The New Complexity
In 2024, logo design reached a fascinating inflection point. For much of the 2010s and 2020s, logo design was characterized by a relentless march toward simplification. Rebrands across this era typically saw the logo getting simpler, flatter, and more minimalist.
The New Complexity (continued)
After years of brands stripping down their logos to bare essentials, 2024 marked a clear turning point. This wasn’t just a gentle evolution – it was often an explicit rejection of minimalist principles.
Jaguar provided the year’s most talked-about example of this "new complexity", unveiling a controversial wordmark that mixed upper and lowercase letters in what the brand called "visual harmony." This prompted criticism from everyone from petrolhead journalists to Elon Musk. Yet Jaguar remained defiant, stating they were "not afraid to polarise."
Other designers went further. As we noted in September, Unreadable typography is the latest trend in logo design. At the extremes of this approach, fashion designer Katarzyna Konieczka launched a intentionally illegible logo based on a crown of thorns motif, incorporating barbed-wire elements and challenging every convention of clean, simple design you could possibly.
The Heritage Dilemma
Every designer embarking on a logo design has to grapple with how much of a brand’s history to maintain or discard; that’s a given. There’s never any ‘right’ answer here, it’s a balance you have to strike on a case-by-case basis. But I’d argue that in 2024, the design industry seems to be getting better and better at this tricky task.
Bose, for instance, offered a masterclass in subtle evolution, keeping its iconic 1960s wordmark largely intact while making refined adjustments to letter forms and introducing a sonic-inspired colour palette. It’s a great example of how brands can embrace modernity without abandoning their core identity.
Systems Over Symbols
Perhaps the most significant shift in 2024, though, has been the move away from thinking about logos as standalone marks. Instead, brands are increasingly focused on creating comprehensive visual systems that can adapt across different contexts while maintaining overall coherence.
This was evident in the fast-food sector, where KFC launched Saucy, with a distinct visual identity that barely acknowledged its parent brand. The hot pink palette and curvaceous logotype may have looked incongruous with the home of fried chicken, but that was kind of the point. Seen part of a broader system designed to appeal to younger consumers, while maintaining a connection to the parent brand, many see it as a genius move.
Conclusion
Whether these efforts succeed or not is not really the point. The key lesson might be that we’re entering a more nuanced era of logo design. In other words, the move away from "simplicity-for-simplicity’s sake" doesn’t necessarily mean a pendulum swing towards "complexity for complexity’s sake". Instead, brands are seeking thoughtful approaches that consider heritage, function, and systematic application while still striving for distinction in a crowded visual landscape.
FAQs
Q: What is the most significant shift in logo design in 2024?
A: The move away from thinking about logos as standalone marks and towards creating comprehensive visual systems that can adapt across different contexts.
Q: What is an example of a brand that successfully evolved its logo in 2024?
A: Bose, which refined its iconic 1960s wordmark and introduced a sonic-inspired colour palette.
Q: What is an example of a brand that failed to successfully evolve its logo in 2024?
A: Nottingham Building Society, which abandoned its Robin Hood logo in favour of an abstract "loopy N" and sparked local outrage.
Q: What is the key lesson of 2024’s logo design trends?
A: The move away from "simplicity-for-simplicity’s sake" and towards thoughtful approaches that consider heritage, function, and systematic application.
