Advertising and Your Logo

by Skip Cohen

It's Marketing Monday, and as the "slow season" comes to a close, I want to hit a topic that people don't talk about very often...your ads and your logo. Over the years, I've repeatedly seen photographers and manufacturers change their advertising because they were tired of a specific ad. 

Often, a great ad gets dropped because the manufacturer was tired of looking at it. Everyone forgets how many times you have to hit a consumer before they remember your ad or product. Often there are still thousands of people out there who haven't seen the message.

While there are a lot of different opinions from various experts, this one below is representative:

 ...But a good general rule of thumb is that it takes up to 5 views to read it,
up to 10 views to become memorable, and up to 20 views to become a conversion.
Red Crow Marketing

​Years ago, there was a professional photographer who changed her logo three times over three years because "I'm tired of it!"  Meanwhile, every time she was starting to build up brand identity and a little momentum, she pulled the plug and essentially started over. All because she was tired of the logo - but her fans weren't, and neither were those who had never seen it before.

It's a great thought for those moments when you have a little downtime before ramping up for this year's spring seasonality: If you're thinking about creating a new look for branding, seriously consider how much exposure you've given your brand to date. Maybe it's time to change your approach to the market, but if you're doing it only because you're tired of it, remember you're not your target audience.

Remember too, this post is only referencing the look of your advertising and logo. Your brand includes everything consumers consider your business. You should have a consistent look and feel to not only your logo and advertising, but your website, blog, and the various pieces of social media real estate you control. With everything you do, related to your business, your goal is to build top-of-mind awareness. So, whenever somebody thinks about photography, your name is right there.