22 October 2013

Evolution of the brand logo

Things change, we know that, but how do things change when there is "marketing" behind them. More specifically how do brand logos change? And what are the people who change them trying to make us think or feel? Do they reflect anything about the society they're trying to interact with?

Take a look at these logos and see what you think...

The first logo is uses a busy font and is hard to read by today's standards. It doesn't take long for a bolder more readable font to be introduced - something that can be read better from a distance. Then we get the introduction of colour, and by the '60s a very simple font. By 2008 a very bold move is made - the assumption that text is no longer necessary, that this brand is so well recognised a simple tri-colour circle is all that is needed.

I think comparing the changes in Coke to Pepsi is very interesting. This brand has been a lot more consistent image wise, colour being the only real change. Yet despite not having the readability of the short '80s font has I doubt there is anyone who doesn't recognise this logo. Coke has also made an assumption, where Pepsi said they didn't need text at all, Coke has said everyone knows our logo, it doesn't matter if our font is super easy to read or not, people know us. 

Apple: such a change from the first logo! But then they find something that works and sick with it. The colour changes they only reflection of changing times.

This is an interesting one because it is such a reflection of the history of the company. Four separate entities join with each logo reflected. Then things are simplified, we lose the logos but we keep the linking image. 


 Okay so the first three logos don't quite count as it's only by the time we get to the forth logo, "International Business Machines" with a globe, that we hit the present company name. Nonetheless like Apple there is a big shift from the globe logo to the simple IBM. Again staying with what works.


I've got to thank Bored Panda for these - to see more go to Bored Panda

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