When to Hire a Design Firm to Get Your Logo Just Right

When restaurateur Emmanuel Verstraeten decided to expand the culinary philosophy behind his eatery Rouge Tomate to create SPE Certified, he knew he needed the perfect logo. Not just for aesthetic purposes, either: SPE Certified, a certification startup championing nutritious but delicious dining, needed a symbol that could integrate seamlessly into clients' menus and identify dishes that adhere to the program's ethos—a kind of Good Housekeeping seal of approval for fit foodies.

"In order to tell consumers you have a wonderful product or service, you need to create a strong brand identity," said Verstraeten, who serves as CEO of SPE.