The holy grail of branding questions.
(And there is one more important question than this)
When a new client reaches out to me, it’s almost a guarantee that their very first question will be this one. They cling to it like a kid with a security blanket.
To them, this is the holy grail of branding questions.
And after building over 100 brands, I finally get why they’re so obsessed with it. If you’ve ever owned a brand, I can promise you’ve thought about it too.
But here’s the kicker — you’re about to realize that this question isn’t the most important thing. And that revelation? It’s going to flip your branding world upside down.
So, what’s the big question they start with?
“What kind of logo do you think I need?”
Now, as a brand expert, I’m supposed to have a quick, savvy answer to this.
I mean, I’ve spent more time in visual branding than I care to admit.
Logos are like the pop songs of branding — everyone knows them, everyone remembers them. But let’s hit pause for a second and circle back to that question.
Client: “What kind of logo do you think I need?”
Me: “You need a memorable one.”
Brilliant, right? Obvious.
But wait — what actually makes a logo memorable?
That, my friend, is the million-dollar question.
Here’s the thing: visual branding is crucial. We spend loads on it, and for good reason. But — and here’s the shocker — it’s not the most important thing.
I know, take a deep breath…
In fact, it’s less than 20% of what makes a brand tick. Yep, you heard me right. Even the flashiest logo is just a pretty picture if there’s no solid concept behind the brand.
It’s like putting a shiny bow on an empty box.
And the key concept — the one that changes the whole game?
Drumroll, please… It’s relationship building.
Some wise folks have said, “A good brand is like a good friend.” And they’re spot on.
When we choose a brand, we do it with our emotions first. (We only bring in logic afterward to convince ourselves we made a smart choice.)
It’s simple, but it’s profound, and it changes everything in the branding game.
Takeaway:
We don’t choose our real friends because they’re the most beautiful (unless I’ve been doing it wrong), but because they’re real, loyal, honest, and valuable to us.
We don’t read a good story because it’s wrapped in a pretty cover.
We read it because it’s valuable and meaningful.
And frankly, who cares how many lines or what font it’s written in?
If you think I’ve given you something valuable here, feel free to pass it on — or keep it to yourself and feel smug about it.
Either way, create value.
Levi
