I’m sure their intentions were good.
I was just asked by a company we work with to help them select their logo and website via an online survey. They obviously didn’t know what we do around here.
Their message started like this:
We are asking your thoughts and feedback on our new logo and website. Your input is invaluable to us as our inspiration comes from you.
The inspiration comes from us? A little late for that. If they were looking to us for inspiration, they should have reached out before the first logo concept was developed. You know, that point where they ask their customers what it was about their company that, you know, inspired them?
None of the the five logos they presented were “inspired,” but two were passable — with some work.
Website? There were two home page concepts shared and one was considerably nicer than the other. So much nicer, there wasn’t a choice.
The result?
Now, people that can’t make a creative decision will pick their logo and website homepage based upon the collective subjective opinions of the people that know less about the company and its objectives than they do.
My advice? Don’t ask your customers to make decisions about your logo, website or marketing. Instead, know them well enough that they will inspire everything you create.
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Image: Globoforce
