The term logo is a shortened form of ‘logogram’ which means a sign or character that represents a word or phrase. So, hieroglyphs and pictograms are therefore some of the earliest historical examples of logos.
The history of logo design begins with the roots of human expression. In fact, the fundamental power of symbols remains the most important element of logo design. A logo has meaning because it draws on centuries of signs and symbols and visual language. Humans have used logos and graphic iconography for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, first used their hieroglyphics to brand and identify their belongings.
In medieval times, people used graphic imagery like coats of arms to identify the status of different houses and nobility. These were used to help recognize and distinguish, similar to how logos are used today. Heraldry, for instance, was a unique design that identified the house you belonged to or were fighting for, but it also communicated a message about the values and characteristics of that house.
Fast forwarding to the 20th century, where the commercial world was growing exponentially, the advent of the printing press changed all that, and it was a real turning point in the history of logo design. The introduction of color printing and the advertising industry pushed logos to become essential for companies if they wanted to become memorable to potential customers. However, back then, the concept of targeted marketing didn’t exist. So designers tended to use the same imagery for multiple products.
Over the last century, logos have seen a huge boost in popularity – due to a vast number of businesses and industries we now have. Businesses found that they needed more than a simple mark to distinguish themselves from their competitors. They needed something unique and memorable.
As our lifestyles became more complex, we experienced visual overload. For this reason, logos now revert from complexity and have taken on the “Less is More” design concept. The simpler the logo, the easier and faster it becomes recognizable in the modern world.
This PBS video out here is a good example of what we’ve discussed.
What about to do your own logo now?
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