Many times when a client comes to us for a logo redesign, their logo is suffering from excessive business. Often this is due to too many colors and fonts, confusing tag lines or problems with readability. Last week, I discussed the fonts used in many of the most popular and recognizable logos, and they all have one thing in common: Simplicity. Even the ones using decorative fonts keep it simple by staying away from multiple colors or unnecessary tag lines. This minimal and clean look can be achieved by smaller brands, it is just a matter of focusing on the most important elements.

I recently redesigned a logo for Indiana Reproductive Acupuncture.  Their logo had some nice aspects so all it needed was some typography clean-up and a few tweaks to give it a more modern look. Usually on these projects, I take the logo and strip it down to its separate elements so I can determine what’s working and what isn’t. In this case, the logo had a lot of things going for it:

• The green and brown color scheme, which felt very natural and soothing.  This was exactly the feeling the client was hoping to maintain in the new logo.
• The circular design, which worked because it symbolizes life and movement.

On the other hand, some elements weren’t working as well:

• The fonts. There were four fonts in four different styles, which makes it almost impossible to read very quickly.
• The multiple shapes surrounding the logo weren’t sending a very clear message about the company and seemed to conflict with each other.
• The overall layout of the elements. The staggered text and seemingly random placement of the swirls made it difficult for the eye to know where to go next.
• The tag line, while a nice phrase, wasn’t necessary.

In the new version, I kept the colors almost exactly the same and created an updated version of the circular element. The new circles still imply movement, like the life cycle, but the design is more uniform, which will allow it to look just as good in any size. As for the fonts, I knew I wanted to limit them to just two. I settled on two complimentary typefaces, which are very easy to read, yet have a more attractive and upscale feel.  The tighter profile  will take up less space on brochures and the website, without losing any of the visual impact. Keeping in mind the successful elements from the original version, I was able to create a new logo which still felt like IRA, just more modern and without all the unnecessary baggage.