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Nick Lock, Graphic Designer
Scaling Down: How Well Does Your Logo Work Responsively?
As mobile use continues to storm past desktop usage, it’s time to start thinking about how your logo will be viewed on different screens.
Although it’s not exactly news that mobile web browsing overtook desktop use, lots of businesses are still yet to adapt. And while a lot of companies have no doubt ensured their website is responsive, the same can’t necessarily be said about their logos.
Why should I have a responsive logo?
Think about how many times you tap onto a site on your phone and are confronted by a massive menu bar with a huge logo at the top – it’s wasting space that could be put to much better use. However, you still need to make sure that your brand has the right presence, no matter what size the logo. That’s why designer Joe Harrison decided to put the logos of some big brands to the test and see how they could be scaled to suit on his website, responsivebrands.co.uk
While you might think that, in order to scale down, you need some kind of marque as part of your logo, the experiment proves otherwise. When you scale all the way down, it’s still easy to read ‘Coke’ in that famous font. Instead, it’s important to understand what aspects of your logo are the most recognisable when you get down to the smallest size and what your customers will identify with most.
I don’t think my logo will scale! What can I do?
Think about how your logo is used already in a variety of different scenarios – even if your logo is completely made up of text, you might already use a single letter or initials on a business card or the favicon on your website. Examine your logo carefully and pick out its key aspects, then consider what you can ditch when you get down to tablet or mobile size. For example, when it comes to the Mighty logo, we know that we’d lose a lot of definition if we simply shrunk the name down, so we use the M on its own where appropriate.
Part of this is about being brave and trusting that your customers will recognise your logo in its scaled-down format – if that doesn’t fill you with confidence, then perhaps it’s time to think about a rebrand.
Time to reinvent yourself? Chat to our branding experts
If you’re thinking of switching up your brand, give our design team a call. Our branding experts will not only develop a new look and feel for your company, but can help transform your brand values and positioning so you’ll achieve your full potential.
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