Clients love proof. A logo redesign case study shows how you listen, think, iterate, and deliver results they can feel across touchpoints. In this walkthrough, we’ll rebuild a fictional neighborhood café brand, “Northside Roasters,” using a lean, repeatable process. You’ll see every stage of the logo redesign case study, discovery, audit, strategy, sketching, vector build, testing, refinement, asset exports, and handoff. Tools are included at each step so you can replicate the exact workflow in your next logo redesign case study.
Project Snapshot (scope for the logo redesign case study)
Client: Northside Roasters (independent café)
Pain points: dated badge logo, poor legibility at small sizes, messy social avatars, inconsistent colors
Objectives: modernize without losing warmth, improve readability, create a simple mark that works on cups, signage, and Instagram
Deliverables: primary logo, compact icon, wordmark, color & type spec, usage guide, export kit (SVG, PDF, PNG)
Discovery & Brand Audit – Foundation of a Logo Redesign Case Study
Goal: understand constraints, history, and why the old logo fails.
Inputs & tools
Client intake (Notion or Google Docs): mission, audience, competitors, must-keeps/must-drop.
Visual inventory (Milanote / FigJam): collect packaging, storefront photos, social headers, past menus.
Competitive scan (Pinterest boards, Instagram collections): map local café aesthetics vs national chains.
Color capture (Coolors / Adobe Color): sample current brand colors for before-after clarity.
What we learned
Badge logo collapses at 32-64 px.
Coffee bean illustration has charm but is over-detailed.
Colors skew muddy on print, digital exports are inconsistent.
This front-loaded clarity keeps the logo redesign case study focused and measurable.
Strategy – Distill a One-Sentence Brief for The Logo Redesign
A good logo redesign case study turns discovery into a clear north star:
“Create a contemporary wordmark + simple bean icon that reads instantly at small sizes, feels warm and local, and adapts to cups, signs, and social.”
Tools:
FigJam for positioning slider (Modern ↔ Classic, Loud ↔ Quiet).
Notion to document success metrics (legible at 32 px, 2-color friendly, single-color usable).
Concepting & Sketching – Quick Volume for The Logo Redesign Case Study
Time box: 60-90 minutes of loose exploration.
Approach
Start with words: “Northside,” compass, bean, steam, cup rim.
Explore monoline wordmarks, an “N” monogram with bean, and a compass-bean hybrid.
Aim for 20-30 thumbnails, circle 3 that match our strategy.
Tools: pencil + paper (fastest), or Concepts/Procreate for digital sketching.
Sketched volume is the heartbeat of a logo redesign case study cheap ideas first, quality later.
Vector Build – Turning Sketches Into Usable Marks
Move selected sketches into vectors to test proportion and alignment.
Tools & setup
Adobe Illustrator (or Affinity Designer / Inkscape) build curves and precise geometry.
FontBase to test provisional type families.
WhatTheFont for matching the old vibe if we need continuity.
Method
Recreate the bean with 4-6 anchor points, no micro-handles.
Build an “N” with consistent stroke modulation, optically adjust joins.
Test wordmark set in a clean, humanist sans, adjust kerning for “N o r t h s i d e.”
This vector phase shows the craft in a logo redesign case study fewer points, crisper edges.
Grid, Spacing & Proportion – The Invisible Rules Clients Feel
A polished logo redesign case study explains why the logo “looks right.”
Establish an x-unit (e.g., cap height/8) for padding and icon clear space.
Snap to a 4 or 8 pt grid, define standard clear space around the mark.
Lock the icon-to-wordmark ratio (e.g., icon height = cap height × 1.1) so scales remain consistent.
Documenting these rules makes production predictable.
Also Read: 10 Key Elements of Timeless Logo Design with Example
Color System – Simple Palette Decisions that Travel
Color must work in print and pixels. In a logo redesign case study, avoid muddy curation.
Tools: Coolors, Adobe Color, device previews.
Palette
Primary: deep roasted brown or espresso black for wordmark
Accent: warm copper for icon or highlight
Neutrals: cream for packaging, off-white for menus
Deliver HEX, RGB, CMYK, and a spot (Pantone or equivalent). Include 1-color and reversed versions.
Typography & Micro-Tweaks – Small Changes, Big Results
Type choices stabilize the system.
Choose a legible, warm sans for the wordmark, avoid trendy extremes.
Apply subtle customizations, soften a terminal, trim a spur, fix kerning pairs (“No,” “rs,” “de”).
Export outlines for the final logo, keep a live text version in your working file for future tweaks.
Show before-after screenshots, it strengthens the logo redesign case study narrative.
Digital Tests – Social Avatars, Favicons, and Small Sizes
The fastest way to fail a logo redesign case study is to ignore tiny canvases.
Tools:
Figma for quick frames (32, 48, 64, 128, 512 px).
Mockuuups Studio for phone/packaging previews.
What to check
Does the icon read at 32 px?
Does the wordmark collapse under 200 px width?
Is there enough contrast on cream cups and store signs?
Create an alternate compact icon if needed (e.g., “N” + bean).
Real-World Mocks – Packaging and Signage Bring The Case Study to Life
A strong logo redesign case study makes stakeholders feel outcomes.
Cup sleeves, window decals, tote bags, loyalty cards
Instagram avatar and story highlight icons
Menu header and simple stamp pattern
Show each mock in day/night photos to simulate real conditions.
Client Presentation – Structure Your Logo Redesign Case Study
Keep it clear and decision-friendly.
Deck outline (Keynote/Google Slides/Canva):
Goals recap (one slide)
Before → pain points (one slide)
Three concept directions (each on 2-3 slides)
Small-size legibility test (one slide)
Real-world mocks (4-6 slides)
Preferred direction + rationale
Next steps and timeline
Tie every decision to the original strategy, that’s how a logo redesign case study earns fast approvals.
Feedback & Iteration – Fast Loops, Minimal Drift
Capture edits in a shared doc and limit rounds.
Tools: Figma comments for precise pin feedback, Notion task list, Loom for video replies.
Common requests
“Make the icon bigger” → offer two scale options and show avatar impact.
“Color feels too dark” → test 5% steps and print one sheet.
“Keep a nod to the old” → retain the bean contour, streamline details.
A disciplined loop keeps the logo redesign case study on-budget.
Also Read: Color Contrast for Accessibility in Logo Design
File Exports – Production-Ready Delivery Clients Can Use Tomorrow
Great work needs great packaging critical in any logo redesign case study.
Tools: Illustrator export actions, SVGOMG, Squoosh.
Deliverables
Vector: SVG (optimized), PDF (press), EPS (legacy).
Raster: PNG in 32/64/128/256/512 px with transparent bg, 2,000 px social headers if included.
Colorways: full color, 1-color dark, 1-color light, reversed.
Lockups: icon only, wordmark only, horizontal, stacked.
Favicon set: 16/32/48 px ICO, 180 px Apple Touch.
Usage guide: 6-10 pages (clear space, color, minimum sizes, don’ts).
Licenses: confirm any font licenses, embed or outline where appropriate.
Zip everything in a clean folder structure (/Logo, /Color, /Exports, /Guidelines).
Handoff & Collaboration – Smooth Transitions to Teams and Vendors
A complete logo redesign case study ends with a clean handoff.
Provide a short video walkthrough (Loom) showing where assets live and how to pick the right file.
Include printer notes (spot vs CMYK) and minimum sizes for embroidery or stamps.
Offer an optional implementation day to update social, menus, and storefront files.
Results – Measurable Wins from The Logo Redesign
Tie impact to real metrics, it validates your logo redesign case study.
Avatar clarity improved at 32 px (in testing, 9/10 users identified brand correctly).
Menu readability increased, fewer customer questions on cup sizes.
Social engagement on relaunch posts up 27% week-over-week.
Print vendor reported fewer production adjustments.
Even small wins tell a persuasive story.
Tool Stack Recap for This Logo Redesign Case Study
Brief & notes: Notion / Google Docs
Color: Coolors, Adobe Color
Vector: Adobe Illustrator (or Affinity Designer / Inkscape)
Type support: FontBase, WhatTheFont
Mockups: Mockuuups Studio (or Smart Objects in Photoshop)
Guide: Keynote/Google Slides/Canva
This stack keeps your logo redesign case study fast, affordable, and team-friendly.
Reusable Checklists (copy/paste into your next project)
Discovery checklist
Business goals & audience clarified
Visual inventory captured
Competitor landscape mapped
Success metrics agreed
Design checklist
20-30 sketches
3 vector directions
Grid & clear space defined
Legibility tested at 32-64 px
Delivery checklist
SVG/PDF/EPS master exports
PNG sizes & favicons
1-color and reversed versions
Usage guide & printer notes
Checklists make a logo redesign case study repeatable from client to client.
FAQs Clients Ask During a Logo Redesign Case Study
How long does a logo redesign take?
2-4 weeks for small brands with one round of structured revisions.
Do we need a full rebrand?
Not always. A focused logo redesign case study can modernize the mark while keeping the rest intact.
Can we keep a piece of the old logo?
Yes-, identify one memory cue (shape, angle, or letterform) and refine it.
What’s the minimum size rule?
Icon ≥24 px, wordmark ≥160 px width for social, define specifics in the guide.
Also Read: 7 Lists of the Free Best App to Make Logo for Non-Designers
Conclusion – Make Your Logo Redesign Case Study a Client Magnet
A sharp logo redesign case study proves you solve real problems, clarity at small sizes, cleaner production, and a mark that finally works everywhere. Lead with discovery, show simple strategy, sketch widely, build clean vectors, stress-test small canvases, and deliver organized files with a plain-English guide. And you can use aesthetic fonts for logo more modern and timeless look. Do this consistently and every logo redesign case study you publish becomes marketing that wins the next project.
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