How to choose a logo that still works in five years

Founders often pick a logo the way they pick a favourite song — by how it feels in the room today. That is a good start. It is a bad finish. The marks that last are chosen for how they behave on a packing line, a tiny app icon and a faded shop board three monsoons from now.

Test the mark in the places customers will see it

Ask to see the logo on a visiting card, a flex banner, a black-and-white photocopy and a one-colour embroidery mock. If it only sings on a white slide, it is not ready.

Favour character over fashion

Ultra-thin geometric wordmarks and generic AI mascots date quickly. Distinctive silhouette, clear spacing and a colour system you can actually print will outlive the trend cycle — and give your identity work a stronger foundation.