Logo Designs: Simplicity Rules!
Aletodi (6 points) | Fri, 2008-01-11 14:35Logo Designs: Simplicity Rules!
How to transmit the importance of simplicity in logotype design to clients and marketing departaments seeking a new corporate visual identity for their companies.
http://www.analoga.com.uy/en/articles/logo-designs-simplicity-rules.html
Thks Great article!!
Recommended reading
The reasoning is convincing, but I still don't agree with his point. Logos do not have to be single color and simple. There are dozens of examples against it. There are no rules in logo design. Anything can work in the right setting.
I think at their core logos should all have the same basic skeleton: Form and function communicating a memorable brand name and icon. Whatever you add on top of this is gravy, if tastefully done. :)
My hair stylist said it best when she told a customer who 'just wanted a little bit cut off the front, can I pay less':
Bloody genius!
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Powerpoint is not a design application
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The Salon Design Tech
Haha! So shave me and I walk away paying nothing. ;)
I'm sure you are more than capable of shaving your own head, as is seen in your old icon here on cb. :)
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
How can I creat youth logo, which software shall I use for creative logo?
Find a designer. Hire that person.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
*Hire* somebody?? Gasp!
Leaky Penny
www.leakypenny.com
When I leave, close together like butt cheeks.
-Grits N' Gravy
A must read for logo designers out there, but I'd like to take it a step further with this so called "ultimate Guide for Logo Design" which compliments this link quite well.
http://www.youthedesigner.com/2008/01/11/design-a-logo-the-ultimate-guide/
Cheers!
Leaky Penny
www.leakypenny.com
When I leave, close together like butt cheeks.
-Grits N' Gravy
There is a very basic rule in design: If you have a complex product, surround it with simplicity, if the product is simple, then use complexity to show it off.
Why not just use simplicity all the time?
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
The KISS ideology is especially applicable in logo design.
What I was taught, and have always tried to incorporate, was that the further down you could reduce a logo to the basic geometric shape, or portray it in its most simplistic form, the better. Apple's apple..., Canada's Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) logo--circle conveying transmissions (http://www.cbc.ca/)..., Adidas' goal inspiring tier; triangular...
And the list can go on forever regarding the world's most powerful, memorable and simplistic logos.
ttfn!
3dogmama
Paddle faster, I hear banjos.
These logos work so well because of the massive amounts of money behind them. Logos are a part of an overall brand identity. Logos can be extremely complex, cartoony, stylish, and still be highly recognizable and memorable. Though it certainly takes more skill to make an effective logo that has more complexity.
Sean Hodge
AiBURN - Illustrator On Fire
You're so right!
KISS applies to most customer oriented....
Could this improve our client's convertion rate?
It's not graphics so much as text that improves your website's popularity on the web. Content (and linking) is king.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
Matute,
In terms of web design, the convertion rate would mean the fullfillment of the site's objective (eg. a click somewhere in the page).
But back to simple and plain design, could a simple and well designed logo impact on the client's sales?
I think the article is fine, but I believe there are situations where the logo should be simpler and others, more complex. And that´s because the logo depends on the client.
As it exist big corporations with simpler logos, it also exists big corporations with more complex logos. For example: Hellmans, Burger King, Versace, BMV, Quaker, Discovery Channel, Heineken, Cartoon Network, Harley Davidson....and more. That is why I repeat that the logo depends on the client taste.
The logos you mention are still simple, however, not complex. And by that I mean that they have the elements they require to represent the brand; no more and no less. They can function in black and white. That's the true test, contrast, to tell whether a logo is simple or not.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
natobasso, it´s true.
Most of the logos that fifty-fifty gives as examples are not logos as such but trademarks. Their purpose is very different. They have to carry a commercial appeal not a corporate image.
Not sure I agree with you. These logos mentioned are trademarked, yes, but they have both commercial and corporate appeal. For example, the Harley Davidson logo: It's a publicly traded company (corporate) with a huge cult following (tattoos on riders worldwide of the Harley logo, et al).
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
Just finished reading this. Its very apt for this discussion! :)
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/startups/multimedia/2008/02/gallery_google_logos?slide=1&slideView=1
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
Thank you ireid, for your post.
I think google is a good example, google logo is complex because it has color, 3d and shadows.
But equally we are not separate from the idea, There are instances where we need a complex logo and there are others that we need a simple logo.
I think that highlight some important things from the article, http://www.analoga.com.uy/en/articles/logo-designs-simplicity-rules.html
the problem of reproduction, in 3d and shadows logos. But now everything can be.
What I want to emphasize is that we should not confine it in the design. OPEN YOUR MINDS guys , THE GOOD DESIGN IS NOT ONLY A CUBE.
Embellishments do not make a logo complex. Adding too many elements/shapes makes it complex. If its message gets blurred, then the logo is too complex. I think we need better definition of terms if this discussion is to go anywhere.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
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The Salon Design Tech
I agree that an emblematic company doesn´t make a complex logo, but I´m not taking another direction, cause I´m still referring on the same discussed article. What I said was said on the posted article.
( http://www.analoga.com.uy/en/articles/logo-designs-simplicity-rules.html )
"We should think better when using more colors, 3d effects, shadows and lighting in our logo design" (or something like that) , because that details makes difficult the reproduction and other things. In regard of the argument of the article, a logo with that serious features is still complex.
Then natobasso i think that i´m not going in other side.
Yes, simple is good, but I don't think the examples you're using to prove the point are actually very effective. Logos in critique section on this site are generally too complex, but not the Harley logo or the others you mentioned.
A little drop shadow doesn't make a logo too complex; it's just window dressing. In Google example, the logo is on the web so you can take some small exceptions like a drop shadow and use them to good effect without disturbing the logo's shape and meaning.
If Google printed their logo with the drop shadow on a faxable form, then I'd start agreeing with you that they need to remove it.
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Powerpoint is not a design application
My latest web design work
----
The Salon Design Tech
With the birds and the nest is VERY simple. No drop shadows no 3d effect. HOWEVER their PRODUCT marks are a different story! All have some sort of 3d effect or fade or transparency. I figure they don't really need the BRANDS to be faxed or such, BUT it looks terrible at sizes like pencils and mugs. . . but then again they would rather those brands be seen BIG rather than small?
shrugs.
NESCAFE breaks that rule though. . . THAT'S a VERY clean and simple logo type but I guess I figure its a Trademarked brand and its also a flagship product and VERY old and as such easily recognizable.
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda