Trends are always changing and brands need to keep up with them to remain relevant. Why do trends change? Trends change because as they become more commonplace, they impact they have becomes less effective; and as a result, something new is needed to capture the audience attention.
Why are trends important to logo design? For the simple reason that logo design is an essential element of branding. If a company has a poorly designed logo, then that will likely impact their chances of success in the near term.
What logo design trends will we see in 2021? Some have carried over from 2020, but we also see some new trends emerging. The new trends are heavily influenced by the disaster of a year 2020 has been for the globe and because of the shared global experience. 2021 is being increasingly viewed as as a year of recovery, and the expectations that come along with such optimism.
Motion Design
Usually we see logos as static images on packaging or other branded materials. However, animation and videos have become increasingly important in marketing, especially when it coms to social media marketing. As technology improves and moving visuals become increasingly necessary, motion design will become a greater consideration for logo design.
You can hear the Pixar logo, right? You might have even imagined the lamp hopping into place. You’re not going crazy! it’s normal because your brain has been trained to associate the Pixar logo with sound and motion because you’ve usually seen it before an animated film.
Now with social media marketing being a cornerstone of brand presence, brands need to capture and hold your attention by being more engaging. Animated logos are perfect for this.
A person might look at a logo for 3 seconds and then view other images; and unfortunately, they various images and logo will get mixed up in their memory. A moving logo will capture a person’s attention for longer and more easily be retained in their memory.
Asymmetry
A lot of care is taken into consideration during the design of a logo and often the design is done within a grid to keep everything even, perfectly aligned, and symmetrical. 2021 will be the year to begin breaking the rules because abstract is in and it’s time to have more creative fun.
Asymmetry gives objects a more natural look and allows for more creative freedom. Designs are moving away from the grid and breathing new life into brands with a little bit of aesthetically attractive chaos.
Unique Fonts
Over the past few years we’ve seen the simplification of logos and the use of simple and clear fonts. However, that’s led to logos really looking very much the same. To the untrained eye, Helvetica and Arial look the same, and that means to most people it looks like every company is using one of just a few fonts.
For that reason, brands have gone forward with creating their own typography. Fonts are one of the first characteristics to be changed when trying to break out of or avoid uniformity.
Thin Geometric Lines
Minimalism isn’t going anywhere soon and will continue to be a trend in logo design for 2021. However, the focus will be on thin lines forming shapes and other linear elements.
You’ll see these thin lines in logos and they’ll be very aesthetically pleasing and will also be easy to remember. Both aesthetics and recall ability are elements that are important in a logo design.
Of course the thick bold lines are easier to see, but thin geometric lines can be more flexible and can be used to shape the individuality of a brand.
Use of Gradients
Gradients have reemerged and have found renewed popularity due to an increased of use because of technological advances. Before recent years, the last time we really saw use of gradients was in the 1980’s.
A logo with a gradient will feature a smooth transition between different colors or a smooth transition that shows a change in saturation of a hue.
You can already see an example of a recently redesigned logo that’s embraced a gradient in the new Facebook Messenger logo that appears to have borrowed from the Instagram logo.
Gradients provide an opportunity to create interesting visual effects and adds depth and dimension to the design.
Retro Style Logos
Retro style is coming back in almost all aspects of our lives and especially in design. Of course, that also means retro style logos are also making a comeback. One of the reasons for the resurgence of retro design has been the COVID-19 pandemic. Why? Because of the increase in the appreciation of nostalgia by consumers.
Retro style is coming back because of:
- Simple shapes
- Subdued hues
- Connection with typography trends
- Nostalgia across multiple generations
Modern retro style mixes modern design elements with vintage styles. It creates an air of nostalgia while still looking modern and relevant. A great example of this can be seen in logos for modern brands using vintage elements.
Modern vintage style logos will be especially popular with bars and pubs, coffee shops, trades, and logistics. All of which are industries that tend to show a reverence for history and tradition.
Hand Drawn Logos
Understandably, hand drawn logos have become rare over recent years due to the advantages of digital design. However, the hand drawn logo has become increasingly popular, particularly for brands that are seeking to evoke a vintage or artisanal feeling.
It has actually become increasingly possible to design hand drawn logos using a computer or tablet with a few little tweaks and some additional adjustments to give an authentic hand drawn look.
Overlapping
We’re seeing more and more logos utilizing overlapping elements. Often the overlapping logo design elements are to emphasize a connection, but to also add layers of depth to a logo design.
Usually the overlapping elements play with transparency or color overlays. Zara had one of the most attention getting logo redesigns that “scrunched” the word mark together into overlapping letters. As with all logo redesigns, some loved it and some hated it.
Symbolic Shapes & Icons
Symbolism and the use of symbols in logos is nothing new. In 2021 we’ll see more infusion of the symbolism with the logo of the brand.
The symbolism can be subtly fused with the logo or typography. How this is done is ultimately up to the creativity of the logo designer.
Negative Space
Negative space is easily the most consistent logo design trend. It’s been popular for decades and continues to be a favorite technique of logo designers.
Sometimes it takes some time for the viewer of the logo to see the negative space shape or image, But that’s part of the appeal. Once the person viewing the logo sees the negative space, they feel rewarded and the logo becomes special.
Two great examples of implementing negative space in a logo are LG and Fedex.
What Does This Mean for Logo Design in 2021?
2021 will be an interesting and diverse year for logo design. We’ll see a lot of creativity, and that’s something that consumers will also find joy in when they see some truly clever logo designs.
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