Your logo is a key asset for your business.
They may only take up a small piece of your online real estate but your logo plays a big role in your business. The team over at Wix.com have put together a great article that outlines the main considerations and goals for online branding. The main goal is to serve as a visual mark of your brand while transmitting your company’s message. Yet, the million dollar question remains: what makes a good logo? A great logo should embody your brand and be instantly recognisable. For example, if we say Nike we bet you can imagine the logo right away. It pops up in all kinds of places from your business cards to your PowerPoint presentations, and of course, on your very own business website. Since your logo is a key part of your brand, it’s crucial that it shines above the rest.
Before we dive into the trends, here are some golden principles to keep in mind of what makes a great logo:
Simple: Great logos feature unique elements without too much detail.
Versatile: Aim for one that will look good across all different platforms and devices.
Appropriate: The font, colors and design of your logo should be a true representation of your brand.
Unique: You want your logo to sparkle in a sea of competitors.
When you think about it, logos are not too different from fashion, coffee and websites. They all have a classic version, but trends allow them to really stand out. To help you achieve just that, wix.com have compiled a list of the best logo trends of 2017.
1. Simplification
This trend seems to be telling of the general forecast for 2017 where the phrase ‘less is more’ has never been more fitting. Simplification is the big sister of the rest of the trends, which all focus on streamlining and tightening up design elements. Busy and intricate items have been switched out for sleek and simple, yet still creative works of art. The best part of it all? This trend is suitable for all types of businesses! If your logo is way overdue for a new look, it may just need to be taken back to the basics in order to be ready for 2017.
The surge of mobile users is reason enough to start streamlining. More than 1 out of 2 Internet visitors today are from smartphones and tablets. Small screens equal small design items, so keep this in mind when designing your logo.
2. Geometric lines and shapes
Speaking of simplicity, there’s nothing quite as effortless and elegant as clean lines. What if the rush of emotions you feel when gazing at a majestic skyline could be conveyed through your logo? Simple, yet strikingly beautiful! The trend lends itself to using geometric shapes (think middle school math class: triangles, squares, polygons) as well as lines of symmetry to create distinct and unusual formations.
This simplification could serve as a creative solution to reviving an old but respected brand, putting it back in the spotlight where it belongs!
3. Negative space
With this specific design trend there is definitely more than meets the eye. The style tries to ease complexity by melting various elements together in an innovative way. Using only black and white or solid colors and white, an optical illusion is created by using both negative and positive space. The foreground is designed to create a supplementary image within the background. As the elements within the logo have the possibility to be multi-dimensional, these logos often give a deeper (possibly double) message or can offer more information about the brand – such as location.
A very particular type of skill and level of creativity is needed to produce such a magical work of art. That being said, this trend is most fitting to professions such as: web designers, ad agencies, artists and photographers.
4. Letter stacking
In keeping with the theme of simplicity, letter stacking is a great way to present text in a clear and concise way. Rather than simply writing out your businesses name, letter stacking strategically places the letters above, below and side by side of each other. Imagine your company’s name fitting into a square.The unique layout of the letters creates a more visual logo.
When the letters are stacked, the font essentially becomes your logo. Due to the nature of the logo, it requires the reader to pay a bit more attention than usual as it may not be “in your face” obvious what the letters spell out. This is the beauty of this trend, the unique layout is sure to create a lasting impression! If your existing logo is your company’s name, like a lawyer’s office or a hotel, just spelled out, consider spicing things up with some stacking.
5. Cropping
This is a well known technique that pushes the envelope by showing as little as possible while still communicating a strong message. Again, the trend continues to show that less is more. The style here is to “hide” certain elements of letters but leaving just enough so that you are still able to read the word. For example: How much of the letter “J” do you really need to show in order for your audience to recognise the letter? The answer: much less than you thought! The design style definitely gives off an edgier look, so any young, trendy or contemporary business will work.
6. Hand drawn
These days, our lives are so geared towards technology that a handwritten note seems to be something of the past. However, when you do discover that box under your bed full of birthday cards and mail from across the sea, it gives you a comforting sense of nostalgia. That same cozy and personal feeling can be transmitted to your brand by creating a logo that looks hand drawn. These designs emanate a variety of senses including: quirky playfulness, fresh, grounded and casual – something that typed letters are restricted by. Warning: make sure your logo remains legible (avoid the family doctor syndrome).
Best for: Restaurants, ad agencies and mostly shops/retail. Handwriting is about signature and personality. Basically, any brand aiming to add more personality into their logo.
7. Vintage
Since we’re already reminiscing about the past let’s talk: vintage logos! The trend uses a combination of designs elements such as black, white and gold writing, a stylized yet simple image and lines and geometric shapes. When used correctly, this trend can give your brand the sense of an established, trustworthy business. The trend plays on evoking emotions of nostalgia, much like the handwritten trend, within the customer. Be warned though: you’ll need to find the right balance between looking hipstery or just plain old. You don’t want your brand to look as if it’s stuck in the past.
The general vibe of this trend leans towards a more masculine businesses, such as: barbers, whisky bars or cigar lounges.
8. Black and White
As simple as the name suggests, it’s all about using black and white colors. Don’t be too quick to judge these seemingly straightforward colors. When used correctly they exude a sense of power and class (think of Chanel and those famous Cs) It’s back to the basics. It can fit anywhere, any design and suit an array of color schemes.
The black and white trend can be combined with the negative space trend for a real wow factor. It can also serve as a variation of your current, coloured logo. You don’t have to apply it to every single platform but the idea is to have an assortment of different versions of your logo to be used on an array of platforms.
9. Ombre
Gone are the days of using one dimensional and standard colors. Instead, welcome cool, subtle gradients. This trend uses softer hues to allow for dimension that’s presented in a delicate way. The style plays on blending an array of shades and tones of one color starting with the darker tones and gradually fading out.
Let’s take everyone’s favourite photo sharing app, Instagram, as a prime example. The retro – looking camera logo was swapped out for a gradient of warm, sunset colours and a simple white outline of a camera.
Why does it work? It’s intriguing to the eyes. Since you’re presented with a variation of colours, you’re more likely to pay attention. Since the creative possibilities are endless you can use shades and tones that best suit your business’s personality. The whimsical, slightly more feminine trend is great for any artistic based business such as a beauty blogger, a wedding photographer or a fashion stylist.
10. Moving parts
The latest trend on the horizon creatively combines print material and web – based animated GIF’s forming a moving logo. Similar to the concept of the cinemagraph the moving parts logo surprises with an eye catching element into something that you would expect to be still. How could that not be catchy? An added element of surprise can benefit virtually anybody. So get moving in 2017!
I highly recommend taking a look at the original Wix.con blog article that includes real-world examples of logos that use any of the 10 trending aspects.
