2011 Logo Trends | Hacker News Reader

2011 Logo Trends

logolounge.com

204 pointstortilla18 comments

To be fair these are not trends per se, these are similarity patterns in Logolounge submissions. Logo design community is very large and diverse, and while there is some stylistic and conceptual copying and imitation, it tends to be a self-limiting phenomenon, simply because a good logo needs to be unique.

It is also worth noting that Logolounge is basically an annual lottery with $100 entrance fee with the prize being an inclusion in one of their books. Not every logo designer enters, nor does the stuff they receive is all high-quality original work. So the trends they are seeing while interesting are not exactly representative.

I was trying to figure out why the overall quality was so low. This explains it.

Another trend I'm seeing a lot of is the "Script" logotype reminiscent of hand painted signs from the 50's. Three pop to mind: AirBNB, Frid.ge, and Instagram, but I know I have seen many others. It's a great look the only question is how well it will hold up relative to more pure geometric forms.

I find the idea of trends with logos quite silly. A good logo (and brand) should outlast short-lived trends.

You're being downvoted but you are right.

Logo designs that look trendy have failed. A logo that looks stupid 2 years on is a waste of money.

Very true! And a lot of these logo's have a nice design but are not designed to be a good logo. A good logo includes:

  Being readable / recognizable when small
  Being readable / recognizable when printed in black/white/gray (fax/copier)

Because maybe one time you want to print your logo on a pen or something other small. Or someone might copy your document under a bad copier. A logo is more than just a great picture.

Agreed. The whole idea of a logo is to pack up the most information into the easiest to digest form. Like a pun, of sorts.

That may sound oxymoronic and/or very difficult, but that's why good logos are hard to do.

This reminds me too much of the colourlovers "trends" that tend to be more representative either of little-changing, long-term trends or whatever sampling bias they might have at any given moment.

I went looking for the trends in previous years.

In 2007, "Rubber bands" were cool. http://www.logolounge.com/article.asp?aid=hjP

In 2008, "Loops" http://www.logolounge.com/article.asp?aid=knW

In 2009, "3D curls" http://www.logolounge.com/article.asp?aid=kfP

In 2010, such logos apparently became uncool. ;)

In 2011, these logos were back in style again, as "Banded" http://www.logolounge.com/article.asp?aid=lnPf

I'm not denying that trends in design exist, but they tend to be much slower than year by year. This type of article is just about establishing Logolounge's brand.

>It feels like what people believe a logo to be is also becoming more transcendent.

I don't understand why so many people write like this. It's a logo, not a metaphysical experience. It seems everyone involved with "design" read the Pepsi Redesign doc [1] and took it as a lesson in good writing.

[1] http://www.scribd.com/doc/25437499/12112331-Pepsi-Breathtaki...

The NORDKYN logo at the end of the article drives my OCD mad.

I love it!

(Although I question whether the general audience would understand the point of the radar chart)

Absolutely, I thought the variable logos were a really awesome idea and would be very engaging for users to look at it.

Even if they don't understand it at first, think of it as a well-liked art piece or a clever idiom that requires your friend to explain it to you first. Blowing minds with your logo - good idea.

radar chart? please explain to this general audience...

You might know it as a web chart or spider chart: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radar_chart

It isn't just that it resembles a radar chart, though: on the site the (Flash) logo mutates to reflect the current temperature and wind conditions.

http://www.visitnordkyn.com/

The animated Nordkyn logo is really beautiful and clever http://www.visitnordkyn.com/ (turn on flash to see).

Also, brown is back!

can you explain? when i open the link it moves (the left hand side shrivels up). but then it seems to be stationary. why is it clever? what is it representing?

Hover on it with your mouse.

how do you know it's connected with that data? and what data, exactly, is it showing? the wind is from the NW but it's extended to the SSE (at least for me, now). and there's no indication of what temperature might be - is that colour?

maybe something isn't working for me? when i hover over it, all that changes is the text at the side, giving the weather info i just described.

i can't believe everyone thinks this is so clever just from looking at that page. is it well known through winning an award or something? in other words, does it require additional knowledge to appreciate? and, if so, doesn't that mean it's not as great as the cognescenti believe?

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