further branched out when considering the Datsun logo and that range of vehicles within the private vehicle sub-category
    - Searches
  - Logo application
    - For each logo, and even across the three logos, the logo is applied in if not an identical manner, then near identical manner across their two private vehicle ranges and their commercial vehicle range
    - There are exceptions where instead of say the silver Nissan logo, a black one is used for typically sportier models in specific vehicle ranges
  - Brand application
    - The brand is applied consistently in terms of the logos. Any model specifics are dealt with elsewhere on the vehicle separate from the logo

Single logo, multiple logo application styles, one/varied brand application
- Mitsubishi
  - Single logo
    - Same logo for private vehicles (Mitsubishi) and commercial vehicles (Fuso)
    - The three diamond star
  - Logo application
    - The logos are applied in different ways between private vehicles and commercial vehicles, and even in varied ways within the bus / truck vehicle category
      - Private vehicles, it is the Mitsubishi logo
      - Commercial vehicles, it is the Mitsubishi logo and the text FUSO that makes up the “composite logo”
    - Search
      - https://asia.daimlertruck.com/en/press-releases/international/mitsubishi-fuso-celebrates-the-fuso-brands-90th-anniversary/
        
        See some varied application of the placement of the logo and FUSO elements relative to each other
  - Brand application
    - The brand is applied inconsistently in terms of the logos. Any model specifics are dealt with elsewhere on the vehicle separate from the logo

The Divergent
- This is quite an interesting one as it enables us to touch on a couple of different logo approaches within one organization
- VW
  - There is VW (private and commercial vehicles)
    - Here they follow a model mostly similar to Mercedes Benz, without the ornate 2D variant
    - Searches
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+vw+buses+and+trucks+showing+the+vw+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjD5o_pmYb9AhVQEsAKHR4VD5gQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+vw+cars+showing+the+vw+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4sqKOmob9AhWGUsAKHbsGDSIQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
  - Audi
    - VW owns Audi
    - They are two separate logos
    - Audi is a private vehicle only brand
      - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+audi+vehicles+showing+the+audi+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjprPyimob9AhUPQEEAHQh9CrgQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
- - - Equivalent type of vehicles for most part in both VW and Audi private vehicle ranges (already a bit of a golden thread there in terms of product iterations)(and then we aren’t even looking at a rebranding of these products for a specific market example SEAT)
      - https://www.carscoops.com/2018/06/vw-group-gone-far-sharing-design-details-brands/
    - Though a logo, a lot of the balance of badging, model derivatives, text naming and the like follows a near identical approach – more golden thread)
  - Porsche
    - VW owns Porsche
    - They are two separate logos
    - Porsche is a performance private vehicle brand that extends its brand reach into performance boats, as well as coffee makers and other luxury (and typically performance orientated) goods
    - There are similarities though as to how they approach text naming
    - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+porsche+vehicles+showing+the+porsche+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjv0pjRo4n9AhVxnVwKHQn5Dk8Q_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2
- - Bugatti
    - VW owns Bugatti
    - Like Porsche, two separate logos
    - Bugatti is a performance private vehicle in a very niche sense.
    - But here is little to no connection in branding application in terms of the logos, though again…..what about the script across the back of some Bugattis
    - https://www.google.com/search?q=image+bugatti+vehicles+showing+the+bugatti+logo&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiizaz-o4n9AhWUM8AKHSC9BMIQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1440&bih=710&dpr=2

And these aren’t the only ones in the VW stable.

And then there are other approaches as well, which we will touch on a little more briefly due to the more extensive and unique complexities that come into play in these instances:

Co-branding
- Two logos on the same product / service
  - One is usually the logo of the company or parent company
  - The other is usually the product / service logo in the case of the former, or the specific company logo of the company within the group of companies in the case of the latter
Golden thread
- Though the logos vary from company to company within a group of companies (same being applicable for organizations), or though the logos vary from product to product (same being applicable for services) there is a common element or resemblance to the logos to tie them together as being part of the same family
Complete stand-alone in terms of general public facing communications, the only connection being in the background in terms of ownership models.

So, if any of multi-product, multi-service and / or multi-company is part of your business (now or in the future) this might be worth having a think about before the outset of your first logo design.

Well, that was Part 4. There will be more to follow when we pick up on the next step in logo creation, namely logo origination. You are welcome to access the balance of our articles and other posts. Likewise you are welcome to reach out to us should you want to engage directly with us on this.

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Checklist : Logo, Logo Design, DIY or Hire a Professional / Agency – Part 4

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