Your Logo Sucks—Now What?

Written By Dan Larco

Let’s not sugarcoat it: your logo is trash. It’s not memorable, it doesn’t scale well, it looks like it was made on a lunch break in Canva. And guess what? That matters.

Your logo is the face of your brand—not just a pretty stamp. It’s supposed to punch people in the brain, leave a mark, and tell them who you are without saying a word. If your logo looks like clipart from 2007, you’re setting your whole brand back.

So, now what?

1. Audit the Damage

Is your logo actually bad or just boring? Bad logos confuse. Boring logos get ignored. Great logos do one thing: stick.

Run it through this quick filter:

  • Can someone sketch it from memory?

  • Does it work in black and white?

  • Does it hold up at the size of a favicon?

  • Does it say something about your brand vibe?

If you said “no” more than once, congrats. It sucks.

2. Understand What Makes a Logo Work

Great logos are:

  • Simple

  • Scalable

  • Relevant

  • Timeless

They don’t try to explain everything. They hint at greatness. Think Nike. Apple. FedEx. If you have to explain your logo, it failed.

3. Rebuild From the Core

Before you hit up a designer, define your brand:

  • What are 3 adjectives that describe your brand voice?

  • Who are you trying to attract?

  • What emotion should your logo trigger?

Nail that, then hand it to someone who gets it.

4. Invest Real Money (and Taste)

A $99 logo looks like a $99 logo. Great branding is ROI, not expense. If your logo's weak, your brand starts on the back foot. Fix it fast, fix it right.

Dan Larco
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The 3-Second Rule: Why No One Cares About Your Brand (Yet)