If you missed Part 1 yesterday, I recommend you check it out along with today’s post as we work our way through 5 of the biggest mistakes churches & organizations make in logo & identity design. Next up?
2.) Your design is too trendy.
I’m not sure what it is about churches, but a lot of times their sense of design & style is like a man in mid-life crisis. They’re trying to be hip and trendy and relevant, but at the end of the day they end up in a Members Only jacket, driving their t-top Z28 to the mall to get an Orange Julius.
The grungy, distressed font thing is a good example. A couple of years back, it was all the rage to look like you had thrown your design in the washer a few too many times, with rough edges, distressed backgrounds, destroyed lettering, etc. Because that was a popular design trend, there are people who today, when minimalism and simplicity are in vogue, who are stuck with grungy, distressed logos.
Design trends are common, and I’m not saying they’re bad altogether, but you should never make a decision about your logo based on what is popular at the moment. It’s a losing proposition that will leave you stuck in an endless cycle of redesigns, wasted time, and wasted money.
That’s not to say that your logo has to be lacking modern touches and style. A professional designer will be able to create something classy and timeless without being stale and lifeless.
When designing a logo, I gather tons of information. I want to know about your church size & vision, your approach to ministry (conservative vs. progressive), and your city. All those things work together to, when done correctly, transform a logo from a flat identifying mark to more of a living, breathing embodiment of your organization.
As you speak with your designer, whether you’re working with someone in-house or with an external professional, make it clear that you want to steer clear of fads and trends. Remember, if you’re getting a design that’s “up-to-date” today, what you’re really getting is something that will be out of date tomorrow.
