Defined simply, a logo is a combination of images, text, and/or shapes that is used to identify a brand.
Here at Seahawk, however, we understand that a logo can be so much more. Your brand’s logo is a chance to make a great first impression, tell a story, and set the tone for all your future branding efforts – all of which is made easier if your logo is designed well.
The good news is, since brands usually keep their logos for a while, logo trends tend to stick around. Thus, making a good logo essentially comes down to choosing a style that can stand the test of time.
Here are some logo design trends to help you get started.
- Minimalism
The best design doesn’t necessarily need to be the most complex or intricate one. In fact, using simple typefaces, minimal colors, clean lines, and negative space can help you achieve a sophisticated and modern brand impression – see some awesome examples here. One of the biggest advantages of a minimalist logo is that it can actually help achieve responsiveness, which we will discuss next.
2. Responsiveness
This logo design trend is more of a “must” in today’s smartphone democracy. A responsive logo has changing elements based on the device or screen on which it is displayed, without sacrificing any aspect of the brand’s identity. This can be done by simplifying shapes, reducing the amount of space the logo takes up by stacking elements, using a single color, and omitting slogans or other descriptive text in certain views. If you’re using different channels of online marketing, making your logo responsive ensures it will shine in all of them.
3. Retro styles
For some brands, nothing beats a blast from the past. Consider adopting retro color schemes, grunge effects, or even “antique” elements, like the look of worn-out paper, to add “stands the test of time” credibility and aesthetic flair to your brand. These are especially useful for brands with an off-beat, artisanal feel or those catering to older audiences, and can make for a truly timeless logo.
4. Custom fonts
Some of the world’s most iconic brands – think Coca-Cola, Intel, Prada – have logos that can be identified by the custom font they come in. Instead of using existing typefaces, a good way to make sure your brand’s logo is unlike anyone else’s is to create your own custom font! This can be done by modifying existing fonts or starting from scratch. If yours is a logotype, considering branching out with your typography a bit and incorporating elements that stand out so viewers know this isn’t a font they’ve seen before.
5. Creative letters
Can’t decide whether you want your logo to be an image or text? A clever medium is to combine the two, using letters with a twist! You could use an A that looks like an upwards arrow, an O that looks like a water droplet… the shapes in the alphabet hold infinite potential, as seen in some stellar examples here.
6. Geometric logos
Another way to introduce simplicity into your logo design is to include elements of simple geometry. There are a series of shapes – circles, triangles, squares, and intersecting lines – that have existed since the beginning of time and shown up in art and architecture over and over, so what better way to create a timeless logo than to use one of them? In order to distinguish your logo from others of its kind, try putting your own spin on it by using unique colors or typefaces that incorporate your brand identity.
7. Characters
Nope, we don’t mean text characters… we mean actual characters! Including an animal or human face or body in your logo icon can personify your brand and give it a more “human” feel. This is definitely a great option for more playful brands, and some more widely known examples of character logos include Starbucks, Pringles, and Monopoly.
8. Animation
Psychologically, movement attracts our attention far more than static images do. So why not make your logo bounce, spin, swoosh, or pulse? Animated logos, when executed correctly, don’t have to be tacky – they can be super sleek, as seen in some of our famous favorite examples, and can convey an emotion or story that a simple stationary image cannot. Animation in logos can look great on a website homepage, television ad, YouTube video, or even an extra snazzy social media post.
Of course, no logo design trend is one-size-fits-all – but that’s the best part! When creating your logo, be sure to think about your brand and the feelings you want to convey, as well as the practicality of where your logo will be seen.
We hope our tips provided you with some inspiration to make an unforgettable design – happy creating!