Many of us might see a logo and think nothing of it, but others, primarily designers and brand strategists, may see them as monuments to great ideas and business. A logo evokes a feeling for everyone, either consciously or subconsciously.
A logo is a visual shorthand for a brand. Every company, regardless of size or age in the market, needs a logo that will help define their brand and identify who they are to customers.
That definition rings true throughout history. Thousands of years ago, merchants, metallurgists, and craftsmen used markings to distinguish their work from others. When markers were used, they gave authenticity and protection from competitors.
The importance of having a logo
For businesses today, a logo is part of their brand identity and can play a key role in how the brand is perceived. It can make a brand more authentic, increase its perceived value, set it apart from competitors, and align its values with its target audience.
When a brand is built, a logo can mean the difference between a $20 pair of shoes and a $300 pair of shoes.
It’s the difference between a $15 scarf and an $835 Louis Vuitton scarf.
Without the logo to represent the brand, these things lose their value. When created and used correctly, a logo can be a powerful tool for a company looking to distinguish itself and build a long-lasting legacy. The logo itself takes on the feeling of the brand, and its customers feel that feeling. The customers who sport the logo set themselves apart from those who don’t wear or associate with the brand.
How logos evolve like art
Pablo Picasso once said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
A common trend among artists is the longer they produce art, the simpler it gets. It is less about filling the canvas with extremes and more about taking the simplest path to get the message across.
A logo, in many ways, takes the same journey. The simpler a logo is, often the better it is. When you create a logo, you aren’t just thinking of today; you are thinking twenty or thirty years into the future. You want it to be timeless, clean, and easy to distinguish. Designers will understand that the logo must also be able to hold its features when sized up or down, making a simple logo better for just that very reason.
Famous logos evolving over time
Keep the idea of simplicity in mind as we travel through the evolution of famous logos. You’ll start to recognize the pattern. Many go from descriptive logos to abstract iconography once the brand has cemented its symbol and become well-known.
McDonalds
The McDonald’s logo is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. The restaurant chain is located in over 118 countries today, and the Golden Arches continue to bring people together for food and fun.
As you can see, the logo evolved from a very descriptive logo in the 40s to a simple icon in the present. In 1961, you start to see the yellow ‘M’ take shape. McDonald’s wants a clear identity and stand out from other burger joints. In the early 2000s, we see the logo taking on a curved line that resembles a smile, giving a positive feeling to the franchise. In 2003, you may recognize the addition of “I’m lovin’ it,” a common slogan in many McDonald’s commercials.
Although the Instagram logo seems straightforward, it has also gradually become simpler over time.
Starting in 2010 with the image of a handheld camera, you can see it is a more complex image with details and a multi-colored line. From 2010 to 2011, the camera became simpler, taking out the entire camera and breaking it down into the lens and the viewfinder. The line of color remains. By 2016, we have the logo that we know Instagram for today. They have removed the lifelike camera and replaced it with the outline of a camera made with solid white lines. The shape of the lens and viewfinder remain. The line of color is gone and replaced with a background of complementary colors that blend.
Nike
The Nike logo has an interesting evolution that most people, unless they are true Nike fans, often aren’t aware of.
