Minimalist logo design, is it for you?
When it comes to designing company logos, what kind of look do you usually prefer? Do you gravitate toward a wide range of graphic elements? Perhaps it’s time to try something different, especially if your clients haven’t been approving your designs.
Have you heard of the term “less is more?”
Maybe it’s time to give minimalism a try.
Read on as we delve deeper into minimalism and how you can apply it to logo design.
What is minimalism?
Minimalism isn’t just for business logos. It’s actually a whole movement that started back in the 1960s. It gets its influence from the Bauhaus culture, which rejects wild, lavish designs. Instead, it calls for more natural, down-to-earth elements.
So, if you take that idea of minimalism and apply it to your life, you can be called a minimalist. And if you use minimalism in design to create a logo, it would be a minimalist logo design.
What is a minimalist logo design?
You might be wondering what constitutes a minimalist logo design. Or you might be on Google right now typing “how to design a modern minimalist logo” in the search bar. We can answer that right now.
Essentially, the design is one that doesn’t look too fancy. There are no complicated layouts. Whatever you design has a clean composition and only one or two colors.
Pretty straightforward, isn’t it?
But remember, a logo should also help the brand. So, even if you design one that is considered minimalist, if it’s not related to the brand, it’s useless. The logo should still accurately represent what the company is about. Plus, it should help make the business memorable.
A great example of a minimalist design is any flat logo. Adobe defines a flat logo as a two-dimensional, simple, and silhouette-driven design. It has no highlights, shadows, or intricate details. The simplicity makes it more eye-catching.
What are the advantages of using a minimalist logo design for your business?
Minimalist designs or logos are incredibly effortless to memorize and understand. That’s because they’re pretty straightforward. Instead of trying to make your audience remember many different colors and elements, you’re showing them something uncomplicated. And that makes it easier for their minds to recall the logo.
Plus, minimalist logos are easier to transfer to any kind of medium. Whether you need the logo on a newspaper or a card, you won’t have a hard time making it fit. Very convenient, don’t you think so?
What are some businesses that use minimalist logo design?
Not convinced to use a minimalist logo just yet? Well, maybe this list of well-known businesses who use them will help you change your mind.
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Apple
What’s more iconic than the Apple logo? It’s changed from a colorful apple to one that is monochromatic on a plain background, but you know it’s Apple. And the bite out of the apple really adds to the memorability!
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Nike
The Nike “swoosh” is another iconic minimalist logo. Everyone can recognize that it means Nike. And when you look at it, it represents movement, which is perfect because Nike is an athletic brand. It can also be interpreted as a checkmark, which works well with Nike’s “Just do it” phrase. As in, you did it, and now you can check it off. Got it?
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Adidas
Here’s another athletic brand with a minimalist logo. The three stripes of Adidas represent mountains to climb. And that works very well with their phrase “Impossible is nothing.” Combined with the lowercase and easy-to-read company name, it’s sure to stay in customers’ minds for a very long time.
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McDonald’s
When you see the Golden Arches, you just know it represents McDonald’s. It’s an M shape in a distinct yellow color. You can’t get any more minimalist than that, can you? But you can also see that the M has a very unique curve, which helps it stand out. And when it comes to food, you know you have to stand out more than your competitors.
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Zoom
We’ve talked about the Zoom logo before. The design is very straightforward. It spells out the word “zoom” with a distinctive font and color. That has helped the company be easily identifiable and remembered even with just one glance.
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Netflix
Netflix may have shortened its logo to just the N, but that red N on that black background? So iconic! There’s no way you can mistake its logo for anything else. You know and remember it immediately.
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Airbnb
Airbnb is another company that chopped off part of its original logo design. But that A shape means a lot. Check out the subtle intersecting lines. It says that Airbnb is a company that is inclusive and promotes community.
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Audi
Circles are used to represent unity. And if you know the history of Audi, you know that it’s a product of four companies that merged to create today’s company. And it’s a car corporation, so four circles may also mean the four wheels of a car. Isn’t that cool?
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Target
Target has a bullseye for a logo – a perfect representation, don’t you think? Plus, it conveys the promise that whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it at Target. You’ll hit your target, in other words.
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Twitter
Twitter is the platform for a lot of limited and concise text posts. It’s like how a bird sounds, right? It tweets, thus the bird logo. Get the connection? It’s straightforward, memorable, and perfectly relevant.
Final words
As you can see, the list of company logos above proves that less is more. In fact, it can actually be said that the less complicated the symbol, the more memorable it is. And when a logo is unforgettable, that means audiences will remember the associated company very well.
That is the sheer power of a minimalist design logo.
Ready to make your own?
Experiment with minimalist elements until you find one that fits your brand. And don’t rush. Few classic logos were created on the very first attempt. Remember, even Google went through many changes before settling on their current minimalist logo.
Enjoy the process!