Why you shouldn't include an arch in your logo when branding for a St. Louis company.

When it comes to branding for your company, there are a few things you should pay attention to. One of them being your logo. Let’s briefly dive into the purpose of a logo. 

Purpose of a Logo

A logo is supposed to be:

• MEMORABLE – Something any viewer is bound to remember
• ICONIC – One that stands the test of time, because let’s be honest, you don’t want to redesign your logo year after year.
• RELEVANT – In other words, the logo needs to make sense for your company and industry.

Some famous examples of logos that meet these criteria are FedEx and Apple. Lets take the example of Apple.

Apple began in California and to show a new way of thinking, featured Issac Newton and the apple tree in their very first logo in 1976. Apple quickly switched over to the shape of a bitten apple and has more or less remained the same shape and icon since 1977 with a few variations in style, color, and effect. 

Apple’s first logo never had a map of California or a symbol of the bear found in their flag. It didn’t utilize the symbols of it’s location and instead appealed to the world even when they began. 

Let me back track a little and say it’s not wrong to use symbols related to your location. But is there a better way to go about your logo? Yes there is. 

The city of St. Louis, MO has several symbols and icons unique to the city, the most famous of which is the Arch. The Arch is a beautiful monument that I would highly encourage travelers to visit. But as a symbol, the Arch has unfortunately been overused. As a local myself, a good number of clients come to me requesting the arch in their logo. And I usually steer clear of the arch unless the company absolutely can’t stand any other symbol or icon to incite a St. Louis feel.