A new logo is approved, the files are ready, and a practical question arises: what do you do with everything that still carries the old one? Cards, stamps, shop sign, vehicle, website, social media, packaging… Without a method, you replace things at random and two logos coexist for months.
Step 1: the inventory
List every place where the old logo appears:
- Digital: website, social media, business listings, directories, sales platforms, email signatures, presentations.
- Documents: quotes, invoices, contracts, letterhead, stamps.
- Print: business cards, brochures, packaging, labels.
- Physical: shop sign, window graphics, vehicle, uniforms, signage.
- External: partners, resellers, press articles that still use your old logo.
Step 2: set priorities
- On launch day: all the digital you control (website, social media, signatures).
- Quickly: the documents that reflect your image (quotes, invoices, letterheads).
- As renewals come up: business cards, brochures, packaging, depending on stock.
- By planning: heavy materials (shop sign, vehicle) that need a budget and a lead time.
Step 3: managing the transition period
Two logos will coexist for a while: that's normal, provided you limit it and explain it. Announce the change to your customers, at least on your main channels. See how to announce a logo change to your customers (in French). To know when to change, how often should you redesign your logo (in French) and the signs that don't lie (in French) help you decide.
Step 4: the old stock
No need to throw out everything printed: use up the useful stock first (cards, labels, packaging), reserving the new logo for new orders. Reprint the most visible items first. For small businesses, it is also a way of spreading the budget.
Step 5: archive the old logo
Keep the old logo's files: they will serve for the archives, to compare the evolution, or to answer a partner who still uses it. A retired logo isn't a forgotten logo.
Transition checklist
- Inventory of materials drawn up.
- Digital replaced on launch day.
- Official documents updated quickly.
- Print renewed according to stock.
- Heavy materials planned and budgeted.
- Customers and partners informed.
Frequently asked questions about changing your logo
Do you have to change everything on the same day?
Not necessarily. Digital materials can change on launch day, print as it comes up for renewal. What matters is announcing the change clearly and limiting how long the two logos coexist.
What should you do with the old logo?
Keep its files: you'll need them for the archives, for any historical materials or to compare how it evolved.
More questions about logo design
How Do You Use Your Logo on a Business Card and Company Stationery?
Supply a vector file, place the logo consistently with a margin, and check size and colours on a printed test. Read the article →
How Do You Add Your Logo to Your Website?
Favour SVG, with a transparent PNG as backup, a mobile version and a favicon, and add alt text. Read the article →
How Do You Get Your Logo Printed on Clothing or Objects?
Each process has its constraints: start from a vector file and a simplified version, then approve a proof before production. Read the article →
What Are Logo Usage Guidelines?
It is the document that sets the logo's rules of use: versions, clear space, minimum size, colours, backgrounds and no-nos. Read the article →
What File Formats Should I Request for a Logo So I Can Use It Across Different Materials?
A professional logo should be delivered as a vector file (SVG, PDF, EPS) for print, plus PNG and JPG exports for the web. Read the article →
How Do I Measure the Impact of a New Logo on My Brand's Recognition?
A new logo's impact is measured through recognition, perception and indirect signals, observed over 3 to 6 months. Read the article →
What Are the Key Elements of a Professional, Memorable Logo?
A good logo combines five qualities: simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and relevant to the business. Read the article →
See all questions about logo design →
My take as a designer
The biggest risk in changing a logo isn't the drawing but the transition: a poorly rolled-out new logo gives the impression of a disorganised business. A simple inventory, done before launch, avoids almost all the inconsistencies.
A successful logo change is measured by how little it's noticed a few months later.
To sum up
Take stock of your materials, change digital on launch day and print as it is renewed.
Limit how long the two logos coexist, announce the change and use up useful stock rather than throwing everything away.
Keep the old logo's files for the archives.
