Your Logo’s Attitude Creates Brand Latitude

First impressions may not be everything, but they certainly matter. In fact, 19^th-century British novelist Jane Austen nearly made First Impressions the title of her masterpiece Pride and Prejudice because she realized that not everyone takes the time to dig further when a first impression rubs him or her the wrong way.She certainly didn’t work in healthcare marketing, but her ideas have validity for your business, as it presents itself to the world through the simple presence of its logo.

First impressions may not be everything, but they certainly matter. In fact, 19^th-century British novelist Jane Austen nearly made First Impressions the title of her masterpiece Pride and Prejudice because she realized that not everyone takes the time to dig further when a first impression rubs him or her the wrong way.She certainly didn’t work in healthcare marketing, but her ideas have validity for your business, as it presents itself to the world through the simple presence of its logo.

Every logo has a personality — and what brand doesn’t want to be popular? When crafting your logo, there are three tips to creating ubiquity, longevity and that Wow Factor that will place your name on the world’s lips:

• Bring it back to basics – Boil your brand down to its fundamental essence and design a clear, visually concise, uncluttered representation of its core qualities.  In the world of healthcare and medicine, UnitedHealthcare^® does a stellar job with its logo, which uses the upper case “U” to create a ripple effect that mirrors the waves the company makes in healthcare.  Also, by making the text all one word, it creates an effect of unity that instills confidence in the brand.

• Be chromatically proactive – Keep in mind that color will vary, depending on the ways users access your site — for example, they might print out a page on a non-color printer. Think behind the rainbow and test out how your logo will appear in the absence of hue. The hospital Cincinnati Children’s is our top pick for employing a reversible logo that remains memorable whether you view it in full color or grayscale.

• Spark lasting memories – While uniqueness is important, no one is asking you to be Picasso. You want your logo to be something that can be taken in at a glance and retained. Think of Cleveland Clinic’s logo. It’s really only a hollowed out blue and green square with a space breaking up each side at the center — yet because each corner of the square resembles the C of “Cleveland” and “Clinic,” it creates a solid impression that lasts and has helped the brand thrive.

Your logo is your brand’s clothing — design something it will be proud to wear, and above all that fits.