Simplicity in Logo Design
Over the decades the brands we know and use each and every day have remained the same, but their logos have not. In this article we are going to breakdown the changes in aesthetic that have brought forth the new reductionist style of logo design!
Now it is not exactly known why there has been such a push to become more simplified as a brand, but it could be justifiably argued that due to the advent of new media outlets, like our cell phones, computers, and their subsequent social media applications, there has been a need to keep logos simple in order to look great in smaller and smaller formats. Think of how small the profile image is on your Instagram account, and how little room you have to for highly detailed images.
Starbucks
Let’s look at the example of Starbucks above. Their first logo was brown, contained a lot of text, outlines, and a detailed version of the well known Starbucks mermaid. The next two renditions of the logo would switch to their presently used green color, but with accents of black, and the Starbucks brand name wrapped around its crest. The only major difference between these two middle images would be the full frontal nudity of the mermaid in the older logo, which shifted to a zoomed in profile in the years to come. Honestly, it was probably a good idea to make this change-that’s not exactly what I would want to be looking at while drinking a tall blonde roast.
Throughout these first three logos we can see a gradual reductionist approach where more and more extraneous detail is being pulled out of the logos. As time went on it would become easier to draw the third logo from memory than the first. Finally, we end up at the version of the Starbucks logo that graces each and every cup, gift card, and social media account related to the monolithic caffeine dealer.
With the final form of this logo, they have removed the crests, zoomed in completely on the mermaid, and taken out any accenting colors. The name “Starbucks” is no longer needed on the branding of the logo because we all know what that logo is, and what that company offers to its customers. There are even financial costs that are being cut by moving into a reductionist style of logo. Just think, there is now only one color (green) needed to brand their coffee cups because the white accent comes from the white cup itself! These details are minute, but they make for a much more pleasing visual experience.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s has had plenty of changes throughout the years, but that is probably one of the infinite number of reasons why they have stayed present in popular culture for the past 6+ decades. Personally, I love their 1953 logo with the little hamburger character logo, but the issue with highly detailed logos like this one is that they get older faster. The high level of detail within logos like this one are drawn from the eras that they were created in. This is why occasionally we will see companies like Pepsi or Coca-Cola release “limited edition retro” versions of their products. We all love Coke in a glass bottle, but its utility is limited, it’s harder to take on a picnic or to a beach, the glass can break, and it’s over sized. Hopefully that is a decent way of explaining old vs new logos. The old are the glass bottles that have novelty and remind us of simpler times, and the new is the plastic bottle that is resealable, resistant to drops, and lightweight.
So, as the years went on, McDonald’s developed their iconic “golden arches” logo based off of the architecture of their restaurants. Once they made this shift in 1960, there would be only minor changes. Primarily, these logo design tweaks were related to outlines and complimenting colors. Initially, the name McDonalds was included in the logo, and this lasted until the year 2000. By this time, once they had served billions and billions, it was fair to assume that people knew what McDonald’s was when they saw the golden arches, in the same way that people can now associate Starbucks without its name in its crest.
From 2000–2006 we would see the final two “extraneously detailed” versions of the logo. In 2000 there would be an integration of a slight blue shadowed outline, mixed in with the classic McDonald’s red and yellow, and a scooping line to imitate the smiles that your kids were sure to have when you bought them a happy meal. In 2003 they would reduce their logo once more, losing the red and the scooping line, and adding an outline to the arches as well as their iconic slogan “I’m lovin’ it”. After three years of hammering their new mantra, it was fair to assume that people could name that tune after simply hearing the humming of “ba da ba ba ba”, so further reduction could take place.
In 2006 McDonald’s reached their final form by returning to the core of what they were in the 1960s, the golden arches. No other colors, no slogans, just the golden M. McDonald’s could have realistically done this back in the 90’s, but the success of the “I’m lovin’ it” campaigns grew so much brand recognition for them that it solidified their image as a global superpower of fast food and gave them the confidence to become even more simplified.
Apple
Apple. Need we say more? The pioneers of the personal computer, the leaders of haptic feedback, and the masters of product design. It is understandable that a company founded on the idea that a product should be as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional has only had minor changes to its logo since 1977.
Their first logo back in 1976 contained an image of Isaac Newton sitting under the apple tree that prompted his research and discoveries regarding gravity. While the idea and meaning of this was iconic and well thought out, it would not last long. The image looks more like a renaissance painting than the logo of a revolutionary tech company. The amount of detail in the image did not capture the essence of the future and would not be appropriate to brand the new computers that Apple were trying to bring to market. Steve Jobs had the foresight to make the change to a new look that would encapsulate everything that Apple was about, and this image is still used to this day.
The first rendition of the Apple logo would last 17 years with its rainbow colorway, eventually shifting into a sleek glossy light blue gradient. Three years later Apple made a very contemporary change to all black, but it would again change to a more futuristic silver gradient in 2001. 2007, which was the beginning of the iPhone era would see another glossy rendition, but this time with sort of beveled edges to give the image depth.
In 2015, Apple returned back to their 1998 style with a simple solid color version of the Apple insignia. This neutrality leaves no room for preference, interpretation or aversion. It is simple, and easily used on any of their products, stores, or packaging. Apple is an exceptional example in logo design because they understood the utility in keeping their logo simple and reduced from the very beginning. Although there were some small tweaks throughout the years, they never lost sight of who and what they were, and that is what has kept them relevant for so long. It is unsure if and when any further changes to the logo will take place, but when they do, you can be sure that it will simply revolve around the color of the Apple itself.
Brand Recognition-What if They Changed?
Imagine a world without the golden arches, or without the apple logo? There is so much brand equity attributed to these logos now that it would only be negative to change them. They are simple, they are appropriate, and they are distinctive and memorable. People from every country across the globe can identify what and who these logos represent. That is the amazing power of a great logo when combined with a great business model and consistent service and quality!
