Thoughts on : De-branding
In recent years, there has been a growing trend among some of the world's biggest companies to simplify their logos and identities, a process known as de-branding. Burger King, Rolling Stone, Volkswagen, Kia, Pfizer, Nissan, Durex, Intel, and Toyota are just a few examples of major brands that have undergone this process. Even the beloved snack food character Julius Pringle has undergone a makeover, with a flattened look and a new hairstyle. But what has prompted this widespread de-branding?
One of the most immediate factors is the pressure of mobile-first design. In the past, clients would often ask for logos to be made larger, but now the challenge is to shrink an entire identity into a tiny digital box. This pixel pressure often leads to a return to the 2D look of the past. Before the advent of computers, this 2D look was the norm, but as design technology advanced, there was a tendency for designers to over-complicate logos with 3D effects, gradients, and other visual flourishes. This can be seductive, but it can also overpower the creative brief and distract from the core message of a brand. Many recent de-branding efforts can be seen as a return to simplicity and sobriety after a period of visual excess.
Another factor is the question of maturity. Many of the biggest brands today were born with playful, cartoonish logos that reflected their youthful, innovative spirit. As these companies grew and the stakes became higher, their logos were often updated to reflect a more professional image. For example, Google, Foursquare, Airbnb, and GoDaddy have all gone through logo redesigns that have made them more corporate and less playful. This is a natural process that reflects the evolution of a brand as it matures.
Fashion also plays a role in logo design. Just as clothing and hairstyles go in and out of style, so do logos. For example, in 2012, Yves Saint Laurent introduced the "little black dress" logo, which was quickly adopted by other brands such as Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Burberry, and Balmain. This shows how logos can be influenced by current design trends and how they can reflect the zeitgeist.
It's not just form the is becoming more simplied, colour is too. According to an analysis by OneChart, the world is becoming less colorful over time. The study analyzed the colors used in logos, album covers, and film posters from different decades, and found that there has been a trend towards the use of fewer colours. In the 1970s, the average number of colours used in these media was around 5, but by the 2010s, that number had decreased to around 3. The study also found that certain colours have become more or less popular over time. For example, red and blue have remained consistently popular, while the use of green and purple has decreased. One possible explanation for these trends is the increasing prevalence of digital media - which may make it more difficult to reproduce more complex colours accurately across digital and print media spaces.
Not that it's all negative. There are positive aspects to the simplification of our design world. The most intriguing element of the de-branded is its potential to become a portal. Warner Brothers didn't just strip back its theatrical golden guilt. It unlocked a world of possibility that's increasingly vital to brands that span genres, showcase variety or offer sub categories for differing audiences. For all these reasons it seems likely that debranding will be with us for a while. But who knows when the pendulum will swing and the trend revert to detail, complexity and personality? After all, once a critical masses zagged against the prevailing zig, the margin becomes mainstream, the template flips and the dance begins…
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