There are always changes in client expectations as soon as it comes to graphic design. Quality design should be characterized by simplicity, subtlety and uniqueness. Trends in logos, tendencies - this is a mythical concept, every year the trends are changing, supplemented and this information helps designers to create fresh styles for a particular brand. Logo trends don't get a dramatic change from year to year. If it happened, the whole industry would be unstable and constantly changing, so the golden formula for branding are the best solutions of the past year with an addition in the form of fresh trends, where the main role is played by the first component. Notwithstanding this, let's try
to figure out what the best design trends of 2024 will be for companies, using the experience we've already known.
Top 5 branding and logo trends
In 2024, logo trends are likely to continue their tendency, but there is the possibility of typographic aesthetics returning in various manifestations.
Simple shapes and geometry
Complex logo signs are not new in 2023 and this kind of approach is hard to surprise people with. Such logos are often difficult to remember and the company's end customer may find it difficult to make the connection between the name and the image. For large brands, such an approach can become a big problem and it becomes almost impossible to strengthen the presence and improve the recognition. The main trend in such a case is to abandon complex logos and move to more fundamental ones.
Triangles, squares, dots, lines are the main geometric shapes that can give a logo a simpler look. Designers try to compensate simplicity through bright colors and high-contrast gamma. There is also another approach - the usage of black and white with minimalism to its maximum. All of these approaches help to maintain the visual impact so that the target audience will be able to make sense of the image and its caption.
The technique of "less is more" does not apply to the novelty of design, not included in a separate direction and
trends in logo design.
It should be emphasized that logo trends using simple forms of geometry are used not only in the creation of brand images. They are used for fonts, as it is connected with global features of typography and demand for minimalism.
Tall logos
Tall logos utilize vertical space because of its importance in the era of mobile devices. This approach to logo design in 2024 challenges conventional norms and conveys brand personality.
This orientation blends seamlessly with users' scrolling behavior, making tall logos an ideal choice for social media and mobile apps.
The trends of tall logos are driven by factors such as:
- Evolution of digital technology
- New user experience
- The desire to move away from traditional styles
Designers are challenged to fit the essence and personality of the brand into a vertically limited space. This layout compresses and focuses perceptions, forcing designers to prioritize simplicity and clarity.
Blue Bard logo by Dusan Klepic. Source.
A vertical logo format is suitable for narratives or sequences. Brands unfold their story as the viewer's eye moves from the top to the bottom.
Such logo trends in 2024 give it originality and foster a deeper connection between the brand and its audience.
Natural patterns and textures
Nowadays people are concerned about environmental issues and the awareness of the population in this regard has significantly increased in recent years. According to IBM in 2020, more than 57% of shoppers are willing to change their own attitudes and patterns of purchasing for the sake of reducing harm to the environment. Pew Research found that for 52% of U.S. residents, climate is at the top of the list and an important issue, a rise of 14% from 2019-2020.
The affinity for nature-themed logos will grow along with the environmental and nature concern. The use of plants in logos, flowers, trees, insects, etc. can be used as examples
for your own brand.
Paper and watercolor
The demand for classic materials in graphic design began to grow from 2020, during Covid-19, when a lot of people became more of a hobbyist. As a result, many switched to paper and watercolor. The emergence of common textures and shapes allows people to evoke warm feelings and gives a sense of connection, because the visuals resemble art made by human hands.
DIY style logos such as torn paper, wood texture, paint strokes, etc. are predicted by experts to grow over the next few years and will be among the logo trends of 2024.
Wardmark logos with a vintage style
Vintage aesthetics come and go, but in 2024 it will become a full-fledged trend in logo design.
Today, the usage of fonts from the 1960s and 1980s looks beautiful, understandable and attracts the attention of not just the target audience, but also other, uninterested people. It's a good indicator that branding trends are moving beyond indie studios and
small businesses to
various boutiques. In 2024, this could be the best logo design for large, small or medium-sized businesses, taking the place of the world.
There are many companies that are able to play with vintage typography using it for branding and
the staff at Merehead can help design a logo in a similar style.
Art Deco
Art Deco, a design trend that emerged in the early 20th century, is setting new logo trends in 2024. The style is characterized by luxury, geometric patterns and elegant motifs. Art Deco brings a touch of timeless sophistication to modern branding.
A cheat sheet on branding from Patrick Hamilton. Source.
Characteristic features of this trend:
- geometric shapes
- complex lines
- lush typography
Art Deco aesthetics is associated with the elegance of the "roaring twenties" and the "jazz age". The use of Art Deco elements in logo design evokes nostalgia and at the same time keeps the present relevant.
The Art Deco influence extends to both visuals and creating an overall mood. Such logos convey exclusivity and sophistication, making them suitable for high-end brands and luxury goods.
Symbolism and minimalism
The next trend that is considered the most revealing of all is symbolism and minimalism. Anyone associates logo design with art. Adding various objects, creatures to the trademark is a demonstration of skill and attention to detail. Such logos look spectacular, but considering the issue from the perspective of adaptive design, they are in the loss.
Previously, responsive logos were popular, adapting to screen sizes and media. As a result, designers could remove text characters, simplifying, hiding the logo. In 2024, such an approach will not be considered a trend by anyone and responsiveness is a common feature for any logo, which proves minimalism and symbolism.
Realistic trademarks look huge, oversized and uncomfortable for the customer, especially if they are intended to be placed on small cards or screens. Simplifying them or changing them completely for minimalism allows you to save time, money and development effort. A single design looks great everywhere and if you need to divide it into several separate parts, there will be no difficulty. These 2024 logo trends are not about style or beauty, they are more about convenience. Symbol-based trademarks are much more flexible, sleeker.
Typography with a twist
Equally fresh logo trends for 2024 are experimental typography that will have a unique twist.
Finally, people can see quirky fonts in all their glory, which the modern aesthetic of fonts allows, where there's plenty of room for designers to work. The trend goes back to 2021, when glitchy and wavy fonts were first used. Since then, they've been gradually coming into fashion.
Initially, the tendency was of interest only to designers who experimented with drawn letters or color schemes in
their own projects and concepts. After that, small entrepreneurs with their own brewery, fast food or cosmetics got involved.
As a result, many global companies began to use a similar approach for their own activities, targeting a wide audience. This proved that there are few people left who are afraid of trendy branding.
No serif logos
Experimental typography may not be suitable for everyone, but the use of sans serif logos is a classic that everyone understands and knows. Such an approach can be categorized as the best logos of 2024, with a clear description of the company for their target audience. This trend gives motion to the popularity of simple logos with regular geometric shapes, which has already been discussed above.
The reasons for the rejection of unusual fonts are simple - it is much easier to work with the text, which does not have serifs. It can be adapted to any monitors and canvas sizes, they are more suitable for adaptive logos. In 2020-2021 there was the opposite trend, but today the opposite is happening.
For anyone who thinks that using a sans serif font is boring, they probably don't know about the variety of fonts, geometry features and other parameters that the designers at
Merehead know about.
Doodles and sketches
The new logos of 2024 are sans serif fonts, doodling and sketches as a counterbalance to the restrained sans serif fonts. This trend is considered to be the brightest in the current trends, but it may seem that drawing in free forms is already outdated. However, the projects that were presented not so long ago show the opposite.
The personal approach of the developers to the brand is the key to the revival of the trend. Quick sketches are well suited to the task, they can apply cartoon characters, figures and other drawings in a unique style.
In logos of this type, you need to prepare for a large number of elements and fun images. Logos that are literally hand-drawn, quick, unpretentious are welcome.
Even ardent fans of minimalism can switch to the side of quick sketches, as they can better convey brand features.
Muted colors and gradients
The next best logo design for 2024 is working with colors, picking a color palette. A lot of big brands are moving from saturated colors to muted shades.
Bright colors in logos are difficult to work with and attract a lot of attention, causing additional problems when integrating into a brand's design system.
Gradient design is another aspect gaining momentum with this trend. In 2020, there have been many redesigns of different projects using gradient logos, including Facebook Messenger, Avon, Discovery Channel, Adobe, etc. A new wave of style popularity is expected in 2024.
Candy colors
Logo trends in 2024 are closely intertwined with users' love for sweets. Candy colors in branding are a spectrum of bright hues that evoke a sense of nostalgia and remind of childhood treats and joyful moments.
Family Mart logo by Courtney Askew for Unfold. Source.
Such logos are dominated by colors such as:
- sugar blue
- mint green
- sunny yellow
The reason for the popularity of candy colors is their ability to establish an emotional connection with consumers. These colors evoke feelings of happiness, warmth and ease, making them ideal for brands looking to create a friendly image.
Bright and distinctive colors are better remembered, and when used consistently, they become a powerful visual brand identifier. These logos convey brightness, optimism and energy, thanks to the higher saturation of the HSV color model.
Round and square logos
The popular trend in 2021-2022 was for tall logos. They were often made narrow, vertical, which caused a "boom" as opposed to the classic versions. This inspired many designers, but their aesthetics were not suitable for all companies, but only for narrowly focused brands.
In reality, things quickly changed and the trend for 2024 is moving back to classic designs:
- '30s retro;
- art deco;
- light typography;
- clean lines.
Round and square logos are back in fashion. They are comfortable, easy to work with, they are not bulky and require little space on the screens. In addition, such trademarks are easy to combine with other elements, adapting them to specific sizes.
If a company needs a logo, the best solution in 2024 will be to use a circle or square, although any shape will do. To get a special design, you can apply other trends described in the article, such as experimental typography.
Pixel art style logos
Pixel art is a type of digital art that uses pixels associated with early video games and 2D graphics to create images. Such logos combine the allure of low resolution with modern design principles.
Pixel art style logo trends are driven by factors such as:
- Nostalgia
- Digital aesthetics
- Gaming and technology industries
The advantage of pixel art style logos is their adaptability. They fit into a variety of contexts: digital platforms, printed materials, games.
NFT's CryptoPunks collection. Source.
Such logos are most popular in the sector of PFP NFTs. For example, position #5822 of NFT-collection "CryptoPunks" was sold for a record $23.7 mln.
3D elements in design
3D design cannot be attributed to the novelty in the field of logo design, but there is a likelihood of increasing popularity over the next few years. This is due to new technologies that simplify the creation of complex 3D graphics. According to statistics, trends in 3D style logos will grow by 20% per year until 2026.
Using 3D Design in Online Delivery
Any area of business can benefit from working with 3D, including adding elements to user interfaces and illustrations. Merehead employees use open-source software that will allow high-quality and fast renderings using 3D designs.
Every year there are new trends and tendencies in the world of logo design and branding. 2024 will be no exception, but the context will be different, which is behind the trends. The year 2023 will be the spirit of the times, in which designers will work from innovation and strive for freedom, escapism.
People learn about a brand through logos, visualizing it. This is the first thing any person and possible client sees, so it needs to be made memorable and recognizable. Our designer team will
help you to create a proper and attractive logo, which will allow the brand not only to stand out, but will be made according to the latest trend.