ith abstraction still in its infant stages within corporate design, the Brands of the Past were at the mercy of the literal. A characteristic lack of synthesis made them oversaturated and ornamental, more items of exclusivity resembling the clan crests of yore than actual pieces of communicatio
Coca-Cola is the world’s most popular soft drink. The Coca-Cola logo, like the product itself, is rated among the most recognized logos and brands in the world. The first Coca-Cola logo was created by John Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank Mason Robinson, in 1885. Thinking that the two Cs would look well in advertising, it was Robinson who came up with the name and chose the logo’s distinctive cursive script. The typeface used, known as Spencerian script, was developed in the mid 19th century and was the dominant form of formal handwriting in the United States during that period. The red and white colored scheme in the Coca-Cola logo was kept simple and distinctive to lure young minds. Coca-Cola is a flagship example of a Brand of the Past that, through uniqueness and popularity, has gained a timeless quality.
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1891
Down through the years, IBM (and its predecessors) has used a series of logos to make a distinctive statement and foster immediate recognition worlwide. The International Time Recording Company (ITR). It’s main product line were mainly mechanical time recorders invented and patented by Willard L. Bundy in 1888. In 1891, Edward Canby and Orange O. Ozias, two businessmen from Dayton, Ohio, purchased the patents for the newly invented computing scale and incorporated the Computing Scale Company
1911
1924
for commercial scales. ITR, the main company, was later on merged into the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. in 1911. In 1924, the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company adopted the name International Business Machines Corporation. The ornate, rococo letters that formed the “CTR” logo were replaced by the words “Business Machines” in more contemporary sans-sarif type, and in a form intended to suggest a globe, girdled by the word “International.”
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IBM borrowed on the equities in its repu- that any changes would come within an tation to help carry it through a difficult overall continuity. Created by noted designer transition from the punched-card tabulat- Paul Rand, the new logotype replaced the ing to computers. It began with a change of former typeface with City Medium, giving logotype, the first in 22 years. The new logo a more solid and balanced appearance to first appeared on the masthead of the 1947, “IBM.” In 1972, the company introduced January 1 issue of Business Machines. The a new version of the logotype. Designed by “globe” was replaced with the simple letters Paul Rand, horizontal stripes now replaced IBM in a typeface called Beton Bold. In May the solid letters of “IBM” to suggest speed 1956, Tom Watson, Jr. moved quickly, using and dynamism. Since then the design has symbols to signify a new era. The first visible remained constant, one of the most recogexpression was a relatively subtle change in the nized logotypes in the world, and a design company’s logotype subtle, to communicate that has been widely imitated by others.
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The Brands of the Present are modern. Contemporary perspectives have led them to, like life forms in evolution, shed their unnecessary appendices and become more efficient. Nevertheless some vestiges of the past remain, although, when kept as echoes of past character, they give modern marks an element of exclusivity that the excess of abstraction might steal away.
The Science Channel, one of the channels from Discovery Communications LLC, unveiled a new identity that positions it on par with popular sister channel TLC, that has a unique identity, by stripping the parent company’s endorsing globe and
Above the simple logo redesign. Left: the old version.
letting the eight-year-old channel stand on its own. The new logo is less subtle with
surgery done to the n’s, giving it an un-
the clear reference to the periodic table.
necessary added layer of trendines. The s
It makes for a great logo on TV, as it will
is condensed making it feel out of place,
be recognizable when rendered small.
specially in contrast to other characters.
The logo is set in Avant Garde with some
The new identity feels fresh and lively.
Redesigns have become quite popular. With the world more connected every day by the media, brands have been forced to consolidate their images, a process which tends to start by reinventing the mark. Although some redesigns are not quite revolutionary, like the Delta example, they have merit. The font is now sans serif all caps creating stability and the symbol’s colors now have an adjacent harmony. With UPS, Apple and Peugeot we can see a movement towards futuristic looks.
From top left to bottom right: Delta Airlines, United Postal Service, Apple Computers and Peugeot Vehicles. The examples depict the contemporary trend of adding visual tridimensionality to simplified marks.
The Nike “Swoosh� was designed in
propriate and meaningful symbol for a
1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic
company that marketed running shoes.
design student at Portland State Univer-
In 1983, Knight gave Davidson a gold
sity. She met Phil Knight while he was
Swoosh ring and an envelope with Nike
teaching accounting classes and she
stock to express his gratitude.
started doing some freelance work for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). BRS needed a new brand for a new line of athletic footwear it was preparing to introduce in 1972. Knight approached Davidson for design ideas, and she agreed to provide them, charging a rate of $2 per hour. In June 1971, Davidson presented a number of design options to Knight and other BRS executives, and they ultimately selected the mark now known globally as the Swoosh. Davidson submitted a bill for $35 for her work. The solid corporate logo design check was registered as a trademark in 1995. The Nike logo design is an abstract wing -referring to the Greek Goddess-, ap-
The great level of abstraction of the Nike logo has granted it universal recognition. Thanks to that it can appear as a symbol alone or even as a deformed image -like the example aboveand still be identified. The opposite page shows it being used as a discrete signature after it has been shown in unison with the product.
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Throughout MTV’s early days, The only constant aspects of the channel’s main logo was a MTV’s logo at the time were its large “M” with the letters “TV,” general shape and proportions; but unlike most networks’ logos, everything else was dynamic. the MTV logo constantly morphed The channel’s most popular and adapted with different colors, image and branding campaign, patterns, and images filling in the “I want my MTV!,” was large block letter. The very first launched in 1983 and featured moments of MTV after the “moon known artists and celebrities landing,” as well as the top of every interacting with the MTV logo hour until at least the mid-1980s, on-air, encouraging viewers to featured a rapidly changing station call their cable providers and ID logo that changed its appear- request that MTV be added to ance several times per second. their local channel lineups.
MTV’s Once original morphing logo had run its course, the channel began to use a solid white logo, otherwise the same as the original. During the late 1990s MTV updated its on-air appearance at the beginning of every year and each summer. MTV then introduced a static, singlecolor graphic during all of its other programming.
MTV’s morphing mark was a step towards the future of inconsistent but effective brand recognition.
The current official Google pop logo was designed by Ruth Kedar. It is a wordmark based on the Catull typeface. The company also includes various modifications and/or humorous features, such as cartoon modifications, of their logo for use on holidays, birthdays of famous people, and major events, such as the Olympics. These special logos, some designed by Dennis Hwang, have become known as Google Doodles. As of 21 March 2010, Google’s own gallery features 770 logos. In 1998 Sergey Brin created a computerized version of the Google letters using the free graphics program GIMP after learning how to use it. The exclamation mark was added, mimicking the Yahoo! logo. “There were a lot of different color iterations,” says Ruth Kedar, the graphic designer who developed the now-famous logo. “We ended up with the primary colors, but instead of having the pattern go in order, we put a secondary color on the O, which brought back the idea that Google doesn’t follow the rules.”
The Google apps (left) are a great example of expansion by the brands of the future. Google maintains its image by sticking to a strict chromatic array. In some cases gradation and light effects make the colors vary but the essence of the hue stays the same. Inconsistency is present though when it comes to the typeface choice and treatment. The Google logo variations (below) display the mark’s ability to be boldly modified and still retain consistency. The motifs vary from historical figures’ birthdays to holidays. This open attitude towards brand deformity makes the logo, which by itself is nothing special, quite extraordinary.
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