I’m in Phoenix at the moment, shooting in the desert and then meeting up with Brand Camp peeps to talk all things biz!  So, while I’m rocking the sunglasses and short skirts, a few thoughts on logos and branding as they relate to simplicity.

Lots of people talk about their branding and dog on how ‘simple’ or ‘boring’ or ‘low-key’ it is.  They complain about how much their logo doesn’t reflect ‘who they are’ or ‘what they feel’ or ‘how they shoot.’

Okay.  Let’s take a look at Apple.  Most popular products on the planet, at the moment.  Go to their website and look at their logo.  Simpler than simple.  The logo in no way captures all the incredible and fabulous things the company produces, but it gives us a peek at their sleek style.

Try to imagine a logo that screamed ‘cutting-edge inventive geeky hipster wearing retro, tight-tight eighties throwback jeans and an Ed Hardy t-shirt’ is our target market. It would be…a hot mess.

Again, think of all the things for sale at Target.  Everything from clothing to dental floss to vitamin water.  Imagine a logo that said all those things.  Hot mess city.  Same goes for Wal-Mart.  Adobe.  Any grocery store on the planet.  And your business, too.  No symbol on the planet can capture everything you do!

A strong logo rarely includes doodads or thingamabobs.  The earth’s best logos are fairly simple.  (Golden arches, anyone?) So think simple.  And simpler, still.

Stop trying to commission a logo that screams YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.  It’ll be out of date in no time.  Find one that whispers of your essence but allows room for growth across the years.

Oh, and the business therapy winner?  Xander of Photographing Sound. E-mail me to claim your prize, love! Thanks to all of you who signed up for the Merit Badge mail, left comments, and tweeted about the giveaway!