Did you know that most of your favorite brands have more than one logo? And no, I am not talking about the those “controversial” rebrands that everyone loves to have an opinion on (an equally important, but entirely different topic). I am talking about brands that utilize a variety of different logos in real time so intentionally that you may not have even noticed!

Let’s talk about one of my favorite examples of this – Disney. When you think of the Disney logo, what do you see? Do you picture a caste? Maybe the words “Walt Disney” in their unmistakable Waltograph typeface? Of course you do. As iconic as this logo is, it would not be half as successful without its ability to adapt to its environment so seamlessly you don’t even see it happening. In other words, for a logo to succeed, it has to be responsive.

What Makes A Logo Responsive?

“Responsive” in terms of design originally referred to websites and how they display on certain screen sizes. For example, you may have noticed that a website displays much differently on your phone than it does on your computer. This is to improve user experience and readability. The same goes for logos. The Disney logo that appears in the opening of a movie is a different version than the one in their website header. This is because the logo used on the big screen would be much too difficult to read when scaled down to a proper website header size. It would also feel very heavy and make for an unbalanced design.

Though vastly different, theses designs still feel extremely similar and equally as recognizable. For Disney, the font does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to their brand recognition. For other brands, it’s their icon (Nike) or even their colors (Google) that create that visual thread. Are you starting to get why brand designers keep using that infamous phrase – “A brand is so much more than a logo”?

A Guide To Responsive Logos For Small Businesses

Maybe you’re thinking “..but I’m a small business owner, not Disney. I just need a logo to put at the top of my website.” I totally understand where you are coming from, but here are a few things you might not be considering.

All websites need a favicon. A favicon is that tiny icon located in the tabs of your website browser that indicates to the user which tab is which. It is important that they can quickly determine which tab belongs to your site or you will get lost in the shuffle. Favicons are only 16×16 pixels, so this is where an extremely minimal version of your logo will come in handy.

How about social media? If you’re planning to use social media to reach your customers you are going to need a profile picture. Chances are the logo that was designed for your website header doesn’t fit so perfectly in that little Instagram circle or LinkedIn box.

Those are just the bare essentials. If you’re a product-based business you will find that having access to multiple versions of your logo will be beneficial when it comes to your packaging and shipping materials. If you are a service based industry you might have e-mail signatures and business cards to consider. So, don’t limit yourself. I am willing to bet you have pretty big goals for your small business. Create a brand from the start that you can grow into!