For the past eight years Bill Gardner, the principal of Gardner Design and creator of LogoLounge.com, has filed an annual report on major trends in logo design worldwide for Creative Review. So what did he find this year? Transparency has become ubiquitous, as have brighter hues. Text is more important than ever. Color use is “more unrestrained now” — in spite of the economy. The Eastern Bloc is rocking it (“Designers there seem to have a freedom that some Western designers have lost.”), as is Scandinavia. Also spotted: lots of optimism, nested circles, “greenness,” and surface effects. Click through to view examples of five of our favorite trends from the 2010 report.
Pixel Gardner says: “In the world of RGB on-screen images, the pixel is the lowest common denominator. So these are logos that speak to their digital pedigree, but which are willing to say, ‘This is our very essence.'”
As demonstrated by Eight a.m. Brand Design for C2 MEDICAL SPA, Eightday Studio for Antioch Community Church Norman, Gyula Nemeth for HD City, Andrei D Popa for City Tower
Cubist Gardner says: “As Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque discovered when founding the Cubism movement, there is a certain visual pleasure in the reduction of images down to their essence. In logo design, this same tenet applies, and a good marriage of concept and style emerge.”
As demonstrated by Iconologic for US Virgin Islands, Z&G forBrandogolik, Gardner Design for Graphic Impressions, Andrei Bilan for Kubis
Spores Gardner says: “They show an ability to verge on the edge of chaos but still be held together with the perfection of nature. The aggressive surface of this style certainly requires a client that is able to be faithful to the complex nature of the forms.”
As demonstrated by MYDE for Smart Communication Technologies, KITA International | Visual Playground for KITA, Seamless Creative for 1025 Photography, BrandBerry for Anvexa
Hexahedron Gardner says: “…identities based on transparent cubes in various arrangements all have an implied sense of space and almost challenge us to interact with the marks. This may rise from the optical illusion aspect: the greater the participation level the design creates for the consumer, the more chances they have to buy into the ‘ownership’ of the logo. The greater their level of ownership, the better the level of loyalty.”
As demonstrated by Doyle Partners for The Cooper Union, Kristin Spix Design for Phelps Stokes, Tom Hughes Design for Zink, Inc., Adstract Art for Civiquip Industries
Parts Gardner says: “This trend gives puts in mind the saying ‘one of something ugly is ugly, but many of something ugly is beautiful.’ Take any one of these ugly things — or, in this case, the iconic representation of parts – and assemble these into an ideal construction.”
As demonstrated by Kuznetsov Evgeniy for Russian Team, Ten:pm Media for Advanced Armament Corp, Chris Rooney for Ramsell, Hand Dizajn Studio for Diving Club Big White