You might have noticed brands taking an increasingly minimalist approach to their logos’ designs. Just consider the example of the Pringles guy, whose moustache has lost its previous gradient effect, and Pepsi’s red, white and blue badge, which looks flatter than it once did.
What’s going on? Well, in the modern age, there are good incentives for brands to strip out a significant amount of detail from their logos. Here are several reasons for your own business to go down the same route…
Simplicity has always been a cornerstone of good design
Rather than ask why logos are starting to look simpler, maybe you should ask why they became as complex as they did. After all, a logo should ultimately be seen as a company’s signature rather than its overall brand; a logo shouldn’t be expected to do too much of the heavy lifting by itself.
Alas, this was overlooked by many logo designers of about two decades ago — when the likes of gradients, filters and lighting effects were laid on with a trowel largely just because they could be.
Consumers are over-stimulated
These days, people are absolutely bombarded with ads — including those they see on the likes of posters and billboards as well as on websites and in social media feeds.
Hence, embellished logos aren’t as appreciated as they once were. Whereas they used to demonstrate the brand’s professionalism and tech savviness, these logos now irritate by demanding time and concentration that many viewers are unable to spare.
Minimalist logos improve the user experience
You might not have credited quite this much influence to a mere logo, but being selective with what design elements are placed in it can indeed reap practical benefits for people who see the logo.
For example, simplified details can help to not only keep eyestrain at bay but also rein in the battery life of devices used for loading the logo.
The need to look good across many different mediums
Marketing happens in a staggeringly wide range of places these days. Brands are promoted not only via their websites and social media pages but also on print marketing materials such as leaflets, brochures and business cards.
Ideally, then, you want to have a logo that can be applied to various forms of marketing while still standing out for the right reasons. All of this can be appreciably easier with a logo that is not excessive in detail.
Simplicity lets the brand’s reputation speak for itself
One risk with pouring abundant detail into a logo is the impression it can give of trying too hard. Conversely, by reducing a logo to its fundamentals, you can bring those to the fore and make your company look more confident in itself as a result.
However, your brand’s logo does still need to look distinctive. If you are unsure how to simplify a logo without sacrificing its most memorable aspects in the process, please don’t be afraid to discuss the matter with our graphic designers, who are skilled in creating appealing logos for clients.
