← The Angry Designer Graphic Design, Freelancing, Branding & Creative Business Podcast
The Angry Designer Graphic Design, Freelancing, Branding & Creative Business Podcast
Logo Design Trends Are Distracting Graphic Designers From Real Problems & Opportunities
00:12:45
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- [00:00]
A
It's that time of year again. You know what I'm talking about. Every blog, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube expert is dropping the top 10 logo design trends for next year. You know that list, right? Gradients, 3D revivals, minimalistic maximalism. The same basic crap that they tried to give us 10 years ago, but with shinier new names. But here's the thing. Logo trends, they're not design trends at all. They're about brands with big problems making bad decisions that lead to bigger problems. Because if a company, company has to redesign its logo every few years just to try to stay relevant, that's not a trend. That's a real problem that a real designer can solve. In this episode of the Angry Designer podcast, powered by Wick Studio, I'm here to talk about the truth behind logo trends. Why they exist, you know, what makes one timeless and what timeless designers do differently. Because here's the bigger opportunity for designers. If you understand why trends exist, you can stop chasing them and start building logos and brands and careers that actually matter. And last, because designers who can design beyond the surface, they're the ones who can't get replaced. Let's go. All right. Rebranding has literally become a frickin addiction. Companies just can't stop rebranding. It's like an itch that they can't stop scratching. Pepsi's done it like seven times. And Tropic Canada tried to freshen things up and they lost like $20 million. And cracker barrel, well, they just really fucked up when they tried to modernize and started apologizing to everybody on Twitter. It's like every time a company has something new to announce, new CEO or product line or new direction, they feel the need to rebrand. Because a new logo is going to change everything when nothing actually inside the company has changed. Unless there's a real reason a company should be rebrand. Like maybe a massive shift in their business model or a negative brand perception. Or maybe they mer merged with another company or repositioned. The logo's just painting over cracks. And that's where designers come in. Our job isn't to grab the brief and open up Illustrator and start designing. It's to figure out why they think they need a new logo in the first place. So this way we can create something that they'll never have to replace again. But there is a myth about timeless logo design, what most designers actually get wrong. You're told that if you design something Swiss modern and perfectly gridded and balanced and minimal, it'll automatically Be timeless. You know, if you make something simple and iconic and responsive, you know it'll magically last forever. As though the perfect logo design itself will carry the company into the future for decades. Nope, you can't make something timeless by rounding corners or thickening lines or adding negative space to it. That's not strategy, that's style. Timeless logos don't survive because they're pretty. They survive because the companies behind them stay consistent, clear and connected to what they stand for, to their customers. Nike's swoosh wasn't designed to be cool. It was designed to move and symbolize motion. And victory did it though. Really. Regardless though, Nike stayed consistent with that message for decades and their campaigns evolved. It redefined what victory actually meant to them. Apple's logo didn't last for decades because it's minimal. It lasted because of the brand promise of simplicity and human connection that never changed for the company. Timeless logos don't survive because they're perfectly designed. They survive because the brands behind them never broke their promise to their customers. And now a word from our sponsor.
- [03:52]
B
All right, designer beginners, let's cut the bull. How many times have you had a killer website designed only to watch it fall apart because of code or developer.
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A
Telling you no, no, no.
- [04:04]
B
Or maybe you've held back from web design altogether, thinking it's just too complicated and too technical or totally out of your wheelhouse.
- [04:11]
A
Either way, it's time for a change.
- [04:14]
B
Wix Studio is designed for designers, removing the barriers that limits your designs. Whether you're tired of developers watering down your ideas or too intimidated by the technical side of web, Wix Studio puts the creative power back in your hands. No code required. With a drag and drop interface that feels designer intuitive. Plus no code, animations and even AI powered tools, you can create fully custom websites that match your your vision, every pixel, every detail.
- [04:50]
A
And if you're worried about the learning curve, don't be.
- [04:53]
B
Wick Studio is designed to feel as intuitive as your favorite design tools. Some designers here even say more. So that means you can jump right in and focus on what you do best. Designing badass brand aligned websites that'll take your business to the next level. So whether you've had enough of developers holding you back or you're ready to finally step into web design, check out wix studio.com and take control. That's wix studio.com go and take back web design for graphic designers.
- [05:29]
A
So who's really to blame here? The companies or the designers? Honestly, both companies panic. They, they chase trends because it's easier to look relevant than to be relevant. And designers, we feed into that habit because it's easier to follow what's. Than to ask those hard questions and risk confrontation with their customers. Plus, we love that shiny stuff, you know, the. The behance vibes, the dribble dopamine that we get, the Instagram instructions. Here's the thing, though. When your value as a designer stops at style, AI is coming for your ass. It already knows how to make things, you know, look good, make gradients and icons in seconds. It's just got to get better at it. But it will get better. That's why we can't just make things look good. We need to think and act like designers. Dig deep, ask questions, identify problems, not just decorate them. The designer who solves problems will always outlast the one who just follows directions. So when a customer tells you that they need a rebrand, challenge them nicely, of course, but, like, make it casual. Tell them you're going to play devil's advocate and ask a couple really hard questions. You know, why do you feel you need a rebrand? What. What problem is it going to solve? Has your audience changed? You know, what about your brand identity? No longer represents who the company actually is, who you are. These are the kind of questions that separate designers from order takers, the kind of questions that actually start conversations that reveal more than just a client's personal taste. Once you understand who, why they want to change, you can then guide them how to change. Maybe it's not actually a new logo. Maybe it's a campaign. Maybe it's a message. You know, a refresh, a new tone, an updated story. Nike doesn't redesign the swoosh every few years. They just keep telling new stories that make that same swoosh feel current and alive again. Same with Coca Cola. Different decades, different campaigns, same brand heartbeat. Okay, if you can't make your old logo feel new, that's not a design problem, a storytelling problem. That's how brands stay timeless. But trying to look timeless is like trying to look cool. The harder you try, the less you actually are timeless. Design isn't luck. It's understanding what gives a logo staying power. And nobody did that better than Saul Bass. His logos had an average lifespan of 30 years. And here's why. Number one, he designed logos from the inside out. He didn't design for the companies. He designed from within them. He immersed himself in what made them tick. He wanted to know everything. What problem do they solve? What kind of relationship do they want with Their customers. What emotion defines their culture? His logos weren't actual marketing exercises. They were visual representations of who the company actually was. Number two, he simplified logos until they couldn't be misunderstood. He believed that clarity was timeless. He stripped away anything decorative, anything trendy, until the core symbol was left, something that was universally understood. AT T's globe, it stood for connection and communication. Or Continental Airlines jet tail, it stood for movement and progress. And bell systems, Bell simplicity and reliability. These are ideas that never age because they express things that people always value. And number three, he didn't chase trends. He created symbols that lasted while other people responded to visual fashion. Saul Bass designed based on principles that lasted forever. Balance, clarity, proportion. He didn't fall follow culture. He anchored the brand. And when those companies eventually did replace his marks, 30 years later, they felt cheaper. They were on a surface level. They were. They were thin makeovers and not reflections of what the company actually was. Timeless design isn't about luck. It's about understanding what doesn't change in a company when everything else does. So what's the takeaway here? I get it. This isn't going to happen overnight. Changing stuff the way, like the way you think and how you do things, that takes time. If you want to future proof your career, stop being the person who makes logos. Start being the person who understands why logos matter. And that's where the real value of design lives. That's where the biggest opportunities are for designers. And it's where real designers step up, turning from decorators into strategists. From making things pop to making things matter. From being a logo creator to a brand thinker. Feature doesn't need any more design trends, please. It needs more designers who. Who think before they actually Dr. The designer who asks better questions will always create better outcomes. So, yeah, here's next year's logo design trends. Stop changing the fricking logo and start fixing your customer's brand. Because timeless logo design isn't about trends or templates, but it's about building something that lasts because it's built on purpose, not on prettiness. It's about creating something that's rooted in what matters for a company and that never needs to change. Don't forget to like and subscribe, guys. Comment. You know, hit us up on our socials. And of course, if you want more of this, then don't forget to sign up for our newsletter. Anger management for design. On behalf of Sean and myself, stay creative and stay angry. Peace.