Do you want your brand to make an impact?
It isn’t easy making the decision to change a tried and tested logo. There’s history and attachment there, and often, a significant consumer base. Some people don’t like change, but it’s always necessary.
When it comes to branding, there are some serious developments in 2022 logo design trends. Some of the biggest companies have been taking big risks and redoing their iconic logos. The success of many of these has sparked a wave of company logo design.
From geometric to going back to the basics and giving old logos new love, there are lots to like. Current trends are even looking to bring some 3D influence back to the logo game.
For a guide to the logo design trends we love for 2022, keep reading.
Geometric
One of the biggest graphic design trends in 2022 includes simplified geometric shapes. You take a complex and stylized logo, and you make it neat and tidy. Jagged edges become clean, and unnecessary detail gets purged.
Renault recently did this, and their logo is all the better for it. When you think about it, it makes sense. Some of the most successful logos in history are simple geometric.
Geometric Examples
The classic rings of the Olympics always stand out, no matter how many times they get tweaked. Windows, YouTube, Instagram, and Adidas all use basic geometric shapes. The thing that ties them all together is they all knew when to change and make things simpler.
Well, what those companies have already done, the rest of the world is now catching up on.
If you’re looking for a way to modernize your logo and give it that next-level spark, keep it simple. Figure out what you don’t need, and cut it out.
For some logos, it might be text; for others, the color scheme might feel a little too rich. Adidas kept the white negative against black shapes but ditched the three rounded leaves for its iconic three stripes in the 70s. YouTube brought in the now-famous red play button to replace its old text-based icon, but they found a way to move it.
Volvo toned it down last year with a tasteful black ring and simple text. They kept the iconic shape, but with a minimalist texture and detail level. CIBC’s logo became less clunky, and MEC has an actual geometric mountain now.
The list could go on forever, but they all do the same thing—they take a classic and beloved geometric logo and either clean it up or transform it into something even better. What’s key is that these logos all used great designers.
Back to Basics
Another on the list in 2022’s logo design trends is going back to the basics. This bears some similarities to the geometric approach, but without the reliance on shape. This trend takes a tried and tested logo and makes it simpler. The tricky part is keeping the soul of the original logo.
Burger King is a super successful example from 2021. It took its iconic shiny buns and bold blue stripe and opted for something almost minimalistic.
The Burger King text is still there, but rounded, soft, and filling, like the burger itself. The buns are soft and simple, inviting rather than edgy.
And Burger King’s not the only one going back to the basics.
Peugeot quite literally went back to basics when they revived a 50-year-old design and gave it new life. They ditched the metallic and stylized lion’s body for a sharp and clean lion’s head. Here’s a lesson in refreshing your logo.
Peugeot removes lion’s body from logo for first time in almost 50 years
When going back 50 years for the inspiration, they left the gaudy, 3D gold lion head behind and simplified the head and shield into a white silhouette. By going back to basics and keeping it simple, they make the logo 100x more sporty and modern.
The logo recalls Peugeot’s 1960s logo
Keeping an original design and making it cleaner and more basic is a recently huge trend. Paramount, Magnum ice cream, Papa Johns, and Kia have all done it in the last year. It’s a great way to make continuity while keeping things fresh.
Tall and Elegant
When it comes to popular recent brand design trends in 2022, tall and elegant are here to stay. For what seemed like forever, logos have always been square or rectangular. If they’re long, it’s almost always left to right rather than top to bottom.
A number of brands have already started to challenge that hegemony. It’s worth pointing out the classics that already did this well. Ferrari, comes to mind, with the tall banner and rearing horse.
Well, this style looks poised to come roaring back, albeit in a cleaned-up style. Sleek lines like the Tesla logo are likely to be big in 2022. Stylized silhouettes are also going to be huge.
The new NBA logo for the 2021-2022 season is as elegant as they come. It takes the classic player silhouette and provides the right amount of flare to make it shine.
With more logos playing verticality, the sky has actually become the limit for where you can take the best logo design in 2022.
“The new logo is a fresh take on the league’s iconic Logoman identity, based on the classic 75th Anniversary symbol – the diamond,” the NBA news release reads.
3D and Illusions
2022’s 3D logo designs are getting a huge comeback. There was a time when companies tried to shy away from 3D logos because it was too much detail. The logo could look too complex and wouldn’t carry as much direct branding power.
However, many companies have embraced 3D, like Unity. Oxford University Press last year added a spiral “O,” giving it a 3D optical effect. Even Dictionary.com and Thesarus.com have new 3D logos that look like open doors.
The new visual identity is intended to reflect its ongoing transformation to a digital-first business, orienting more toward modern technologies.
The era of blocky literal 3D logos is still in the past, but new, clean versions are on the rise. More companies are sure to follow suit, using top-level designers to help them.
The Best 2022 Logo Design Trends
So, here were our top picks for the best 2022 logo design trends. In general, a lot of new designs are trying to keep things basic. Simplicity is ruling the day at the moment, with everyone loving bold and clean looks. A number of huge companies have already made changes in the last year, with more to come. At Red Stone Studio, we’re experts in brand growth, design, and marketing. Give us a shout today and see for yourself what a first rate design team can do for you.
