The $99 Logo...Is it a Value?

The word value is defined as “the worth of something compared to the price paid or asked for it”. In other words, “value” is not just an inexpensive price. So often, “inexpensive” products – those that have an appearance of great value – have associated with them hidden costs that, if known at the time of purchase, may be avoided. Those hidden costs often bring a frustration far greater than the higher initial cost of the superior product.

Let’s look at it this way. Imagine you find your “dream” car for only $1,000. The paint is spotless. The interior is impeccable. You get giddy with excitement because you have found the “steal” of the century. But shortly after the purchase, you discover that it needs a new engine, new transmission, new rear end, a new set of tires, and a new suspension system. How great of a value is that dream car for $1,000 now? Superficially it looked impressive – But no REAL Value!

How does this apply to logos? There are many folks selling logos on line for $99. Are they a great value? About as good as that $1,000 car! Beware!...Because you will have similar hidden costs. So often those clipart creators will do a quick little drawing (it has to be quick for them to stay in business) that are flooded with lots of detail and coloring. But when you try to apply this to all of your uses the hidden costs are extreme. Many of these logos have to be reproduced with four-color process printing. That will be more than twice as expensive than a standard 2-color spot logo, because the process and press for reproducing it is different. Now what if you want to place a simple ad in a telephone book? Complicated color logos don’t translate into black only very well, so now a single color ad again has been translated into a 4/C process ad – again, the cost has skyrocketed.

Let’s say now you want to embroider that logo on some apparel. You can put it in color for the same cost, but that logo now may have to be simplified to make it work. Now your apparel logo is different than the other uses. Try putting that logo on the side of a pen to hand out to customers and prospects. Often it just cannot be done, because it is just too complicated.

When designing a logo, make sure that the designer that you use has all of these scenarios in mind and you will get one that will be universal in its application. You may have to spend a little bit more, but it will be worth it in the long run.