{"id":43954,"date":"2018-01-26T02:35:08","date_gmt":"2018-01-26T09:35:08","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2018-01-26T02:35:08","modified_gmt":"2018-01-26T09:35:08","slug":"5-expensive-logos-and-what-they-teach-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taterboy.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/5-expensive-logos-and-what-they-teach-us\/","title":{"rendered":"5 expensive logos and what they teach us"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s difficult to know, most of the time, how much big companies really spend on logo designs<\/a> and redesigns. Few firms are willing to share figures, and even if they do, it\u2019s difficult to distinguish the cost of designing the logo from the cost of the rebrand as a whole, which can include marketing, advertising and other associated costs.<\/p>\n

But while we can\u2019t list \u201cthe most expensive logos in history\u201d (because we don\u2019t definitively know the top five, and in truth, neither does anyone else), it\u2019s interesting to look at examples where companies have spent vast sums on their logos, and whether they were worth it.<\/p>\n

In this post, we look at five famous examples of expensive logos, and pull out some lessons we can learn from them.<\/p>\n

01. BP<\/h3>\n
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In 2008, the sunflower-style BP logo (right) replaced the old shield logo (left)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2000, BP paid an awful lot of money for a new logo. According to The Daily Telegraph<\/a>, it cost a whopping \u00a34.6 million just to design the logo, while the overall cost of the rebranding came in at \u00a3136 million (including the cost of rebranding stationery, van liveries and manufacturing plants).<\/p>\n

The project, led by Landor Associates in 2000, saw the replacement of the old \u2018shield\u2019 logo with a new one designed specifically to promote \u201cBP\u2019s position as an environmental leader and its goal of moving beyond the petroleum sector\u201d, as the company began to invest in alternative energy. According to Landor: \u201cA stylised sunflower symbolizes the sun\u2019s energy, while the colour green reflects the brand\u2019s environmental sensitivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new logo attracted much ridicule from environmental campaigners, most of whom saw BP\u2019s new interest in green energy as a smokescreen for continuing to promote fossil fuels. Later, Greenpeace even crowd-sourced a parody version<\/a> featuring a bird stuck in an oil slick.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The cost of the rebranding exercise was also lambasted by the UK press at the time, in light of a continuing series of price hikes at petrol stations.<\/p>\n

However, the case study on Landor\u2019s website<\/a> offers a different take on the project. Rather than focusing on what the public thought of BP\u2019s revamped logo, it talks more about the internal institutional reaction to the new branding. Landor trained more than 1,400 brand champions in 19 countries on the promise of \u2018Beyond Petroleum\u2019. As a result, \u201cnine months after launch, 97 per cent of BP employees were aware of the brand idea, and 9 out of 10 agreed that BP was heading in the right direction\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In short, the tone of the case study suggests BP was less interested in convincing the public that it was becoming greener, and more interested in convincing its own staff. And that puts a completely different spin on how you view the success of the new logo design.<\/p>\n

Lesson learned:<\/strong> Before you judge a logo, think about who its real audience is. It might, for example, be more targeted towards influencing employees, stakeholders or investors than consumers.<\/p>\n

02. CitiBank<\/h3>\n
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This 1998 logo was created after the merger of Citicorp and Travellers Group to form CitiBank <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The CitiBank logo was designed in 1998 by well-known designer Paula Scher of Pentagram<\/a>, when industry giants Citicorp and Travellers Group merged to create the world\u2019s largest financial services firm. That the bank paid the princely sum of $1.5 million for this design (part of a near-$10 million for the branding as a whole) is not so surprising. With assets under management of $700bn, its pockets were deep enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But what was controversial is that the logo they received was based on a sketch Scher did on the back of napkin. During their first meeting. In around 10 minutes.<\/p>\n

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Scher\u2019s quick sketch formed the basis of CitiBank\u2019s $1.5 million logo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMy best work is kind of big, bold strokes that come very quickly,\u201d she explains in this video interview<\/a>. \u201cAnd it\u2019s problematic because a lot of clients like to \u2018buy process\u2019 and they don\u2019t think they\u2019re getting their money\u2019s worth, like I sold it too fast. \u2018How can it be that you talk to someone and it\u2019s done in a second?\u2019 But it is done in a second \u2013 and 34 years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In other words, drawing on those 34 years of experience meant that Scher could sidestep months of \u2018process\u2019 and produce the perfect basis for a logo design in an instant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Certainly, in all meaningful ways, Citibank got their money\u2019s worth. The now-globally recognisable logo has been in place for the whole of the century so far, and shows no signs of needing to be replaced.<\/p>\n

Lesson learned: <\/strong>The economic value of a logo design lies not in how long it took to produce, but how well it works. Scher\u2019s example highlights how experienced and talented designers can help shortcut the process and still obtain great results, and there\u2019s no shame in being paid accordingly.<\/p>\n

03. The City of Belfast<\/h3>\n
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The City of Belfast logo cost a reported \u00a3180,000<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2008, the City of Belfast commissioned a new logo, but the process was longer and more involved than originally expected. It took a reported 15 months and \u00a3180,000 to create the new logo, designed by brand consultancy Lloyd Northover<\/a>, along with \u00a3250,000 on advertising, launch events and showcase promotions, according to the Belfast Telegraph.<\/p>\n

That figure attracted widespread press criticism, especially when Sunday Life revealed that the new logo was very similar to others already in use in England, such as a logo for Food and Drink Devon, which had been created for just \u00a37,000.<\/p>\n