The Best Logos Embrace Simplicity

Take a look at some of the most famous brands out there. Think Apple. Nike. Google. 

What do all of these brands have in common? They’re simple.

Here’s why the simplest logos are almost always the most effective? 

A simple logo makes you look more professional

Worse, a complicated, over-designed logo actually screams that you’re small potatoes. Such logos will actually turn away potential customers who will think “Gee, this business must just be starting out.”

A simple logo is better in a digital environment

Complicated logos are bad enough in print. But, they’re horrific in the digital environment especially if someone’s looking at your website on a mobile phone.

What’s wonderful about the digital environment is how fluid and malleable it is. So give yourself a leg-up by creating a simple logo that can hold its own in this ever-changing digital world.

A simple logo allows for more creative expression

Let’s think of Nike and the campaigns they’ve done. When they show the poster of the basketball player soaring in the air, their simple logo is a powerful anchor to a riveting ad.

A simple logo has a broader appeal

A simple logo with well-crafted typography and an understated mark has much greater odds of appealing to more people. Think about how effective the Target logo has been. As soon as you see that bullseye, you know it’s Target. That’s the power of simplicity.

Now think about the myriad of famous brands that have no mark. Gap, Nordstrom, and Google are great examples. The job of these logos is to have broad appeal. These companies recognized that adding a mark could narrow the effectiveness of the brand in the marketplace.

A simple logo goes the distance

Even Apple had to re-think their logo. The initial rainbow-colored logo was just too fussy. And so over the years, the Apple branding team whittled the logo to the breath of fresh air it is today. Simple, and yet so distinctive.

It’s not to say that any logo with a more decorative mark will fail. Starbucks has done just fine with their mermaid. But even they had to re-visit their logo a few years ago to refine and simplify it.

Edited by: 浪子

Bibliography

Elicia Putnam. (n.d). The Best Logos Embrace Simplicity. Retrieved from 
https://articles.bplans.com/your-logo-the-power-of-simplicity/