Logos and symbols play a major role in creating brand equity and establishing an identity for a company or its products. Every logo has some subtle messages and symbols that represent something about the company. Also, in spite of not knowing the hidden meaning of a logo, customers instantly relate to and recall a particular brand through its logo. Of late, many companies are changing their logos which entails substantial expenditure. Changing an already established logo should be approached carefully after considering the pros and cons of such an exercise. This article, besides unfolding the inherent meaning of logos of some popular brands, discusses the risks and benefits of changing logos and the impact they have on the end customers.

Logos and symbols, two important elements of a brand, play a vital role in creating brand equity. While some companies understand the importance of this brand element and leverage it optimally, there are others who tend to overplay this visual element without any commensurate gains. Of late, it has become common for companies to change their logos, an exercise that involves a lot of time and resources. While in some of the cases, the changes made are minor and cosmetic, there are a few instances of the existing logos being replaced by totally new ones. Some companies that change their logos also undertake an elaborate exercise of explaining the meaning of their changed logos to the customers and other stakeholders. This article, besides highlighting the importance of logos and symbols in the context of building enduring brands, also examines the pros and cons of logo change exercises and the relevance and significance of such exercises to the end customers.

More often than not, it is the logos and symbols, the visual elements of the brand that trigger a brand recall than the other tangible elements. Brands like Cadbury, Coke, Amazon and FedEx are recognized by all the stakeholders, some of them not so knowledgeable about marketing and brands by the unique visual appeal of their logos and symbols. With so much of information overload, the competitive advantage that logos offer to marketers needs no further elaboration. Well-designed logos go a long way in enhancing the effectiveness of marketing communications, particularly out-of-home advertising, product placements, subliminal advertising, events and sponsorships, etc. In developing and underdeveloped economies where the literacy rates are relatively low, logos and symbols form an important communication link between companies and their customers. Especially in rural markets that contribute to more than 50% of the total sales of the FMCG sector in countries like India, logos play a very important role in establishing an instant communication link between the marketers and customers. Likewise, logos can be very effective in communicating with the younger customers who do not pay as much attention to the contents of the communication as they do to the logos and symbols.

A good logo, besides being visually attractive, should communicate to customers the main purpose of the company. For instance, the arrow from A to Z in Amazon's logo sends out a powerful signal to customers that they can hope to get any material that has been published by visiting their portal.

Advertising Express Magazine, Logos and Symbols, Brand Elements, Brand Equity, FMCG Sectors, Product Placements, Subliminal Advertising, Marketing Communications, Rural Markets, Brand Awareness, Mergers or Acquisitions, Photocopy Machines, Foreign Multinational Banks, Electronic Media.