Logo Trends and Their Impact

Branding plays an integral role in defining a brand’s identity. We are able to identify and choose brands today based on the emotional bonds we create through their colors, slogans, and logos. Big brands we all love have taken time over the years to build brand recognition that has established them in their respective industries. As consumer tastes, preferences, and technology trends change from time to time, brands have refreshed their logos with the aim to reflect their current position, image, and direction. This blog article will walk you through logo trends and their impact in 2023.

As digital transformation has taken over the design scene, brands have chosen the minimalistic graphic design approach. Brands like Google, Pepsi, Apple, and many others were the first to catch up with this trend when it started years ago. A simple logo design shows less, but less is more. Over the past years, minimalistic logos have become trendy with many companies embracing the simplistic and subtle logo design approach. In a world that’s flooded by many brands with logos, it only makes sense to use a simple logo that makes a brand memorable. If we think over it for a moment, a detailed and complicated logo requires more attention and engagement, and by taking into consideration the overcrowded world we’re living in nowadays, we might unconsciously choose to pass over and ignore it. Simplicity helps to raise recognizability in short time frames and gets across the information faster. We simply don’t have anymore the time to visualize everything we browse. Another thing to note is that simple logo design never fades. Take Target for example. Its iconic bullseye logo design is one of the most recognizable graphics ever created. It has withstood the test of time as it reflects what Target is about. Simple logomarks, such as Nike and Airbnb, are more likely to appeal to target customers on an aesthetic and straightforward level, as well as capture their sensitive side. Moreover, with negative space, simple logos become more outstanding. For instance, the FedEx logo. Did you know that it has an element that gives a meaningful subliminal message? Check it out. Typography has never faded. Some brands use both symbols and texts as their logos. Famous brands such as 7-eleven, Amazon, Coca-cola, and Subway, use the wordmark as their logos. Logos made entirely from words convey an accurate and clear message about the purpose of the brand. In essence, both wordmarks and logomark work perfectly in raising brand recognition.

Colors play a pivotal role in design and branding. They carry the ability to influence consumer behavior and emotions, define style convey tones, and so much more. Each season comes with different color trends and brands leverage those trends to keep up with consumer preferences. For the past few years, thoughtful color palettes have been in the spotlight of trends in design. Logos that are thoughtfully designed with color palettes that are neutral, vibrant, and with a gradient have been at top of the trends. Psychologically, neutral colors give consumers a relaxing effect. Maude, a modern sexual wellness brand uses a neutral logo color palette to convey the brand concept of “modern intimacy through arts, science, and relationships”. Similarly, Chloe's logo uses neutral colors to amplify femininity and softness. Chloe’s word mark uses neutral color variations that make it look very stylish and well-defined. A countless number of skin-care and eco-friendly brands have been using neutral colors in their branding as well.
As the digitalization of marketing and advertising becomes mainstream, it is impossible to talk about thoughtful logo design trends without discussing vibrant colors which evoke positive emotions in consumers. Slack uses vibrant colors which exude positivity making its logo look optimized for the digital screen. It rebranded recently simplifying its logo’s colors to primary colors, remaining vibrant. Another color trend is the gradient color palette, which is more unique and trendy because it’s eye-catching, and allows brands to combine colors to express themselves. In 2016, Instagram refreshed its logo icon from a camera icon logo to a gradient color. In 2021, Instagram took a further step to apply a mesh gradient to follow the latest gradient trend.

In today's world, brands often draw inspiration from well-established ones, however, we put an emphasis on the importance of uniqueness and find something to set your brand apart. Mascot logos started gaining more popularity in the 80s. KFC, Michelin, and Bic just to mention a few were trendsetters back in those years and they’ve continued to inspire brands up to date. A mascot logo design will typically have one or a couple of characters that represent the brand. These characters carry the potential to make or break your brand, so you have to choose carefully. For example, gaming brands use mascot logos as they evoke exciting, competitive, and amusing feelings in gamers. Onikuma is a Japanese gaming headset brand that has a mascot logo inspired by an anime character, the demon-bear totem-faced beast. Onikuma’s visual identity was thoughtfully designed to set the brand apart on the market and this has paved the way for its success to date. Another example of a mascot logotype is Mailchimp. Brands that use mascots aim to show their personality, playfulness, and friendliness toward their target customers. Mascot logo designs make storytelling real and fun. Mailchimp has been able to create a consistent logo that reflects the playfulness and expressiveness that the brand stands for. Without a doubt, mascot logos are attention grabbers, they work. They also play a huge role in strengthening brand identity, conveying a brand's personality, and increasing engagement.

The 2020 pandemic came and shifted consumer preferences and some brands had to adjust their visual identities in order to keep up with the new changes. However, is vital for brands to decide wisely which trends to pursue. Do not try to attach your brand to every trend because you may lose your identity. For instance, Uber changed its logo design when new trends came in, however, this logo design was not effective. As growth took place, new doors opened across multiple global markets, Uber tried to rebrand using diverse colors and patterns which goes against the rebranding process. For some brands, using trends worked in their favor, and here are a few successful examples of leading brands that chose the right trends for their logos.

Mastercard decided to refresh its logo from a flat-lay design to a layered logo adding depth and magnificence to its visual appearance. Layered logos are increasingly becoming popular as some leading brands use them. Similarly, Paypal recently refreshed its logo design and strategy which aims to build robust connectivity between its mission and communications. In a digital world, consumers prefer an experience that inspires them to be part of a brand, therefore, another way to do so is by animating your logo. An animated logo simply represents your company virtually and consumers find animated logos more engaging than static ones. Besides being inspired by the future, trends can also be influenced by the past. There is a trend where brands are inspired by their past logos. In 2021, Burger King refreshed its logo drawing inspiration from the logo it used in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Creating a logo that's a blend of confidence, fun, and simplicity pays homage to Burger King’s heritage.

So, as you have read, you now have a deeper insight into logo design trends we have been seeing over the years. We have learned that the world of logo design continues to evolve from season to season and the logo type you choose will greatly impact how your brand is perceived which can either make or break your business. Having a unique logo turns out to be one of the key elements of your brand, and to break through the will of your audience, you will need to exert a very strong attraction on your consumers, and lead them not only to choose you among others but build a strong emotional connection with them. Ready to upgrade your own brand’s visual identity? Fill out the form below.