Branding: Logos
In a for-profit company branding is essential. For a nonprofit it’s just as important. There have been many hundreds of books written on the subject of branding. Most small nonprofits don’t have the resources to do Market Research, conduct focus groups, administer customer surveys and do all the other expensive academic marketing activities that big companies can do. For nonprofits, branding has to be easy and inexpensive, so in this episode I’m going to focus on one of the most basic and important branding items that any nonprofit needs – that’s a logo.
Your logo has to be both a symbol and, if possible an explanation of your mission. When it comes to logo design, the simpler the better. Your logo can be the name or initials of your agency. Initials work well if your organization’s name is already well known. Stick with one or two colors. Cheaper to print and it will also look good in black. Eventually your logo will get photocopied and faxed and you want it to still look good. Typeface is important. Consider how well a typeface looks when enlarged or reduced in size. There are so many different fonts available in Microsoft Word or Photoshop that you’re sure to find one that fits your purpose.
Let’s look at some logo examples from nonprofit organizations:
(Look at Senior’s First logo)
Here’s the logo from an area nonprofit that provides meals on wheels and other senior services. I like the two simple colors which will be easy to reproduce across printed and electronic materials. Their name reflects their mission of serving seniors. I like that they work the agency tag line in there. The little house highlights the fact that they provide in-home services. The butterfly is a nice touch and helps show the organization’s gentle, caring attitude.
(Look at Coalition for the Homeless logo)
Here’s the logo of an organization that provides homeless services. Again they use two simple colors. The symbol makes a home out of a heart shape. That does a wonderful job of demonstrating the welcoming nature of the organization. The agency has a fairly long name but they have incorporated the name into the logo in a very clear, smart way.
(Look at Second Harvest logo)
Here’s the logo of our leading area food bank. I like the simple, stylized spoon that ties together the organization with it’s commitment to hunger issues. The name is so prominent and easy to read. The three primary colors work well and also looks good in black and white.
That’s a quick look at some of the most basic considerations when thinking about a logo for a new organization or maybe a redesign of a logo for an existing nonprofit agency. Your logo is an important part of your brand. Because a simple design is better, you should be able to design a good logo with little time and effort.
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