4 Types of Logos That Would Never Be Outdated

Probably, the most desired reward for any logo designer is the worldwide appreciation of his/her logos. Even though we are living in a globalized world, the cultural differences are significant and it’s extremely difficult to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Altogether, some designers created logos that seems to be positively appreciated by almost every viewer.

The value of a logo doesn’t consist only in the worldwide appreciation, but the timelessness is a capital feature, too. The Internet is evolving and many designs are outdated in just few years. A good logo must pass the time exam- it must be equally appreciated today, tomorrow or in the future. In fact, a good logo designer must predict the future! Yeah, it sounds crazy but it’s not an exaggeration! It’s impossible to design a timeless logo without having in mind an overview image of the future. Undoubtedly, it’s based on suppositions and it may contain errors, but it’s a considerable effort to visualize how people would image a good design in the next years.

The logo designers noticed that some types of logos seem to resist the time exam. No matter the context, some logos are merely looking well and people pay attention to them. On the other hand, there is no clear guaranty that creating a precise type of logo is the perfect solution for a highly appreciated timeless logo. Simplicity and originality are two key features that make a logo standing apart. Unfortunately, saying that “a simple and original logo is cool” can be very simple, but applying it into practice is a whole different story!

In conclusion, simplicity and originality are two mandatory features of a timeless logo and some types of logos seem to be appreciated anytime and anywhere.

#1. Dual meaning logos

Some logo designers prefer to call them clever logos; no matter their name, these logos impress mostly due to the concept behind, the realization has a secondary role. People appreciate very much these logos because the brain is stimulated. We are assaulted by tons of logos and brand identities…many of them good looking, but the brain is immune to them. A logo that captivates the mind of the viewer is still rare and the effects are incomparable: the viewer keeps in mind the logo and it’s a high chance that his/her opinion about would be positive. Check out these examples to make a clearer idea about!

Altogether, even though all the above logos are simple and don’t require a substantial amount of time to create the digital files from the scratches made on paper, these logos require a huge volume of work and are time consuming. The main endeavor of the logo creator is to find the concept that has a dual meaning. In this context, the research phase and the imagination of the designer are capital.

#2. Black and white logos

The same as in web design, black and white format would be never outdated. The lack of color let the concept speaks for itself, so it’s a similar case to the dual meaning logos. Of course, considering that black and white format resolves all the issues is a totally wrong idea! Nope, a black and white format emphasizes a logo- it makes it more appealing or uglier. It’s a double side sword and only some logo designers use it to their advantage. Another feature of a good logo is the scalability- a logo must be context-free; it should look nice both on a huge banner and on a business card. The huge majority of the black and white logos are fully scalable so it may be another reason why these logos are timeless. The next logos will convince you that black and white format has its special beauty!

#3. Logos based only on types pattern

The huge majority of logos use typography elements, but only a few of them are only types pattern. Personally, I think that the success of these logos is that many look like a signature. In this way, a “signature logo” creates a way more personal relationship with the potential clients.

Another category of these logos is formed by the ones that consist in just few letters, usually the abbreviation of a company name. These are simple and every viewer will recognize in the future. These logos are specific to the big brands that prefer a simple, but recognizable logo that may be intensively branded. The next creations are the most obvious evidences to support the ideas mentioned above!

#4. Mobile UI related logos

The handheld devices are not anymore something reserved only for geeks or web designers. The number of people owning a smartphone or a tablet is constantly rising and all of us are familiarized with the mobile UI. Under these conditions is unavoidable for the logo designers not to borrow some UI items and add them into their projects. As a result, a recent logo design trend is the use of mobile UI items. We have tons of logos using pins, wireless or cloud symbols etc.

It’s true that these logos are relatively new and it’s possible that in the next future to be considered old fashioned. Altogether, the use of handheld devices will grow considerably in the future, therefore people will become even more accustomed to mobile UIs. In this context, I am sure that mobile UI related logos will be worldwide appreciated. Lastly, but not at least, these logos will convince you that mobile UI related logos are looking pretty well.

As usual, we strongly encourage you to share with us your opinions. The logo design area is a very subjective matter and each opinion is very questionable. In conclusion, there is nothing 100% correct or wrong and the discussions are always welcomed. We are waiting for your interesting contribution!

– Written by Daniel –