Comments on: How Do Logos Matter to You?

By: Bill Haig, Ph.D.

Bill Haig, Ph.D. — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:53:39 +0000

Remember that credibility has two dimensions “trust” and “expertise”. (This can also be “believability” and “competence”. In my “credibility based logo design” strategy we use non-verbal forms to communicate a company’s credibility traits in a logo. For example, Housen Painting is a small business house painter using what would be considered “high tech” methods to conduct his business. He uses a computer to schedule workers well as determining the amount of paint needed.for each job. He is always on time finishing a job, clean and dependable. His “expertise” is “house painting” and his “trustworthy” traits are “high tech”, “clean” and “dependable”. These credibility traits formed the basis of his logo design using non-verbal design motifs. The Housen Painting logo can be seen on my website, http://www.powerlogos.com. This is a typical “credibility based logo design.” There are other familiar examples such as Aloha United Way and AT&T.

By: Roxanne Darling

Roxanne Darling — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:05:50 +0000

@Bill – Thanks for adding this dimension to the logo/brand/credibility discussion. As a non-designer, I can see that it is not easy or obvious to translate things like trust into a graphic mark, though I do understand how energy moves in strong, non-verbal ways so this makes sense to me.

By: Bill Haig, Ph.D.

Bill Haig, Ph.D. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:30:12 +0000

Let me get this started a bit. Logos really are not important, just like how someone dresses is not important. Why spend the money for power clothes when influencing someone is not important. Why spend the money for a logo when influencing someone is also not important. Logos and clothes are important part of influencing because we don’t buy from someone we don’t trust and don’t feel is competent. “Trust” and “competent” work together and become “credible”. My work is in “credibility based logo design” which have specific rules a designer works with to bring out a company’s unique credibility traits. “Credibility based logo design” then is important if a sale of product or service is desired. We dress to be credible in the same way. Are logos important then? Yes, as a major part of a company’s brand image. Yes, as part of long term branding program which includes all “touch points” which are also credibility based. The result is “Brand Credibility” with a “credibility based logo design” at the heart of all company branding. There is a lot more, but this is a start.

By: Joscie, rhymes with bossy

Joscie, rhymes with bossy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:54:13 +0000

Logos absolutely make a difference. there are magazines on the rack about items I’m interested in, but I refuse to buy because their mastheads are ugly. I also have less faith in a company if they don’t have a good website or an updated website.