Creating Custom Health Care Logo Designs
I've been lucky enough to work with a few Health Care companies now, and created a lot of logos for the medical field. And, in my 10 years of Freelance Graphic Design experience, I've seen a lot of old logos which are in desperate need of a redesign, and also some new companies and services who don't even have a logo to start with. All the amazing work that the Health Care sector has been doing to start 2020 has given them (deserving) more recognition in light of COVID-19. Having completed hundreds of custom logo designs, I know a thing or two when it comes to successful logo design for a company in Health Care.
Before and After of the Medical Informatics Logo I designed.
Colour choices are important
The use of colour in the medical field is so important. Colour can invoke emotion to the viewer, so careful selection of colour palette is important. Health Care is a critical sector to get right, because the patients feeling towards the service is paramount to their trust. We know that health care, especially when it comes to medical and operations, is representitive of the colour red. However, is that the best colour to portray the business? This is a case-by-case scenario, of course.
Blue has been, and always will be a colour of choice in the medical field. For businesses in health care, when it comes to logo design, blue is a feeling if calm and cooling (the situation, environment, etc) of the subconscious mind.
A concept for Paul Manohar Urology, showing a part of the kidney function.
Symbol design in logos for medical practitioners
It can often be requested that a needle, crutches, bed and other medical tools or devices make good a good symbol for a logo. Yes, they identify in a very stereotypical way the service, but how does the patient feel when they see the logo? Styling the symbol, along with colour, can offset the feeling, but the majority of the time, especially if very stereotypical, the patient may feel sensitive. So, it's important to be careful with symbol design for a logo for the medical field.
Choosing a font for health care logos
Similar to colour and symbol in a logo design, the font (or more specifically typeface), is an important choice. The typeface of choice usually reflects how professional and reliable the service is. So, typeface choice give fulfill part of the confidence element of your service which may allow the patient to get in contact with your service.
Designing custom logos for the health care industry is important. Just like the medical service itself, and the patient having trust in the doctor, nurse, practice (and so-on) on a personal level, the logo and branding for a business in this field can also be a true reflection on how much they value the service they provide and the feelings of their customer. I've seen success in the logos I've created for practitioners and health care providers, which is so great to see, and all their hard work, not only during COVID-19, but always, shouldn't go unnoticed.
5 Ways to Re-energise your Brand using Design in 2020
Everyone can certainly agree that the start of 2020 has been tough for a lot of individuals and companies alike, with Coronavirus. Here in Australia, we’ve also had to battle bushfires over the New Year, resulting in a large downturn in business for a prolonged period of time.
However, with every dip comes a rise, and the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel is gaining momentum. With the release of the COVIDSafe app, many people in Australia are hopeful of a return to normality, and for businesses this means reopening. It’s important to reopen safely, so customers can regain trust in your business. Graphic Design is a great way to demonstrate trust, along with well written articles and collateral to assist your design.
To spark interest in your product or service, it’s important to jump the competition, and knowing when that would be can be tricky, but to be ahead of the eight ball is certainly an advantage. We’ve already seen how some companies are already doing this.
The design may be slightly different to your usual, strict brand guidelines, but by having a slightly different design shows versatility in your company too. Customers will love to see you being more approachable that usual, if your companies design doesn’t lend that way.
In my ten years of professional design experience, I’ve had the opportunity to refresh many brands and these five methods are a great way to re-energise your brand through design marketing in the upcoming months:
Using design in social media to promote your business as a whole
By using social media to promote your business as a whole is a great idea at the best of times. It can also be used to target a specific service or product, and that’s certainly fine too. However, with some clever graphics and design, using social media to promote your business as a whole is very important. In a time like this, creating a design visual that is friendly and approachable is what people really need. Businesses want to allow customers to feel as though their brand is trustworthy, so using certain colours, imagery, cues and typography can allow that to be the case.
Reminding customers through the use of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn or any other social media platforms that your company utilises, that you still exist, is important. To demonstrate that you’re looking out for them, and supporting them through this period of time (even without trying to sell a certain product or service) can be great messaging for them. The design used to do this can be different to your usual style, but doesn’t have to be too separate from your brand.
Future-proof your business through design
We know that, when COVID-19 ‘finishes’ that the world will be a different place. Designing collateral, such as print and web advertising knowing what will be different in the future gives you a jump-start on the competition. Will people be outside more? Have people taken up new hobbies, such as cycling, running and walking? Maybe people are reading more books, or using LEGO more (I know I am!). What this means, is if you have an in-demand product or service, which allows the freedom and escape that people are after, your business could thrive using design to communicate that message.
I know if I had a business that allowed people to be outdoors, have fun and use their product or service, that now would be a great time to design based around that. Using design, along with well thought out marketing and text, can certainly get that message across.
Designing promotional material for a product or service
We know plenty of businesses and individuals are struggling financially, so having a marketing campaign designed around having a sale for a product or service could be a good idea. Through the use of design, this can have surprising effects too, and whether it’s a print or online focused sale, the design can still be eye-catching and engaging for your customers. It should also be considered that if you have a product or service which is in demand, that helps a customer through this period of time, that a customer will love to reach out to you if you offer a product or service to them.
Designing for a sale should be tasteful and respectful to the customer your targeting. Showing value or worth through design, through the use of colour and type can help. Designing a campaign with different variations of the one product can also allow the campaign to market towards different customers.
Using an engaging website design to sell and market products
You don’t necessarily need an online store to sell your product or service. It is, of course, and option for many, but not critical. A website design that is informative, visually interesting, accurate and usable also, in fact, sells a product or service. Many website designs used for marketing result in a contact form, phone number or email address (much like my own), but to visually communicate the right message to customers is one of the most important messages to get across. This, of course, is done through the use of graphic design and visual imagery.
Having your website reflect the current situation of the world, and having a calm, understand tone and visual imagery not only allows your business to show that you care, but speaks to your customers and notifies them that you’re still in business.
Design for your customers and make them feel wanted
I stress, in most of the material I write, that designing specifically for your customers is so important. When your customers are unsure about what to do to begin 2020, showing that your business is calm and stable through the use of design reinforces what they already know. However, as I said earlier, to perhaps alter the colour palette in a smart, concise way or altering the typography and products and services you specifically market can be exactly what your customers are looking for. If, by promoting to help them through isolation, and your product or service will help them achieve that, then design collateral with that at the forefront of your mind. Designing marketing material which soothes them, and relaxes them for the now, but also can re-energise them (and your brand) in the future, is reassuring.
So, those are my 5 pieces of design advice to you, and your business, to get you through this difficult time. I know 2020 has been a difficult start for many businesses not only in Australia, but around the world, but by designing material that can get you (and your customers) through this phase and also assist your business when everything goes back to ‘normal’ is critical in the success of your business and customer retention.
When to rebrand and give your company a fresh new logo?
It can be difficult to know when to complete a company rebrand, especially because workflow and customer quantities can change so quickly and with a certain amount of unpredictability. As we all know, a lot of considerations need to be accounted for in order to rebrand. Should you do it when your company direction changes? When business is starting to slow? Just because it's been a certain amount of time? So, when is the best time to give your company a fresh new logo, brand and identity? Lets take a look, dive in and try and find out!
Company duration – maybe it's time for a change!
A lot of companies will say to themselves "I've been in business for 3 years / 5 years / 10 years – maybe it's time for a change in logo." If we think about what you're really asking yourself in this question, it's purely that you're bored and feel like the company needs a facelift. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but time alone isn't a defining factor as to needing a change in logo design and branding for your company.
Duration of a business can be, and is, a good thing. To have a business gather and maintain traction of a period of time means that ultimately there's an element of success. You have to ask yourself why you would change the look of your company, and if it's out of boredom then that's probably the wrong was to look at your company.
When business is failing / starting to slow?
It could be argued that during slow times, a new logo may not benefit you, as resources could be thinning. However, to have a new brand and logo in this period of time could be exactly what you need to gather traction once again. A new, fresh look for your brand allows you to market more, to tell a different story and to generate a talking point where there wasn't one.
A new logo for your business, in your eyes
If you think about a new logo and what it does to the mentality of the business, and your mentality, it gives you almost a fresh start. Depending on the new design and how close it is to your existing branding, change here can be considered a good thing. It plays a little bit into my next point, but the ability to re-market with a new, revised direction, to be proud once again, a new vision and hope can be extremely revitalizing for all involved.
A new logo in the eyes of your customers
Customers can appreciate a new logo – they've done it for years. The new talking point that you're generating, gives the customer a new perspective about your business. For them, it can almost feel like having a shower and feeling fresh again. If they see your product or service with a new logo and branding, they may consider you once again, whereas they may not have with the same branding as is ingrained into their mind.
A change in company direction
The single most important reason to rebrand is because the existing company logo and branding doesn't resonate with the message your company is trying to portray. If your logo is outdated, both in style and message, then your customers will be able to tell. And, if we draw that connection back to my previous point, where business is failing and starting to slow, it may be because of the misdirection in your current logo and branding. If your product and service isn't fitting for your socio-economic group at the time, then visual communication is lost between company and customer.
The same can be said for branding, where the logo may actually still be fitting, but the branding surrounding the company logo may need to be adjusted to connect with the customer.