Take a look at the following major companies to get a feel for what their logos portray…

	Folgers - the background gives a feeling of a bold, bright, sun bursting over the horizon. The white letters symbolize clean, pure and simple.
	HP- The words “outside the box” and “creative” come to mind. They are trying to get across that they are not average and are a circle in a square world.
	Citi - the red line above the logo is a symbol for an umbrella, with the “T” as the handle. It symbolizes safety. The colors and font give a feeling of all-american and traditional, as well as no-frillz or fluff.
	Obama’s logo - the bright, light colors give a feeling of fresh and new. Red, white and blue have always been colors that evoke feeling of “all American” or national pride, but the colors are not the traditional shade. They are lighter, as his big running platform, “change”. The white circle symbolizes the sun rising over the horizon. The circle is also a symbol for “creative”, as well as his name, Obama.

In a society of choices, it is important to think about the message you are portraying, without saying anything at all. For example, Walmart has recently rebranded themselves with a new logo. Let’s take a look at how a slightly changed logo can send two very different messages:

Walmart’s previous logo, found below on the left, is in all caps with a simple blue text. There is practically nothing to it. This logo carries the message the bare minimal, simple, rough and low end. This is basically what Walmart was; a low end distributor, focused on low prices and nothing else. The new logo, found below on the right, bears a very different tone. It is a softer blue, slightly rounded edges and a yellow sun burst or flower. So what does it mean? What is the difference here? The new logo is softer, friendlier and emphasizes “live better”. Their brand shift also echoes this sentiment though opening a chain of “green” stores, as well as offering more environmentally friendly options in all of their stores.

The point here is that your brand tells the public everything they need to know about you. A simple change of font or shade of a color can make all the difference in the world. It tells whether you are serious, welcoming to children, creative, tech-savvy and so much more. Does your logo convey the right message of your company? What does your logo say about you? If you’re unsure, chances are so is your audience.