How to create visual symbols that can become the icons of the future. Five fundamental principles to create successful identity design.
Identity designers are great conceptualists, mastering the art of visual communication to summarise the heart of a business into one simple visual. These symbols will be invested with meaning and emotional connections as the audience interacts with them.
There is something we want to communicate. Design identity is not an aesthetic exercise, it is pure visual communication. There is a message that wants to be conveyed. This main message might be just the heart of the company itself.
As a designer, when you face the “scary white piece of paper” make sure you have a very clear and defined idea of what is the purpose. I always write down a lot of different descriptive adjectives that I want to convey, this will be my checklist later on, to see if I am on track. If I can reduce the whole company idea to a meaningful sentence, that helps me visualise the purpose- this is my first exercise. Never start sketching unless you know what you are doing.
The iconic Kodak logo design displays a letter “K” playing with light and darkness. The logo uses the negative space to achieve a K that shouts projection. The Airbnb symbol reduces the idea of locations to a simple memorable letter “A” that has a clear connection to what they offer as a business.
Make sure you understand and know very well what you are trying to communicate before you start your first sketch.
Many define memorability as unique. However, this definition is not accurate. “Memorable” refers to something that is easily remembered, in other words, it leaves a lasting impression, making them more likely to recall and recognise it.
Several factors contribute to making something memorable, including uniqueness, simplicity, emotional appeal, repetition etc. When designing a logo, memorability of this logo means that the audience will be able (more or less successfully) to reproduce it, which means that they have internalised it. Therefore, anything similar they see they will remember the logo, and it will become part of their visual language.
No doubt that Apple and Nike have done an outstanding job on this. Much of their success is sticking to their brand through time, Apple introduced the “apple” in 1977 and Nike their legendary ‘Swoosh’ in 1971. So, this brings us to our next “must-have”.
When designing identity, we need to control and reduce the influence of time. Controlling the quality of enduring and remaining relevant and appealing across different periods of time.
The design should maintain its aesthetic appeal and functionality over the years. If you help yourself to define a logo by the current trends, styles, cultures or sub-cultures, you are probably creating something that will be irrelevant tomorrow.
A design considered timeless has qualities that don’t age or become obsolete. It is important identity design can adapt to evolving market conditions while maintaining a consistent and enduring image.
The London Underground logo was created in 1915, during its first ten years of implementation rules were set around it and it has barely presented any modifications since then.
Simplicity is often the best approach to keep relevance and appeal through time.
Simplicity helps memorability and helps design to be timeless, too. Simplicity is often the most difficult thing to achieve. Simplification is the most underrated superpower of a designer.
People often criticise logos saying that their four-year-old could have drawn them. I can’t help myself but think that this is rather a compliment. If you can communicate a strong message in such simplicity, that even the most rudimentary or uneducated mind can not just process but replicate, it is a great success.
Target, Mcdonald's, Chanel and Levi’s logos are examples of very simple logos that have become extremely successful symbols. Part of their success is also how these logos have been implemented. They have become part of their brand products, packaging or distinctive details like the Red Tab in Levi’s case. This brings me to the last fundamental, which refers to usability.
Versatility is the ability to adapt or be used in various ways or for various purposes, channels or mediums. A good symbol, lockup or logo has to consider carefully its different uses, mediums, purposes and possibilities and make sure it will perform well in different situations or contexts.
Imagine that Apple hadn’t rebranded to its iconic “Apple logo”. Their very iconic and versatile symbol would have struggled to perform in the different packaging, channels and mediums. Not even counting their brand architecture… imagine how Apple Music or Apple TV would look…
There are many important things when creating a visual identity or a visual system. These are the fundamental must-have. If your design fails to achieve any of these principles, I urge you to revisit it and resolve it… as other things will be negotiable, but these five things certainly need to be there.
