The Intricacies of Simplicity
Simplification for recognition, versus just dumbing it down.
Where did it start?
If you use any form of digital communication device and seeing as we just mailed this to you, we assume you do, you might have noticed a strange trend in corporate logo designs creeping onto all your screens.
Why is everything “flat”?
Recently, there has been a swing towards simplifying logos. Everything from Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) to Google has now become two dimensional and devoid of superfluous detail.
Don’t be fooled, Size matters!
This digital facelift springs directly from the change in consumer and user interfacing with these corporations. 10 years ago, full touch screen smart phones weren’t a thing yet. Most digital communications and interactions (apart from those of us who had Blackberries) took place on 13” to 15” laptop or computer screens. In less than a decade the world has nearly universally migrated to mobile devices, with a screen size of usually no more than 6”.
The need for simplification arose when it became obvious that highly stylized and detailed logos simply didn’t read as well on these smaller screens and that simplified “flat” icons with a limited colour scheme were needed for easy recognition of each different application on a tiny phone screen.
Spot the (twittering) birdie
The upside of these redesigned corporate logos is that they easily cross the digital/physical barrier and transfer well between different forms of media.
The downside can be that oversimplification can lead to confusion. The jury is still out, but Google’s newest revamp of the full Google suite of online admin tools has left many people wondering what exactly the little square does and where the calendar went.
Now the question is: How does this transfer to the average small business owner?
A well-researched and thought-out re-design can be beneficial to your brand, but you need to take a few things into account.
Do brand research and find out if it is necessary. Graphic designers (at least the good ones) can be expensive and if you don’t need it right away, maybe wait until your business has grown or moved into the digital realm before splurging on a logo facelift.
If a new logo is a thing you want, remember:
Give a nod to current trends (2D instead of 3D, simplified colours) without blindly following them.
Avoid generic fonts and imagery. This not only dates your logo but can also lead to brand confusion. A simple blue and white globe design with Century Gothic script and a swooshing arrow, for a transport company, won’t set you apart.
Another important thing to take into account with a new logo is to set clear brand guidelines for how, when and on which platforms your logo can and should be used.
If simplification is something you want, go for it. Just don’t dumb it down to such an extent that your logo becomes forgettable.
For more on the dos and don’ts of simplification, Big Eye Agency has some invaluable insights.
