As mobile browsing – and an endless assortment of devices and screen sizes – began taking over the digital world, it has become industry standard for logo designs to be responsive.
Now that all the major festivities and post-holiday syndromes are over, it marks the beginning of an amazing year. And we can’t help but feel excited for what’s ahead of us. Nothing like the dawn of a new year to hustle hard and gaze into a better future for your brand. We’ve compiled some of the hottest logo trends to help you take on the world with a new look. But first, here are a few golden principles to keep in mind when developing a logo:
- Simple: Great logos often feature uncomplicated elements, and not too much detail that make it hard to remember. Think McDonalds and Apple as prime examples.
- Versatile: A well-designed logo should look good on all platforms and devices, be it your website, social media, mobile apps, etc.
- Appropriate: Every element used – from fonts to colour – should represent the core value or essence of your brand.
- Authentic: Your logo should be unique and authentic in order to sparkle in a sea of competition.
Logo Design Trends
From fun and whimsical to classic and timeless, here are 7 logo trends that will take 2018 by storm:
1. Get with times: responsive logos
Source: Pinterest
Creating logos are no longer just about pleasing the audience from an aesthetics perspective. As mobile browsing – and an endless assortment of devices and screen sizes – began taking over the digital world, it has become industry standard for logo designs to be responsive. Consequently, companies have been refreshing their logos into modern, more simplified versions to meet the demands of today.
2. Get moving: fun animated logos
Source: Giant Owl Productions
Add life to your brand with dynamic animations. Animated logos are on the rise, and we’re not surprised. They’re fun, catchy; and with shorter attention spans, our eyes naturally gravitate towards things that move. This same eye-catching magic has recently surfaced in logo designs, where designers make them rotate, fade, transform, expand, etc.
3. Young and upbeat: vibrant, gradient colours
Source: Pinterest
If you’re not afraid of loud colours, embrace the versatility of vibrant, colourful logos. Multicolours and gradients instantly add dimension and cheer to a flat logo, and work especially well with saturated colours; making it the perfect approach for young and upbeat brands targeting younger audiences.
4. Experiment daringly: creative typography
Source: Pinterest
From retro typefaces to modern sans serif fonts, typography has always been the subject of experiments when it comes to logo designs. Some of the best brands (and logos) out there are purely text-based – think Coca Cola. It’s worth noting that these logos work so effectively because they’re simple and straightforward. Below are some typography examples:
- Split typography: Fonts that have splits or breaks between letters while maintaining readability, resulting in unique designs with thousands of variations to explore.
Source: Pinterest
- Hand-written typography: Logos that are hand-drawn and aren’t limited by the restrictions of typed letters. They offer an authentic feel that is the true representation of your brand.
Source: Pinterest
- Chaotic typography: Letters that are not organised neatly to simulate an effect of organised mess. The result? A bold and dynamic look perfect for a casual and quirky brand.
Source: Behance
- Square-stacked typography: A technique most commonly associated with everything social media, square-stacked typography carries visual weight and demands attention, with plenty of white space surrounding it to increase readability.
Source: Uniqlo
5. Back to basics: patterns & repetitions
Source: Behance
A simple way for humans to get familiarised with a design is through repetitive patterns. By layering and masking abstract patterns to reveal or contain certain shapes and letters, you create a look that is sophisticated and powerful, making these techniques worthy of experimentation in both abstract and conceptual approaches.
6. Classic simplicity: monograms
Source: Pinterest
A monogram is a motif made up of the overlapping or combination of two or more letters – usually the initials of an individual or his/her company – to form one recognisable symbol. Though not a new technique, lately we’ve been seeing a resurgence of monograms paired with simple typefaces to form a unique yet powerful monotype that champions classic simplicity.
7. Less is more: geometric line art
Source: Pinterest
Typography isn’t the only logo design aspect undergoing simplification in 2018, though. This year, we will also see an uptrend on minimal geometric logos with an increased focus on less is more. Geometric designs are loved for their clean, elegant, and timeless nature. Hence, they have an advantage in branding versatility, easy readability and instant impact.
Ready to transform your brand? Talk to us and let us know which of these logo design trend you like best.