Logos should successfully do one thing for brands, especially new ones—tell people who a brand is and what it does at first glance. From the moment it’s created, a logo gets to be everywhere. It’s in pitch decks you present on internal meetings, on accounts you use and content you publish in social media, marketing collaterals you distribute outside and so on. Basically, everywhere your brand is, your logo’s there. Think of it as the visual representation that people would immediately refer back to when they think of your brand identity.

While it isn’t necessarily rocket science, creating a logo that embodies your brand and its ideals properly can be a bit tricky. It’s because every element you use must coincide with your brand and its identity. Colours should trigger the right cultural association (e.g. ‘red’ is usually used in the food industry); the typeface must look right and appropriate (e.g. high-contrast serif fonts for beauty and fashion brands); and even the shapes and lines you use must create proper associations between the logo and your audience’s view on your brand & its industry.

So, if you’re finding it difficult to create a logo that communicates your brand vision properly, then take a look at these five logo trends we have for you!

If you want to know more about what works and what doesn’t, we suggest you read one of our latest articles on recent brand logo redesigns.

Five Design Principles

Prominent design sites will tell you a lot about non-negotiable design principles that logos must embody. But for starters, we suggest you focus on these five.

Balanced

People will immediately be attracted to and recognise balanced, well-proportioned designs. Logo designs with all the elements aligned create a composition that looks good when viewed across platforms.

Simple

Good, simple logos are not overcrowded by elements and use white space perfectly to convey the aesthetics of the company and its philosophy.

Scaleable

One good indicator of a great logo is its ability to adapt and still be legible when used in any size. Its features & elements must retain their sharpness once blown up or when it’s applied to smaller items.

Timeless

Since design trends are constantly changing, it’s good to have a logo design that is timeless and classy. It would be challenging to strike that balance, but a great logo must stand the test of time while also accommodating the trends of today.

Original

An unforgettable logo is an original logo. It’s one that stays in people's minds because of how unique it is and how easily they could associate it with your brand. Think about the Nike, Apple or McDonald’s logos.

Latest logo design trends

Flat & Semi-Flat Designs

Recently, brands are leaning towards a flatter or more minimalist feel on their logo designs as well as redesigns. Big and small brands alike are dropping the flashy and ostentatious designs that marked the early 2000s. They are now moving towards “modern simplicity”. This is not just a nod to the visual trends of the time. Flat and minimalist designs also work to complement the large transition to digital platforms, where it must also coalesce with website design trends. A flat logo design, for one, is an answer to readability issues in the digital world because it is versatile and easier to replicate across platforms.

Monogram Logos

Monogram logos or lettermarks are not outgrowing their popularity anytime soon, especially since simplicity—its backbone—is never going out of style. The use of monogram logos is a great way of catching people’s attention. It may not seem much in theory, but monogram logos offer plenty of room for creativity because you get to decide on the actual typeface you use. Not to mention it’s also very adaptable and scalable. With monogram logos, the pressure’s heavy on the typeface, but the trick here is basically finding or creating a distinct typeface that you can play around with and design with your brand’s overall feel in mind.

Gradient Logos

We’ve seen the rise and decline of gradient logos in the recent decade, but its resurgence around 2016—with the Instagram logo leading that charge—brings to mind just how great the potential of this trend is. Gradient logos are eye-catching and striking enough without looking kitschy or flashy. Whether you decide to go with a soft shade that finishes on a stronger color or a bolder color that tapers off to a subdued tone, we cannot deny that the visual experience with gradient logos is really impactful, especially when paired with a solid backdrop.

Geometric Logos

As design reverts to its more traditional roots, it also revives elements that have been pushed back before, like geometric shapes. There are just so many possibilities in using geometric shapes in your logos; you can layer, overlap and merge the shapes and still get a coherent-looking logo. Another good thing about geometric logos is that they’re easier to digest since people are already familiar with the basic shapes, which magnifies brand recall.

Vintage Logo

Now’s the best time to bring some vintage elements and feel back to logo designs, especially with the intention of marrying these classic concepts with newer approaches. Take Burger King’s logo redesign, for example; it has dominated the conversation last year when they overhauled their logo to reflect its rich history. And while it isn’t always a guarantee that you’d replicate that same success with your brand, embracing a vintage style for a logo is still a great way of triggering nostalgia.

Ace the logo design project for your brand with these trending logo design tips.

Here’s the hard truth, however. A “good” logo for one person, may not even be at par with what another person has in mind. And it’s because design, in general, is very subjective. What’s palatable for one may not be “it” for another. Although of course, there are designs and styles that we can take as “universally attractive”. And these tips offer you a starting point for learning about them.

And the best thing about this is that you can choose not to be alone in this journey. Contact the Amber Creative team today and communicate with us the ideas you have for your logo! See your brand logo come to life here at Amber Creative.