- As the designers of logos,
we are visual linguists.
We create the shortcuts to communication.
If someone is sharing information with you orally,
you can tell by their face or their body language
or even their inflection in their voice,
that they're excited,
sarcastic, emotional or any other tone,
because you are absorbing information
through multiple channels.
When you're reading a text or an email
or even reading the ingredients on a product
you're preparing to buy,
where is that reinforcing emoji or someone winking at you
to let you know they're only partially serious?
Or that assuring nod to know that you'll be well tended to.
To really understand just how powerful logos,
symbols and icons are,
you only have to wind the clock back a very short way.
Society's reliance on symbols and our ability
to effectively use them in communications
is a relatively recent phenomenon.
And in order for what we designed to have relevance,
consumers have to understand what we design.
Imagine this, in the last 10 years,
Google has created close to 2000 pictograms
referred to as material icons
to serve as interface concepts.
On your personal device,
you have more than 3000 recognized emoji's at your ready.
And none of these existed just a generation ago.
We now understand that a series of ellipses
means someone's in the process of communicating with us.
A cart doesn't mean we're at the grocers
and looking for bars isn't an indicator that we're thirsty.
The pace at which symbols are gaining meaning
and finding acceptance means we as designers have to be
so aware of and vigilant about watching the trends
that are in play.
We need to know what a gradient implies
or the public's understanding of transparencies.
Yes, but we also have to understand
the ideogrammatic language that conveys concepts
and ideas universally, without words or phrases.
I'd venture a guess that none of these logos
would have had the appropriate context 10 years ago
to resonate with consumers.
Having a virtual chat over coffee looks like
we serve coffee and et cetera, or where's the heart?
Here's the heart.
Or this dog being absconded by a flying saucer.
These now successful marks have relevance
because designers have evolved with our visual culture.
And a side note to close on.
Evolution is not trendy.
Evolution is a trend.