3 Branding Mistakes Ethiopian Businesses Make in 2026 (And How to Avoid Them)

Look, we love our clients. After six years and 250+ projects across every industry you can imagine, we've built some incredible relationships with Ethiopian business owners. But we've also watched the same mistakes happen over and over again.

So whether you end up working with Dama PLC or another agency (or even go the DIY route), we wanted to write this article. Consider it a friendly warning from people who've seen what works and what doesn't when it comes to branding in Ethiopia.

Yes, you're the one signing the checks. We get it. But here's the uncomfortable truth: we're not designing your logo for you. We're designing it for your customers.

Your personal favorite color? Doesn't matter. Your spouse's favorite font? Irrelevant. That shade of blue you loved on a billboard you saw last week? Probably not right for your brand.

We absolutely want your input … you know your target audience better than anyone. You understand what your customers value, what they respond to, and what will make them trust you enough to open their wallets. That insight is gold, and we need it.

But "I just like it" isn't a strategy. It's your personal preference. And personal preference doesn't do justice for your brand…connecting with your actual audience does.

Here's what we recommend instead: When reviewing designs, ask yourself: "Would my ideal customer respond to this?" Not "Do I personally love this color?" That shift in perspective changes everything.

This one makes us pull our hair out.

Recently, we worked with a conglomerate … and we mean a serious conglomerate. Real estate, coffee export, Sinotruck imports, industrial chemical manufacturing, oilseed export, and agriculture. Impressive, right?

Then the founder asked us to incorporate all of these businesses into one logo.

All. Of. Them.

Are you mad?

Look, we could technically do it. We're good at what we do. But the result would be a cluttered, generic, overwhelming mess that nobody remembers. It would look like every other "busy" logo out there, trying to say everything and ending up saying nothing.

Here's the thing about logos: Their job is to identify your company, not describe it.

Think about the world's most recognizable brands. Apple's logo doesn't show computers and phones. Nike's swoosh doesn't illustrate shoes. The Mercedes star doesn't depict luxury cars. They're simple, memorable marks that represent the brand … not illustrated catalogs of what the company does.

Your business card, website, and company profile can explain what you do. Your logo just needs to be memorable and distinct. That's it.

Here's what we recommend instead: Trust that a strong, simple logo paired with good brand messaging will do more for your business than a complicated symbol trying to do everything at once.

This is the most common one, and honestly, the most fixable.

When your designer presents work and explains a decision … whether it's a color choice, a font selection, or a layout … There's a reason behind it. The designer we (or any reputable agency) assigns to your project has probably been doing this for 5+ years minimum. They're not making random choices.

Every decision considers:

• Color psychology (what emotions and associations different colors trigger)
• Shape psychology (how geometric forms communicate different qualities)
• Typography psychology (what different font styles convey about your brand)
• Fundamental design principles (balance, hierarchy, contrast, alignment)

These aren't opinions. They're professional considerations based on how human brains actually process visual information.

But here's what happens: A business owner looks at a design for three seconds and says, "I don't like that green. Make it blue." No questions asked. No understanding of why green was chosen in the first place.

Here's what we recommend instead: Before you give feedback, ask one simple question: "Why did you choose that?"

Let the designer explain their thinking. Maybe green was chosen because your competitors all use blue, and you need to stand out. Maybe that particular shade of green tests better with your demographic. Maybe there's a cultural or psychological reason you haven't considered.

After you hear the reasoning, if there's a genuine flaw in the logic or something doesn't align with your brand strategy … then absolutely speak up. Good designers want that feedback. But lead with curiosity, not criticism.

We didn't write this article to lecture you or make you feel bad. We wrote it because we genuinely want your branding project to succeed … whether it's with us or someone else.

We've seen brilliant businesses with incredible products held back by branding mistakes that were completely avoidable. We've watched owners spend money on rebrands because the first one didn't work, not because the design was bad, but because the process was flawed from the start.

Every time a client avoids these three mistakes, the back-and-forth becomes smoother. Revisions are faster. The final result is stronger. Everyone's happier, and most importantly, the brand actually works in the market.

Ethiopian businesses are doing incredible things in 2026. You're competing internationally, building world-class products, and putting Ethiopia on the global map. Your branding should reflect that ambition.

So design for your customers, not yourself. Keep your logo simple and memorable. And ask questions before you critique.

Do those three things, and you'll be ahead of most businesses we work with … at least on day one.

Thanks for reading.