London Logo Design Blog

UK Logo Design Trends

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:52 +0000

The UK is known for timeless designs that transcend fashion, but this does not mean that there are not always new trends sweeping the nation. Logo design is a very style-oriented field, especially for people who are in fields where keeping a modern image is important. Here are a few trends that seem to be gathering momentum right now. If you are not already seeing a lot of these motifs and themes, you probably will be seeing them soon!

Minimalism. Minimalism has been popular in UK design for the better part of a century, but it remains very much in style. It can be just perfect for giving a modern and professional feeling to a logo design. However, these logos are much more difficult to design than many other types, so be sure you talk to a logo designer about this.

Signature logos. This type of logo design is rather common in the UK, but it seems to be getting more so. This is especially true in companies that are named after the business owner. If you think about it, your signature is a logo of sorts, so using it in an actual logo makes sense. This motif is also common in design oriented fields; a signature logo is sleek, modern and appealing without being complicated or dated.

Three Dimensional logos. Three dimensional logo deigns have been available for years, but it is only recently that they have been such high quality and low cost. Three dimensional logos can represent technological superiority, but they also can suggest other emotions depending on the exact design. They are especially appropriate for modern, techy, even geeky brands.

Punctuation Inspiration. We use punctuation every day in writing, but it has been absent in the UK logo design world until very recently. However, we are beginning to see it pop up in logos around us, and it is easy to see why. Punctuation helps us set the tone for sentences and allows us to be very clear; why would this principle be any different in logo design? Punctuation logo design can feel clever and be very expressive.

Text-Only logos. One way to be simple and timeless in design is to use text only. This gives your logo design a professional and sophisticated feeling, while ensuring that you will be able to use the logo through a variety of times and fads. However, one drawback is that these can seem cold and less friendly than logos which bright and pretty images. Also, if not handled correctly, these can be less memorable for the customer base.

Whether to follow a trend or to choose a more timeless design is a completely personal decision. The type that will be most effective for your company and your consumer base depends on the unique aspects of your brand and your market. If you have any questions about the type of logo that will work best for your company, talk to a professional UK logo designer.

The British Monarchy Website Review

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:21:09 +0000

We usually write CSS website reviews for small businesses, nonprofits, and the small ventures that seem to be doing the most interesting things with CSS. However, this website review is for a venture that we all will recognize (especially after last spring): the British Monarchy. That’s right, folks, this is the website of the Queen of England.

Website Address: http://www.royal.gov.uk/

The Queen of England is not exactly considered the most modern character, but the website is very well done. It includes a variety of pictures, information on the history of the monarchy, information on the Commonwealth, and a database of information including all of the Queen’s modern-day speeches. If a person wanted to learn about the monarchy and had no interest in tabloid gossip, this would be the place to start.

The photos used throughout the website are lovely and indeed present the Queen and her family in the best possible light. The Queen seems to be quite the trooper, shown in a variety of not-fun-looking official situations.

While we can always come up with areas to criticize, the fact is that this is a website that simply has to be a little stuffy, a little fastidious to the less tradition-bound Americans among us. It is difficult for an American to understand the complicated nature of the monarchy, but this website really helped.

Creativity: 4 stars. The website has a pretty boring color scheme, but this is not an artist’s website after all. Even so, we think that this website could do well to have a few more fun elements rather than fact after fact. One interesting element that may or may not have been intentional is a slight difference in color scheme from page to page. The home page is blue, but other pages have royal purple (no pun intended) and some a duskier blue.

Ease of use: 4 stars. This website’s categories feel a little gratuitous—that is, they don’t feel logical to those of us who are not familiar with the British Monarchy. Because these people are the ones or whom the website was likely intended, this is unfortunate.

Functionality: 5 stars. Did you know the Queen has a Facebook? This just one fun function of the website. It also has a map with parts of the Commonwealth (what we used to call the British Empire) marked and even a list of vacancies for Palace staff. However you want to interact with the British Monarch, you surely will find a way here.

Content: 4 stars. All wording is impeccable; after all, it is called the Queen’s English after all. The writing may be a little too formal at times. A job announcement, for example, does not have to be quite so stuffy.

Appropriateness: 5 stars. This website, for all of its stiffness and formality, is absolutely perfect for its subject. Whether you are familiar with the Queen or not, you will find this an educational corner of the web.

Overall: 4.4 out of 5 stars

New Name, New Logo for BA’s Airmiles

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:10:55 +0000

In September, the travel loyalty programme Airmiles announced that they were rebranding, changing not just their logo and brand but their name as well. This is due to a change in business structure; Airmiles is merging with BA Miles and Iberia Plus due to the merger of British Airways and Iberia.

Because of the merger, the former Airmiles will be serving a market far beyond UK consumers. This means that the name of the company needs to be friendly to non-English speaking markets. The new name, Avios, definitely relates to aviation but has a Latin root that can be recognised by most Europeans.

The new UK logo design is a fresh and modern alternative that speaks a different language as well. The old one had a classical aviation motif, with an airplane flying in a yellow sky over billowing clouds. The yellow was eye-catching, although it didn’t really make sense as a colour for a sky. The fonts were generic and did nothing to build the brand. The logo design was definitely relevant to the industry, but it did little to build this company brand. Some of the elements were almost nonsensical, which also does not help the brand.

The new logo design is more modern and crisp. A rounded triangle is placed as an arrow pointing upward, symbolising movement. The clear blue is reminiscent of the sky and also is a calming, trustworthy colour. The name of the company is written in a lower case bespoke font that has more potential for building a brand.

The new marketing materials for the Avios company incorporate not just the font and the colours of the logo design, but also the shape. We’re not terribly fond of the bevelling and gradients—they are sometimes overused in modern UK logo design and do not seem terribly appropriate in this case—but this logo overall has more potential for both marketing and branding. We are happy to see the old nostalgic logo design replaced because it made little sense in an industry where technology and innovations are generally embraced.

Another benefit is that the ‘avio’ is going to be the new way of measuring airline miles. For example, customers may buy a ticket for 7000 avios. It is a clever way of incorporating the new name of the company into everyday operations. In addition, the more abstract logo and name will allow the company to make deals with non-airline manufacturers without interfering with the brand. For example, it makes more sense for a person to earn ‘avios’ through credit card purchases than to gain airline miles. It is a more flexible brand for a company that can really benefit from the added flexibility.

Merging is a good reason to rebrand. In this case, the merge means that the company will have a much larger and more diverse consumer base. This demands a more flexible logo design that is less region specific. The Avois brand seems to meet these criteria much better than the Airmiles one.

Gordon & MacPhail Get a New Look

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:41:41 +0000

Whisky is one of the oldest, most traditional industries in Scotland. The spirit has been made by traditional methods for hundreds of years and continues to be made mainly by these methods in modern times. Gordon & MacPhail is perhaps one of the most recognizable names in the Scotch whisky business, a major player on the scene since their establishment in 1895. The independent bottler and distillery owner recently redesigned both their logo design and their website as a means of keeping their place at the top of the market.

The new website is a one-stop portal for the company’s many whisky-related ventures, which include distillation, bottling, retail and trade, including a large import/export business. It includes links to tasting notes for the 300 separate company whiskies as well as to the company’s social networking websites. In addition, the company is now offering an online course on Scotch Whisky with partner Moray College UHI. Individual websites for the company’s many whisky brands will be redesigned in the near future as well.

The company has adopted a new and more modern version of their former logo design as well. The old logo design featured a line drawing of a buck, a traditional resident of Scotland’s countryside and a representative of strength and virility as well. The name of the company was written in traditional upper case letters in an old-fashioned font. The logo design is traditional and recognizable, but it has a few drawbacks. It feels stodgy and old, which does not match the company’s experimental attitude towards its products or its rapid growth in the modern market. Further, it just is not very attractive by modern logo design standards.

The new logo design is a better choice for this notable whisky brand. The buck has been placed in gold, which is the colour that it is usually given on bottle labels. This image now is painted in smooth, modern strokes rather than drawn in dark ink. The name is written in similar upper case letters, although they have been modified to be the same size. In addition, the lettering is a little different; it just feels more modern. The placement of the different elements feels more symmetrical; the logo design is no longer overwhelmed by a large animal at the top.

Scotch whisky distillation is a traditional industry, and it is important that companies show their part in this long tradition. However, many younger people are beginning to discover finer spirits. A brand such as this one, with elements of both tradition and modernity, is the perfect middle ground for a company such as this one.

This is a good example of how a logo design can be updated without truly being changed. Many people will not consciously recognize the difference because all of the same parts are present. These elements have merely been moved around to create a more attractive image that will appeal to contemporary markets. The legendary Gordon & MacPhail brand has not changed; it merely has been redrawn.

British Airways Embraces Tradition

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:51:04 +0000

This seems to be the year for airlines to change up their logo design and brand. Sometimes, however, a change in brand can be accomplished without completely rebranding. British Airways’ new advertisement campaign is a good example of this principle.

The new advertising campaign features ‘videos’ of old time flights in retro black and white. You can tell from the first second that the advertisement is attempting to create an old-fashioned feeling. In just one minute and a half, you are taken through a century of commercial flight, with the images becoming progressively more modern. Even the Concorde has a cameo. Toward the end of the commercials, images of modern and old time pilots are juxtaposed. The implications are clear: British Airways is maintaining the tradition and magic of flight even while using modern technology and equipment. At the end of the advertisement, we get a glimpse of the revived BA crest as well as the former strapline: To Fly. To Serve.

Tradition is appealing to many people in the UK market, more so than many others. The crest is intended to bring back the sense of tradition that British Airways once enjoyed. However, while most people in the UK want a traditional experience, we also want to be assured that our airway is using the latest equipment and safety measures. The advertisement does a great job of reintroducing the traditional crest and strapline while assuring the audience that BA is still using the most modern and safe technology.

The coat of arms may be overkill; it seems that every large business in the UK has tried a crest-based logo design at one time or another. British Airways has a lengthy past, but translating this into a heritage-based identity might not be successful. However, it should be noted that this is not meant to replace the current BA logo design so much as to augment it. It is just another part of the British Airways visual identity. The coat of arms has been in existence for decades, although it has been used sparingly in modern times. An advertising campaign such as this one is an effective way of introducing it without compromising the brand’s reputation for safety and modernity.

The company crest has been modernized into a three dimensional, metallic shape that will appeal to the contemporary UK market. However, we wonder whether this new campaign will be enough. When we hear people complain about modern airlines, the subject of service usually comes up. People are treated rather poorly on modern flights. Is this commercial an attempt to assure consumers that they will receive the type of attention that we once expected from a flight? If so, is it direct enough to make that statement?

The real lesson of this brand modification is that UK businesses can make changes to their brands without completely changing the core visual identity. If you are unsure about how to approach the rebranding process, talk to a UK logo designer or branding consultant.

Brand Crisis! Dealing with Social media Disasters Before They Happen

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:52:37 +0000

When people in the UK think of branding crisis, high profile incidences such as the BP oil spill come to mind. However, social media crises are becoming increasingly common. They can affect businesses both large and small. A new report from the Altimer Group suggests that that 76% of this year’s social media crises could have been minimized or avoided altogether if the company involved had trained their staff to respond appropriately.

But first, what is a social media crisis? By definition, it is a business crisis that is caused or exacerbated by social networking. A good example would be the public relations crisis that Nestle faced a little over a year ago when Greenpeace criticized their use of palm oil by posting a video of an office worker biting an orangutan’s finger rather than a Nestle candy bar.

Nestle responded by having YouTube remove the video and directing visitors to its social networking pages to an official response. Some responses to negative posts were made, but these were attacking and very unprofessional. When the number of negative comments reached epic proportions, the company began to delete them.

In short, Nestle acted both defensively and offensively, but never proactively. Like many UK companies, Nestle did not have a plan for dealing with social media crises. Here are a few things that should be a part of every company’s public relation crisis plan:

Delegation of duties. When you have a social media crisis, you will need to have a person seeking out the negative buzz on the internet and (if possible) another one responding to it. All responses on the internet should be made in a positive, professional tone with no immaturity or attacking language.
Respond in kind. It is usually the best plan to respond in the same format in which the attack on your company was made. For example, create a video response for a critical YouTube video and post it as a response. This way, every person who views the video will also view a link to your side of the issue.
Be human. Now is not the time to sound like a corporate wonk. Although it is important to behave professionally, you should be as personal as possible. People will attack an impersonal corporation before they will go after a real person.
Respect freedom of speech. When Nestle lobbied to have the Greenpeace video deleted and later began deleting comments, they came across as trying to squash the other side’s point of view. They looked like an angry Goliath attacking a dissenter. This fed the flames of the crisis and enraged many people in the UK and elsewhere.
Emphasize the positive. Bring up ways that you are dealing positively with the issue. For example, Nestle could have explained that many people in the candy industry use palm oil, that the company was aware of the potential issues and that they are looking for an affordable, less destructive alternative. In other words, the company is changing for the better, but this takes time.

Can Design Make You Happy?

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:41:57 +0000

Can design make you happy? Those of us in the UK design world are delighted by good design on a regular basis. In a sarcastic, amused sense, we are often delighted by bad design as well. But even for the less design-oriented, good design can make people happy. People are happier in a beautiful room or a beautiful building. We naturally prefer products that are more attractive. Not to mention that business owners are happy when good logo design brings more customers to their companies.

The idea that design can make you happy is the central theme of this year’s Design Event in the North of England. The event will run for four days in the middle of October and feature exhibitions, talks and street art. In addition, a collection called First Hand will be shown, which is the first exhibition of commercial items designed by the Royal College of Art’s course on Design Products.

The logo design for the event is literally design for design’s sake, as befits the event. The official event logo features a lemon yellow square with lower case black writing in the upper right-hand corner that says simply “design event.” However, the main image being used for the event features the words ‘You Make Me Happy’ with blanks instead of most of the vowels. This sign is written in upper-case letters and justified to the left.

So, what is the point of a design event? On a superficial level, it makes the UK public more aware of the presence of good design in their lives. Less obviously, it allows little-known and newly graduated designers to showcase their work and promote their own careers. Indeed, the North of England is a hot spot for design talent, so it makes sense that the region would have its own design event.

The Design Event in the North of England has grown substantially over just a few years, and it is now a large and well-rounded representation of design in the region. Design is becoming more and more important in modern life, especially when it comes to branding and marketing. Customers are barraged with logos in daily life. While simply having a logo was once sufficient, this is no longer the case. In order for a business to be successful, it must have a logo that has been specially created by a professional UK logo designer to appeal to a very specific market.

One of benefits of having design all around us is that our world is more attractive, full of structures and products that are aesthetically pleasing. Another benefit is that more and more artistically talented young people in the UK are going into the design trades. However, a powerful drawback is that good design has become so ubiquitous that it takes a lot to grab a customer’s attention. People see logos and design all around them, so the field is rapidly changing in an effort to entice a changing market.

The Power of Cute

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:12:39 +0000

I recently was buying chocolate (no diet advice, please) and I noticed that there is a huge amount of miniature sweets available. I reached out for a mini Toblerone without thinking, then put it back when I realised that I was buying it only because of its diminutive size.

Many people in the UK like miniature things, and brands are catching on. An obvious reason is that these small packages cost less, although when you compare the cost per unit size they generally cost quite a bit more for the same amounts. This phenomenon is something that I call the power of cute. Like kittens and babies, we are drawn to small things simply because they are cuter.

Mini products tend to sell better than larger ones, and we are not just talking about sweets here. This effect is so powerful that I predict it will become one of the major branding and marketing trends of the future. Consider: we are not intimidated by small products. In fact, we are inclined to love them. We are charmed by them. This is likely the reason that people prefer icons on their desktop or smartphone screen rather than text. Knowing this and using it can be a huge marketing advantage.

As an example, consider the success of the Australian software start-up Wotch.com. This company recently introduced a mini-browser, which basically does the same things as a normal browser but in miniature format. Just a year later, more than half a million people have the program and are downloading mini-apps that are simply smaller versions of existing ones. The number of consumers is astounding when you consider that the customers are paying simply for a smaller version of products they already own. The cute factor is the only selling point.

Micro sites are also becoming popular. Again, small equals approachable and nonthreatening. That may not be a value proposition in itself, but it appeals to many markets nonetheless. There is no real reason or rationale, but it works. The only explanation is that we are just drawn to small things.

No one understands cute marketing and branding better than the Japanese. Cute is a major factor in Japanese marketing. This trend appears to be spreading to other parts of the globe, a fact that UK logo designers should take into account. Mini-branding may be the marketing wave of the future.

This brings up a new issue for UK small business owners. How can you incorporate the cute factor into your own business? If you are selling products, smaller versions may be a possible way for your company to expand. If you are trying to market to a new audience, then less may indeed be more. There are even ways of making a logo design cuter—less words and more images, using more rounded lines, lower case fonts etc.

Before you run out to get a cute logo design of your own, there are a few things to consider. While your business may stand to benefit from a small scale product or icon, that does not mean that ‘cute’ would be a good representative of your business as a whole. Indeed, as with all fads, this is a style that should be approached with caution.

Thinking a Few Steps Ahead

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:10:03 +0000

There are so many great places to eat in London that we sometimes forget that the rest of the UK is not in the same situation. It seems as though the best restaurants are clustered in certain areas. Harrogate is one of these notable areas, with a variety of cuisines and culinary experiences available. This can make it difficult to open a new restaurant, because the owners have a great deal of notable competition. Marketing, branding, and logo design become very important because they offer a way of building a customer base. This is exactly the situation that the new Harrogate restaurant Victus is facing.

Victus is a new restaurant brand that is partially owned by Jensen Button of Formula One fame, with the Harrogate location hoped to be the first of many. Victus is offering a style of food that has proved very popular in the UK: fresh, seasonal cuisine that is for the most part healthy and locally sourced. A lot of attention has been paid to creating an attractive brand; indeed, the restaurant has been in the planning stages for two years now.

This UK restaurant logo design features a rounded shape in light grey filled with light blue. The name of the establishment is written in bold upper case letters outlined in purple. The tagline, ‘Love. Life. Food’, is written below. The general feeling is traditional with a modern twist, which is exactly type of food and the brand that the restaurant is trying to develop.

The logo design was created to be versatile. Not only is it available in the full colour version seen here, but in a colourless one as well. There are also alternate colour palettes that may be used for other locations. A more stripped down, text-only logo design was also developed for use in outdoor signage and also smaller formats such as business cards. The logo was the inspiration for every aspect of the brand, including the artwork in the location and even a bespoke wallpaper created specifically for the company.

This logo design was obviously created for a growing brand that needs versatility, but we have to wonder if they are getting ahead of themselves over at Victus. The logo is versatile, but it seems to lack personality. The multiple colour palettes seems like overkill when no new locations are even in the planning stages. If we were advising the people running this restaurant, we would probably tell them to take the first steps of opening the restaurant without so much planning for the future in these early stages.

This is the exact opposite of the most common branding and logo design error that we see in the UK. While Victus was planning for their logo design to be grow-able before the doors had even opened, many UK business owners seem to focus too much on short term success without a thought for the future. A middle road approach is usually the best. Work with a professional to create a UK logo design that has room to grow, but not at the expense of your current brand and marketing.

Adventures in Logo Design

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:55:19 +0000

Popular chain Adventure Bar recently rebranded all four of its locations, and all signs indicate that other changes are in store for the brand as well. Adventure Bar is known for being a fun drinking establishment frequented by younger adults. The brand has grown in popularity over the past few years, opening up their fourth bar recently. This made it prime time for a redesign.

The former logo design involved the name of the bar written in rounded upper case letters with the image of a colourful concoction in a martini glass. This was not by any means a ‘bad’ logo; it was sleek and modern, and it featured the item being sold by the establishment (cocktails, that is). On the other hand, brand differentiation is one of the most important goals for a bar logo design, or any logo representing the hospitality business for that matter. People need to know why they should choose Adventure Bar over the many other establishments in the area. This logo did not address that issue at all.

The new brand offers a more differentiation to be sure. Adventure Bar is known for several house cocktails that are named after animals, with colourful names such as the Monkey Midget Briefcase and the London Mule. These have been incorporated into the company website and into all brand materials. The animals are made of black and white photographs on a background of a bright red and a light, bright blue, a colour palette that has been made the basis for the logo.

The logo design has a similar form to the old one, with a few modern changes. First, the new colour palette is in place. Second, the martini glass is still part of the design, but it has been redrawn to be more playful and cartoonish. The font has been redrawn as well, in blocky letters with inserted lines that match the theme of the martini glass. The writing and image is placed in white over a red bar in the background, which itself is in front of a blue triangle.

The animals have been made the centre of the website, which is important because the drinks named for these characters are some of the more popular ones at the establishment. There are also rumours that Adventure Bar will soon begin offering food, a rumour which is supported by a poll on the company website asking whether they should do so. This is significant because many pubs are finding that offering food is a lucrative source of income as well as a great way to expand the brand.

If you are interested in stopping into an Adventure Bar near you, there are locations in Covent Garden, Clapham Junction, Balham and East Dulwich. Let us know what that Monkey Midget Briefcase tastes like. If you are a business owner looking for the same sort of success that Adventure Bar is enjoying, consider having a professional brand and logo design developed for your own establishment.