The design fee is usually the smallest part of a logo redesign. The real cost is everywhere the old mark appears: signage, vehicles, packaging, uniforms, documents, software, premises and every profile online. Businesses that budget for the design and not the rollout end up with a half-changed identity, which looks worse than either version.
Good reasons and poor ones
Good reasons include a merger, a genuine change in what the business does, a mark that no longer reproduces at the sizes now needed, a legal conflict, or an identity that actively harms recruitment. Poor reasons include boredom, a new marketing director wanting a mark of their own, and a belief that a redesign will fix a commercial problem that is not about appearance.
Equity is real and it is not evenly distributed
An established mark carries recognition that took years to build, and discarding it discards that. Where recognition is strong, an evolution that keeps the recognisable elements usually serves better than a replacement. Where it is weak or negative, a clean break is the cheaper option in the long run.
The rollout is the project
Inventory every application before committing: signage, vehicles, print, packaging, digital properties, software, third party listings, and anything with a lead time. Decide what changes immediately, what changes at replacement, and what the transition period looks like. A phased rollout is normal and it needs a plan or it becomes permanent inconsistency.
Clear the new mark before you commit
A trademark clearance search before adoption is the step most often skipped and most expensively regretted, because a conflict discovered after signage is installed means doing it twice. Registration is a separate legal process, and both should be handled before anything is printed.
Questions people ask about logo redesign
How much does a logo redesign cost?
The design fee varies enormously and the rollout usually costs more. Budget the rollout first, because it determines whether a redesign is affordable at all.
Should we announce the new identity?
Explain the change where customers would otherwise be confused, particularly if the name changes. A launch campaign is optional; clarity is not.
Can we keep the old mark for some things?
Temporarily during a phased rollout, with a defined end date. Permanently running two marks means neither builds recognition.