12 Ways Industrial Logo Designs Are Used in Marketing

1. Business Cards

Seems obvious, right? Many of us know that business cards are a great way to let people know just exactly what line of business you’re in. Featuring your logo on your business card in a unique way emphasizes your prowess as a business professional and makes your business cards stand out from the rest.

The business cards for Kinetic Industry are a perfect fit for marketing an industrial services business. They are machined out of stainless steel and feature Kinetic’s logo icon drilled through the card. Handing out these metal cards starts a conversation every time. They are a perfect complement to Kinetic’s hydro-excavating, industrial cleaning, and utility locating business. Shiny and chrome anyone?

2. Letterhead and Stationary

Create a true sense of brand with elegant letterhead, envelopes, folders and more that feature your logo. You wouldn’t show up to an interview in a white t-shirt and sweatpants would you? So why would you hand out invoices or business proposals on bland letterhead? Dress yourself (or rather your business) for success with professionally designed stationery.

To showcase their bold, modern and affluent sense of style, Myridium created an elegant and clean stationery for their luxury residences in Fort Collins, CO. Not only does Myridium’s stationary look professional in both a business and residence setting, its luxury real estate branding creates a strong sense of status and elite design.

3. Signage

Whether it’s your actual company sign, a construction banner, street signs or window vinyls, signs are a fantastic way to get your logo out in the physical world. What better way to reinforce your brand than by putting it right out in front of people? Be loud and proud when it comes to letting customers know where you are and just who you are.

Take for example Waste Management. This large waste facility’s signage clearly denotes what exactly that building is behind it. Waste Management’s logo itself is eye catching and reflects the sustainable and serious nature of the business with its bold capital letters and green and yellow colors.

To give you a little more incentive to get your logo out, a survey commissioned by FedEx reported that nearly 76% of customers entered a store or business they had never visited before based simply on their signage (1). In particular importance to industrial companies looking for new leads, 50% of new customers were brought in after seeing on-premise signage as compared to 33% via word of mouth (2). How’s that for advertisement?

4. App Icons

If your business includes an app (or IS an app-based business,) then your logo is a must for your app icon. App icons are the first thing a customer sees when browsing an app store or unlocking their phone. Creating a clean and crisp icon with your logo is a fantastic way for your logo to become more recognizable.

Take for example Sphero. Sphero creates robots that digitally connect to your phone for hours of entertainment. As part of their essential business, Sphero has an app that features their Sphero mascot and logo. Even without words, Sphero’s app is easily recognizable and fun--as a user we know that the same Sphero image that is featured on the robot is same as is featured on the app.

5. Tradeshow Graphics

Tradeshow graphics need to do two things. One, demand everyone’s attention and two, feature your brand (that means your logo!) everywhere. From banners to table top displays, vinyl window clings to lightboxes–tradeshow graphics are intended to exhibit your logo in innovative and eye-catching ways.

As an exhibitor, you only have an average of three seconds to get your message and brand across to tradeshow attendees (3). Kinetic Industry easily achieves this goal, as you can easily distinguish who’s who when it comes to their tradeshow banners. The same grays and blues that make up Kinetic’s logo are used throughout the display, along with the imprint of Kinetic’s icon. Kinetic’s graphics remain professional and reminiscent of industrial/construction companies without losing any of their appeal or “wow” factor.

6. Vehicle Graphics

What better way to get your logo recognized than by plastering it on the very thing most of us use each and every day? Planes, trains, and trucks (ok, planes and trains may be reaching) are great mediums to showcase your logo. By creating a visually pleasing (and readable) vehicle wrap, your logo is broadcasted to the world wherever you go!

Whether you’re a construction based business that uses large construction equipment or a manufacturer that distributes across the country using your own fleet vehicles, vehicle graphics can garner some amazing brand recognition. Vehicle wraps boost name recognition 15 times greater than other advertising mediums and are exposed to 96% of the population (those who commute via public transport or via their own car (4)).

Check out this creative vehicle graphic used by Grassland Homes and Building. Grassland features their logo in a recognizable way that travels with them from job to job. The oversized wrap creates an aesthetically pleasing and unique advertisement opportunity.

7. Apparel

Walking advertisements anyone? Screen-printing and embroidery garment decorating hats, shirts, jerseys and more is a powerful and affordable way to market your logo and business. Design an extra creative piece of clothing and not only do you have a conversation starter, you might even have a piece of apparel customers actually want to buy. Work in the field? Logo embossed hard hats, jackets and/or boots let those passing by know exactly who’s doing such a fantastic job.

Gerrard Excavating features their signature logo on their hard hats, something they bring with them to every job. Those passing by can easily differentiate and recognize Gerrard workers from other industrial companies and crews.

8. Packaging

While this might be another big duh, we encourage you to really think about how your logo is featured on your packaging. Placement is everything when it comes marketing your logo on your merchandise. Whether you sell a physical product or not, your logo on packaging is a customer's first-point of contact with your brand and your product.

According to Inc.com, 52% of consumers make buying decisions based solely on package design (5). Carestream, a medical and dental imaging manufacturer, promotes their products in well designed packaging that features their logo prominently on all surfaces. Even as a B2B manufacturer, Carestream understands the importance of providing a product in a professional and visually appealing package.

9. Websites

You can’t forget your website design right? Whether it’s your own website or you need to feature your company on a site you don’t own, making sure your logo is internet friendly and attractive is a no brainer. Here again placement is key. You can’t go wrong with your logo in the top left corner (on your own website of course,) but look into placing your logo in multiple areas to ensure your user always has a point of contact (and to emphasize your brand.)

Similarly, Bentley Welding Inc’s website easily showcases their priorities and mission. You’re immediately greeted with their logo (again, to the left) along with a powerful image of a welder. Scroll down and there’s an immediate call to action that mirrors their no-funny-business logo.

10. Swag

We all know what swag is right? It’s that free stuff you get at trade show events, grand openings, conferences, and more. Whether you’re giving away a pen or a beer growler, placing your logo on swag is a fun (and often affordable) way to advertise your company. The world is your oyster when it comes to placing your logo on giveaways (we’ve even seen logo printed vampire teeth for goodness sake!)

Vestas does a perfect job of offering a usable and promotional giveaway item. This recycled tote exemplifies their brand’s commitment to clean energy and prominently features their logo and tagline.

11. Sponsorships and Collaborations

Donating to a good cause is cool in our book, but can we be a little devious and say sometimes we do it to get our name out too? Sharing your logo with events or other companies/organizations you sponsor is a great way to do good and advertise. Often this means seeing your logo alongside others on the back of a t-shirt, banners, marketing material, and more. Make sure your logo design stands out!

New Belgium Brewing is a great example of how sponsoring multiple events, community programs, and organizations can help spread the word about your business. Along with fun events like the Fortitude race and Tour de Fat, New Belgium Brewery supports (and gets its name out) in the local community by supporting local schools, non-profits, and sustainable organizations. As always, New Belgium’s brand identity design is easily spotted among any list of sponsors or donors.

12. Animated Gifs

Last but not least, gif-a-fy your logo! (Ok, so that’s not a word, but come on now.) What’s cooler than seeing your logo featured prominently on a website than seeing it featured prominently on a website AND IT MOVES. IT. MOVES. Holy guacamole people, it’s the future. Not only do gif logos grab attention, but they certainly create a memorable impression. What better way to elevate your logo above the rest?

Check out Intel’s animated gif logo design. It’s a fun animation of Intel’s capabilities as a technology company; first showing a slick laptop, then sliding out to include a tablet and mobile device, and finally showing the small chip that powers it all. It’s a unique way to showcase your logo on a website and give it even more depth.