30/10/2025
Do you know why logos need to be meaningful?
The dictionary defines meaning as anything significant, serious, or worthwhile. Meaning is a message, and for brands, a meaningful logo, identity, and visual language inform customers about what you do without having to dive into great detail initially. Meaningful branding, by its very nature, can also convey clever smiles in the mind; it uses dual, interwoven imagery, hidden messages, and says more about your brand than just the image.
We always encourage our designers to create meaningful brands. Not only do they ensure distinct individuality for our customers, but they also tell stories that help form the foundational elements essential to applying to the ever-growing range of communication platforms brands inhabit.
An insightful example of meaning in our work is the branding we created for Snow Elk Productions Ltd, a video production company founded by Gary Knowles. Snow Elk is an anagram of Gary's surname, so there was no direct correlation between the animal and video production, but the name was unusual and sparked ideas for an Animalesque approach to the brand.
There's hidden meaning throughout the final design:
- The icon looks like a Snow Elk in profile
- Its antlers are a stylised E
- Its head shape is a stylised S
- The head shape creates a 'video play button' in the negative space
- The Snow Elk's head is facing toward the right, displaying a positive direction and pointing toward the brand name when combined with the wordmark.
Furthermore, the design is clean and contemporary, with a simple ex*****on that reveals hidden intelligence, depth, and meaning. The ice blue brand color is calming, cool, and collected. These are all traits reflective of Gary's approach to filmmaking and the values that the business wishes to convey to customers.
Meaning distinguishes a brand from its peers, and in an age when every brand is clamoring to be heard, it adds depth that's essential to aid recognition, build reputation, and deliver reward.
