Skip to main content

Lessons from Google's new Chrome icon

Last week, Google unveiled a new, simpler icon for its Chrome web browser. In a blog post explaining the change, Google designer Steve Rura wrote, "Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments. A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit -- to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all."

Whether you love it or hate it, the new Chrome icon provides an important lesson to corporate marketers: When creating logos, color schemes, and icons to represent your brand, make sure those symbols represent the core values you want people to associate with you.

Another lesson comes in the way Google went about creating its new Chrome icon. "Redesigning the icon was very much a group effort," Rura continues. While you probably should put together a core team of designers and marketing people who will have the final say in creating your corporate brand, don't overlook ideas from "outsiders" in your organization (customer service people, salespeople, product developers, etc.) who might bring a different perspective to the discussion.

And finally, make sure your new identity translates well both online and off. "It was important to maintain consistency across all media," Rura concludes, "so we kept print, web, and other possible formats in mind."

One way to ensure a strong print-based presence for your new logo, icon, or color scheme is to involve a printing firm, like ours, early in the design process. As print professionals, we can help you choose colors that are attractive, cost-effective, and easy to reproduce, so you don't wind up spending more than you hoped to for less-than-ideal results.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Print Coupons Are Valuable Tool for Driving Business

With the advent of the Internet and mobile technology, it may seem that print advertising has gone by the wayside. However, that is simply not true. In fact, there are still many legitimate, valuable uses for print advertising. One of those opportunities is coupons. We see coupons in grocery stores constantly. Every Sunday paper has coupons that give customers incentive to try new products or new versions of older products. Why is that? Simply put, coupons work. So how can you use coupons effectively if you're not running a grocery store? Here are some ideas to consider: Return Business Coupons are one of the best ways to obtain return business. For example, consider creating a "Buy 10, Get 1 Free" card. This type of coupon works well for businesses that sell multiples of the same type of product. Examples might include "Buy 10 earrings, Get 1 Free" or "Buy 10 ink cartridges, Get 1 Free." Another option is to offer a coupon to every...
Post a Comment
Read more

Poster Design Tips

At its best, poster design is the territory of the truly creative, and it has been used in the past as a public display of individual talent. When you are designing in this graphic form, the poster's purpose and application should be your first considerations. The poster will normally be on display in a public area, where it will have to compete both with its surroundings and with other posters. Poster Design Checklist: Establish the information to be conveyed. Decide on the size, proportion, and shape. Research the locations for your poster. Simplify the information to be communicated. Produce scaled-down versions of the design. Consider the space and its effects very carefully. Select the typefaces that work for your design. Make sure the message is conveyed clearly and dynamically. Present a number of alternative designs. When you are designing a poster, the first decision to make is the size and shape of the design area. This may be governed by the displa...
Post a Comment
Read more

Four Foolproof Ways to Create a Great Company Logo

  Have you taken a close look at your company logo lately? Does it look like it came straight out of the 1980s, or have you kept it up-to-date? An outdated logo can make you look stagnant and stale in the minds of prospective customers. To combat this effect, many companies redesign their logos every few years to keep them fresh. If your company is considering a logo update, here are some tips to help: Choose a logo that looks good large or small. This will allow for more variety in your ads and other printed materials. Keep it simple. Your logo doesn't have to look fancy to grab attention. Just look at IBM and Apple. Their logos are simple but memorable. Limit yourself to two colors of ink. Having too many ink colors in your company's logo will put an unnecessary strain on your printing budget - and might actually look distracting, rather than distinctive. A nice-looking, two-color logo will give you the professional look you want at a reasonable price. ...
Post a Comment
Read more