I finally stopped using the same font for every client logo

For like 3 years straight I used Helvetica on every logo I made. Thought it was clean and professional. Then a client sent me a brand audit and pointed out my stuff looked identical to their competitor's. That stung. Their competitor used Helvetica too. I started looking at other brands and noticing how many use it. It's everywhere. Realized I was just playing it safe and not actually managing their brand identity. Has anyone else had a moment where a client's feedback made you totally rethink your approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

jones.angela22d ago

Bruh Helvetica is like the vanilla latte of fonts. Everyone uses it and swears it's "timeless" until someone points out they're drinking the same basic drink as everyone else. A friend of mine had a client straight up say "your logo looks like that one for the plumbing company down the street" and he realized they were both using the same slab serif. Sometimes you need to get roasted by a client to snap out of it lol.

morgan91522d ago

That client's honesty was a favor honestly. Had a similar thing happen working with a local nonprofit on their van wrap, they asked why their logo looked like the one for a carpet cleaning company two blocks over. Same blue, same bold sans serif, same basic shield shape. It's embarrassing but sometimes you need someone to just say "this looks like every other thing" before you see it yourself. Good on that client for being direct, most people just nod and pay you.