Telecom has a new logo to represent their business. In their latest newsletter it says:
…Right now changes are being made in every corner of Telecom from the ground up.
The new logo is a symbol of this change, an expression of possibilities. And if you’re thinking, “anyone could have drawn that”, great, we’ve achieved our aim. Because the new logo is whatever you want it to be. It’s an expression of the spirit, drive and deep passion that exists in each and every one of us.”
In Touch, November 2009
A logo is something that represents your business, and a brand is what your business is. The key driver to any brand is that it must stand for something. A point of difference, a value or a key driver in your business. Just as a wishy-washy business will never stand the test of time, a wishy-washy brand will suffer the same fate. Again – It must mean something.
The above excerpt from the Telecom New Zealand newsletter is a disclaimer. It says “well, we don’t really know what our logo means to us, so let’s just hope it means something to you”. Wow, if only the salesperson at the design agency worked for me, imagine what I could sell. Fridges to Eskimos, ashtrays on motorbikes… The reason this erks me is that this type of treatment to the industry, the snake oil salespeople of the graphic design and advertising world, is the epitome of what brand consultants, who want to see their client grow, no matter what their size and budget, is exactly the image that we work so hard to shake off.
One thing to bear in mind is that a large company has to answer to a board – which by it’s very nature stays safe and chooses the image that will do the least amount of harm – as a small business owner, don’t look at the big corporates and think that if that’s what big business does, you should follow suit. Changing the image of a large corporation is like turning a large ship. Remember, as a small business, with it’s finger on the pulse of your industry, you can be ‘braver’ than a large business, and it’s even more important, for you to ensure your brand means something to you. You can turn your business and brand much faster, and far more effectively. If your brand tries to please everyone, it will be remembered by no one. In ten years time we’ll be lamenting (if we’re really stuck for conversational topics) ‘what was that Telecom logo back in 2010?’
#1 by Jack Yan at June 25th, 2010
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How very true, Amanda. There was nothing internal, from what I could see, that accompanied this change, back in December. It was change for change’s sake, and the mere updating of a logo (at how much cost?) does not, suddenly, put Telecom New Zealand in the 2010s.