To say that the concept of brand identity has come a long way since marketing first began would be quite an understatement. The evolution of branding with logos, seen throughout our society today, is a far cry from the dry and textbook-like way products were advertised in the 19th Century.
Today, city hotspots like Piccadilly Circus, Shibuya Crossing and Times Square are ablaze with bold brands and big ideas. In today’s connected and rapid-fire attention span economy, grabbing your customers’ attention has never been more competitive – and that makes nailing your logos and branding vital.
With that in mind, how has branding with logos evolved – and what are the best practices shaping how it works today? Let’s dive right in.
Keeping your logo simple – but impactful
Your brand logo is your globally unique iconography, and that means the pressure is on to build a logo that is recognisable at a split second glance – yet also deep and powerful enough to say everything it needs to about who you are and what you do.
For this reason, most of the design advice for brand logo evolution and design today hones in on that simplified approach. The 2020s are a colourful decade, yet pastel and complementary colours – pinks dancing with blues, powerful monochromes, rustic reds and ambers – seem to stay in style.
A big trend growing in traction for brand logo evolution today is gradients in those colours, too. Rather than the stark contrast between, say, green and yellow, many symbols for brands are fusing their chosen colour liveries into gradients that smoothly meld into one another.
It’s visually distinct and aesthetically pleasing – plus certain to stick in buyers’ minds.
Emblems add an enigmatic edge
Although we poked fun at Victorian adverts earlier in today’s article, the truth is that the classic look is something that simply never goes out of style. Whether you want to convey a sense of confidence, prestige, years of experience or simply a touch of class, you can’t go far wrong with an emblem for your brand.
Emblems aren’t just the mainstay of football teams or car manufacturers. You’ve likely seen emblems on products as diverse as hipster gentlemen’s’ hair care products or boutique craft beers – although it’s not just these niche products that benefit from these designs.
Knowing when to use an emblem versus the more clean and simple ideas we just discussed largely depends on what kind of brand message you want to get across.
An emblem is perfect for if you’re a new business looking to appear confident and distinguished right out of the gate – or a company in a fast-paced industry that wants to convey a sense of authority and quiet resolve to make clients feel secure.
Emblem designs are often monochrome, but there’s no need to limit your choices if you don’t want to – especially if you want an emblem that complements your current company colours.
Ethical and eco-friendly – without the virtue signalling
Some of the top branding advice entering the conversation today is about how brands who are explaining their green credentials to customers can do so while still standing out from the crowd.
The secret to talking about it, it seems, is to not talk about it. That’s because customers today are bombarded with so many pastel green leafy Planet Earth motifs in their daily lives that it, psychologically, has actually become white noise to them.
You should absolutely advertise your environmentalism to consumers, but there’s no need to greenwash your brand identity to do so.
Instead, use your logo or emblem to draw customers into the conversation – then use your eco-warrior credentials to wow them when their curiosity is already piqued.
Brand logos keep evolving
Marketing moves fast, and so do its best practices. The active logo landscape of today is full of innovation – yet it seems that keeping things simple is often the best way to stand out from the crowd.
In a world of clutter and noise, it’s actually those brands who carry themselves with an almost charming level of quiet confidence that most consistently grab consumers’ attention.
But of course, brand logo evolution is ongoing – but so is our coverage. Stick with us as we report on the newest trends, and together we can’t go wrong.
