Graphic design skills taught at art school help create lasting logos
Vancouver, BC - March 31, 2010 - Developing a brand that can stand the test of time and avoid looking dated is no simple process. Unfortunately there are no packaged solutions for success, but one graphic design technique defines the lasting and memorable brands of the past, as well as those which will undoubtedly succeed in the future.
While iconic logos have an unmistakable visual impact, the typographical rendering of the company name, known as the wordmark or logotype, is the fundamental basis of many successful brands for one simple reason: simplicity. Hybrid iconic/wordmark logos are a growing trend, but many of the strongest brands like IBM, Google and Dell, rely solely on the specific graphic design technique of kerning; one-word spacing and subtle stylization of the chosen font.
A stylized typeface can often successfully communicate a brand or image. Visual graphic design concepts, like stability, movement or security for example, can often be conveyed through the practical application of typographic theory, making a symbolic or iconic design redundant. And as every designer knows, if it is unnecessary, remove it. In his book A Designer's Art, Paul Rand, the creative genius behind the IBM logo, declares that a logo "cannot survive unless it is designed with the utmost simplicity and restraint."
One recent and amusing illustration of success with typographic simplicity is the 2005 VISA re-branding. While the wordmark was in no need of change, the swoosh version of the VISA logo had a distinctly 1990's feel. In 2003, VISA hired a small army of brand consultants and graphic designers which included reputable firms such as Futurebrand and Wolf Ollins among others. Eight months into the logo exploration process, VISA needed a placeholder logo for internal testing purposes. Creative Director Greg Silveria reportedly whipped up the current "twisted serif" concept in 30 minutes. This surprisingly subtle and simple solution refreshed the logo brilliantly, while retaining the well known wordmark and giving more focus to the company name itself.
There is certainly no replacement for research and conceptual logo exploration, but as Paul Rand points out, "ideas do not need to be esoteric to be original or exciting." Often the simplest solution is the correct one and there is no substitution for the instinct of a well-trained graphic designer.
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