When you click a website or open a marketing email, nothing (and I mean NOTHING) is more discouraging than a sloppy or outdated logo. It’s the first thing a consumer equates to the quality of the goods or services being offered. In short, if your logo looks like it was designed using Windows 95, it doesn’t matter how good your product is – no one’s going to believe you.
Here are 6 logo aesthetic trends that will give your brand new life:
1) Minimalist design
A timeless aesthetic. Classy. Clean. Minimalism gives the viewer less to scrutinize and is an easy way to achieve professionalism. The best part is you won’t have to update every couple of years when trends change.
Pro Tip: Try using sans-serif fonts, as well as thin lines and clean geometry.
2) Custom Fonts
I LOVE seeing custom fonts. We’re all used to Helvetica, Poppins, and – God forbid – Papyrus. When a logo is made with a familiar font, it’s too recognizable – and feels like an 8th grade made it.
Pro Tip: You can go nuts with custom fonts, but make sure to keep it legible. What’s the point of a cool logo if people can’t read it?
3) Gradients
Everyone’s doing color gradients this year (think: the Facebook Messenger app icon). Gradients are eye-catching and make the image appear to be 3-D.
Pro Tip: Make sure your selected colors print well before committing to them.
4) Text destruction
Use psychology on your potential consumers! A logo that’s unfinished or has a letter missing will likely have viewers fixated and try to mentally complete it. This means instant attention on your brand!
Pro Tip: Don’t go over the top – you still want it to be recognizable.
5) Planned chaos
Twisted letters, random geometric shapes, and more! This year is inspiring some out-of-the-ordinary designs that look interesting and sophisticated.
Pro Tip: I keep stressing this but it’s true – have fun with it, and make sure it’s understandable, especially for this trend.
6) Balance
On the other side of the spectrum, balanced, orderly logos are trending right now. If you want a symmetrical and clean logo to give your brand a grounded feel, try a balanced approach.
Pro Tip: While they are inherently professional, these kinds of logos can become boring pretty easily. I recommend adding a little zest of some kind to work in tandem with the balanced-ness.
Anaïs DerSimonian is a writer, filmmaker, and educator interested in media, culture and the arts. She is Clark University Alumni with a degree in Culture Studies and Screen Studies. She has produced various documentary and narrative projects, including a profile on an NGO in Yerevan, Armenia that provides micro-loans to cottage industries and entrepreneurs based in rural regions to help create jobs, self-sufficiency, and to stimulate the post-Soviet economy. She is currently based in Boston. Besides filmmaking, Anaïs enjoys reading good fiction and watching sketch and stand-up comedy.
