What is the primary thing that people use to identify brands? Logos!
Logos are not merely a visual representation of your company; instead, they ensure recognition. For starters, as per Creative Bloq, Coca-Cola’s iconic logo is recognized by over 90 percent of the global population.
However, if you pay attention to Coca Cola’s logo, you will see that its design is very minimalistic. So, why a brand as big as Coca Cola using a minimalistic logo? Well, it is because a minimalistic logo is a trend that is dominating the industry for some years now.
The question arises, why is this so? Why are minimalistic design still the talk of the town? Here are some reasons:
1- Boosts Clarity
There is something immensely overwhelming about intricate logo designs. Just like consumers don’t like claustrophobic brick and mortar stores, no one prefers logos that don’t ensure clarity.
A logo is a vessel for consumers to understand a brand, and a cluttered design leads to a loss of message. To make sure that customers don’t lose trust in your brand and are also able to recognize it, brands prefer minimalistic designs.
You might wonder, how can something simple convey a brand message and purpose? The trick is to be creative about it.
For instance, all 31 flavors of Baskin Robins are represented in the company’s logo, through the hidden use of the number 31. See if you can spot it!
Another example is the redesigning of the YouTube logo. While the previous one was not too cluttered, the new one indeed ensures clarity in the message. Since it uses the symbol of the play button, it conveys what YouTube stands for.
2- Cost Efficiency
According to Business Insider, 67 percent of small businesses spend around 500 USD on the designing of their logo. It doesn’t necessarily mean that logo designing is an affordable feat. Some brands even spend millions on their logos.
It all comes down to how much work the logo design requires. The more effort it takes, the higher will be its cost. Since minimalistic designs require less effort, albeit the creative part of the work is challenging, they are cost-efficient.
Since a vast segment of the market is comprised of small and growing businesses, the demand for cost-efficiency and hence simple design is always present.
3- Scalability
The logo you choose needs to be placed on all marketing communication. Your customers will view your website and social media accounts on several devices. Thus it is crucial to have a scalable logo design for your brand.
The dimensions of a desktop screen are different than that of a mobile device. Similarly, the dimensions of a billboard and letterhead are worlds apart. To ensure that your logo appears legible on all devices, it must be scalable so that it rightly adjusts to different dimensions.
Be it social media marketing, traditional marketing, or branding; a scalable logo ensure that the key elements of your logo are not lost while the dimensions are adjusted according to the screen size.
While complex symbols tend to become meaningless when scaled down, minimalistic designs hold up, thereby ensuring effective brand representation.
4- Timelessness
Think about the logos of Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Apple, and FedEx. What does each of these logos have in common?
The answer is timeliness.
Apart from minor changes, the symbols have remained the same for years. Timeliness of a logo is what every brand wishes to achieve.
Why? It is because logos reflect years of effort by a brand to create a bond with consumers. When changed drastically, there is always a fear of losing this connection with the customers. It is why every brand wishes to have a timeless logo.
A timeless logo is characterized by its ability to withstand the pressures of time. Regardless of trends and fads, the design remains ever relevant and meaningful. It continues to be sophisticated and appears attractive.
While complicated logos embody the current trends of the industry, minimalistic logos aim for timelessness.
5- Diversifiable
Amazon started as a bookselling store. Now, it is the biggest ecommerce company in the world. It has also delved into the world of digital streaming, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.
Think of what would have happened if the logo of Amazon had featured books in it? It would have been quite difficult for the brand to diversify its portfolio without losing its brand value.
Instead, its simple logo merely connects a to z, showcasing that everything is available at Amazon. This simplistic logo has the power to reflect Amazon’s brand values, regardless of how diversified the company gets.
It is yet another benefit of minimalistic logo designs. They allow businesses to remain diversifiable. And remember, just because you are not aiming to expand your business today doesn’t mean it will always be the case.
The fact that simple logos leave room for businesses to explore different sectors continues to make them popular.
Designing a perfect logo
As a brand, you should strive for perfection when it comes to designing a logo. It means that your logo should be simple, eye-catching, and conveys your brand values effectively. The best way to go about is to hire the services of a reputed logo design company to create a logo for your brand.
They will take care of all the design elements of your logo and will create a perfect logo that aptly tells the story of your brand to your customers.
Ending Remarks
Minimalistic designs embody all the characteristics of successful visual representation. They are clear, scalable, cost-efficient, timeliness, and diversifiable. Since each of these elements are integral for branding efforts, it is safe to say that such logos will be in demand for years to come.
As a business, this means that you must strive to achieve simplicity in your logos. However, being simplistic doesn’t mean that you compromise on your brand story and values. Even your minimalist logo should be able to reflect your brand story and purpose.
After all, it is a part of your brand identity, and you wouldn’t want to make the wrong impression. So, do your research, brief your design company accordingly, and create a memorable logo for your brand.