Living Logos: Corporate Identity in a Time of Change

As the saying goes, technology has the shelf life of a banana. So, it shouldn’t be any surprise that as technology has infiltrated more of our lives than ever, near-constant change has become routine. Mainly with the advent of smartphones, we’ve grown accustomed to receiving and expecting updates on just about everything — from news feeds and app updates to the hardware itself, we’ve been trained to think and act in the short term.

And brands are reaping the benefits. They’re able to see, act and react in real-time across the entire customer experience, continually pushing updates and evolutions of brands and products further to close the gap between them and the customer. But in the hustle and bustle of change, where does that leave the logo, traditionally the chief visual expression of a brand? Does something historically designed to be immutable have a place in today’s economy of change? This dissonance has caused many to question if the logo is still relevant. However, despite all the complexities of the modern brand experience, logos not only have a place in today’s modern brand — they are essential.

The logo isn’t dead — but is our approach?

Logos create more conversation and drama than ever before — a phenomenon Michael Bierut of Pentagram has referred to as Graphic Design Criticism as a Spectator Sport. Just look at the passionate commentary around some of the most recent logo unveilings: Airbnb, Uber, The Met, etc. Something deep within each of us connects to a logo whether we see it on an app icon, social platform, or in a television commercial. Combine that with an increasing awareness of design’s influence, and it’s not hard to see that our interest in logos is as strong as ever. But, despite the appetite for them, are brands using logos to their full potential?

Technology is unlocking opportunities to create things previously unimaginable, yet logos largely seem to settle for the same kind of simple marks brands have been producing for decades. Yes, simplicity and consistency are essential, but have those edicts been taken too far? How might we rethink logos in light of advancements in data science, artificial intelligence, and personalized 1:1 brand experiences?

From Identification to Experience

Before we look into what logos could be, it’s helpful to look back at what they have been.

Identification.

The term “branding” has its origins in the custom marks a rancher would use to distinguish their cattle from others. This idea of differentiation was later applied to everyday items — from food packaging to clothing — building customer trust and recognition. Simple identification was taken to a new level when Bass Brewery was granted the first UK trademark for their red, triangular logo in 1876. By legally protecting their logo under copyright, Bass sent a message to the world that the logo was a valuable brand element and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Moreover, their trademark carved out space for Bass to grow while protecting their brand from impersonators and like-minded competition.

Experience.

In the 1980s, MTV’s identity represented a revolution in logo design. The notion that the logo changes, moves, breaks, and reforms, shattered the preconceptions that a logo must be fixed. Like television — at the time the world’s new preeminent medium — brands aren’t static. They’re multifaceted experiences made up of many parts, just one of which is the logo.

This idea of a multifaceted logo came to fruition again in 2009, when AOL launched their rebrand and swapped the iconic triangle and sphere that graced millions of compact discs for a modern identity that paired a static mark with alternating backgrounds. The idea represented their breadth of content and connoted individuality, allowing them to customize the logo for each impression.

The Next Evolution

It’s true that as we continue in the era of experiences, any single brand touchpoint will carry less and less weight. But that doesn’t mean brands should rest on their laurels. Consumers now want to define and shape brands instead of just consuming them. As a result, brands that live in and keep up with the digital world need to evolve. As we consider how they do that, let’s not forget about the logo. For some, a static logo might be the correct answer. For others, it may not be. The idea isn’t to use technology for technology’s sake but to make logos as communicative and meaningful as we can.

So, where do we go from here? For logos to accurately reflect the human era they’re in today; they must consider a few themes. Here are some concepts for inspiration.

…in Technology

Throughout history, technology has changed the way logos have come into being. As the tools evolved, so did the logos. In today’s ever-changing, tech-driven economy, are there new or alternative tools that can be utilized? For example, the symbol for Mesosphere, a startup aiming to make cloud systems more accessible, was created by authoring an open-source application and tweaking the code generated by the app to generate an endless supply of forms, from which the designers hand-selected the most pleasing, giving them a nearly infinite number of combinations.

…in Data

Data is powerful, and brands use it like never before to connect to their customers. How can it aid in the creation of a logo? The recent rebrand for Premier League is a great example. The design team used eye-tracking software during focus groups to understand where people concentrated most of their attention on the previous logo. When it came time to create the updated mark, the team had a rich, robust data set to fuel their work.

…in Motion

Along with a new wordmark, Google’s recent rebrand ushered in their dots, showcasing intelligence at work and indicating when Google is working for you. They considered a full range of expressions, including listening, thinking, replying, incomprehension, and confirmation. Each subtle cue lets the user know they have been heard.

… in Response

The concept of responsiveness doesn’t have to be limited to your website. Logos can adapt to the contexts they’re placed within — web, television, print, social, and television. The identity for the Whitney Museum of American Art does this beautifully, as the W expands, contracts, and reacts to the elements on each piece it’s applied to. Their responsive W reflects the building’s architecture and the ever-changing and dynamic perspectives of its visitors and contemporary artists. More than a logo, it’s a system designed to make the most of each piece.

…in Personalization

Mimicking human reaction, logos can now react to external inputs from an individual. When South American telecoms company Oi launched its new identity, they designed a user-generated logo that responds to the sound of the customer’s voice. Furthermore, they built software that enables anyone to create and save their personalized version of the Oi logo based on the inputted sound. As we look further into the future, logos might acknowledge and evolve based on additional inputs, such as a device’s camera, time of day, location, amount of use, a change in a customer’s need, or their position in the customer journey. If customer experience is truly the holy grail, then why shouldn’t every brand element (logo included) keep up to reflect a 1:1 connection with your customer?

These examples represent only the first steps toward living logos. As we explore the ways technology and data can influence brand identity, we’ll uncover unique new ways logos can be used to create meaningful connections between brands and customers.

This originally appeared on the Studio Science blog.