Why Are Logos A Thing?

I have come to terms that there are two questions that will always exist in my foreseeable future. There’s the question I ask myself:  “what should I make for dinner?” And then there’s the question I get asked: “can you make me a logo?” 

How did we get to a place where asking for a logo is such a common business question that I get asked it on a regular basis? I mean, definitely not an uncommon question for designers to get, but the need had to start somewhere to allow for people like me to make a career out of it.

By definition, a logo is a graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition. With that in mind, logos existed far before the term graphic design was coined in 1922. And by far before, we’re talking hundreds of years, arguably even thousands depending on how much of a stretch you want to get from the “modern corporate concept” of logos. 

The logo story starts where symbolism was first found—Hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are widely known to have been used to tell stories and ideas using pictorial symbols on walls. Ancient Egyptians also used them to brand domestic animals and possessions to show ownership. A similar thing was happening over in Ancient Greece. Greeks were also using pictorial representations on things such as coins, pottery and other forms of art to symbolize ideas, show ownership, and/or have proof they were the maker behind the piece. 

The next key milestone takes us to A.D. times in Medieval Europe. When we fast forward to A.D. Here, we see start seeing how symbols and marks are used throughout society with the use of heraldry (establishing societal meaning to design elements.)  Aristocratic families had coat of arms created for them to show pride, nobility and societal status. Specific colors and imagery were used to identify and represent different families. These designs were then put on items such as shields to show ownership but also banners to show pride and inform the public of who they were.  At the same time, shops were hanging up pictorial signs outside their walls to show what goods and services they sold/trade to an illiterate public. 

Logo design accelerated after the invention of the printing press in the 1440s as printed materials exponentially flooded the public. Competing authors and businesses needed identifying marks to show ownership over their work. Along with printed materials came newspapers and advertisements, which meant businesses needed new ways to separate themselves from the growing competition.  This in turn developed the framework for what logos are today

As businesses grew and more appeared during the industrial revolution, printing technology became more efficient and new advancements allowed for color.  Corporations were realizing they needed something more complex than just the identifying marks from years prior. Designers and artists started developing cohesive identity systems to go along with their marks. It was no longer about using the largest and newest woodblock type available at the printshop but instead about creating consistency and brand recognition.  Color theory became popular and people started researching how it effected advertising. Pieces were moving in all different directions and coming together to form the basic structure of branding.

In 1876, Bass Ale trademarked the first logo and other companies began to follow suit nearing the 20th century. In the early 1900s is when the concepts of logos went back to expanding past businesses and makers. Designers  started to think differently about logos when Pierre de Coubertin presented the world with the Olympic flag. This flag showed how logos could be used for more than just commerce but also be used to tell a greater story through a unifying language of symbolism instead of written words. 

Things kept moving and grooving in this search for telling a greater story through logos until the mid-to-late-1900s when design legend Paul Rand started to shake things up. Love him or hate him, he pushed the concept of symbolism to a new level with the IBM branding and started to humanize brands. Semiotics (the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretations) started playing a key role in designers thought processes. Similar to the thinking of the Olympic flag, corporate logos started to become more powerful symbols of purpose and thought instead of solely a unique mark for identification purposes.  There was more intentional and psychological reasoning for them that would in turn make them resonate with the public more successfully.  Businesses during this time were now viewing logos as a crucial marketing tool making it a need and no longer a want.

From the Victorian ages to Art Nouveau, from Art Deco to Modern, designs have always been reflective of societal changes and technological advancements. This was no different when the digital world made it’s way into houses. Digital programs allowed for new possibilities that print couldn't provide.  Motion and animation could now be added into designs, along with gradients, textures and 3D effects.  As years went by televisions and personal computers became a staple in households. Designers started overcorrecting for the dramatic, overuse of digital effects that no longer had that “wow” factor they once had with consumers  by reverting back to flatter designs throughout the 2010s. 

That all brings us to now, the 2020s. A time where logos are increasingly influencing consumer behavior as we continue to create emotional ties towards brands. Today, logos are a visual association we have to a company’s mission, perceived value, purpose, quality of the product and/or service. We don’t buy logos, we buy what they represent. For example, imagine a photo of the most beautiful, juiciest burger (meat or plant-based, your choice). Does the perceived value of that burger change if you put a fast-food logo on the bottom of the photo? The picture didn’t change but your mindset did based on the associations you have towards fast-food companies.  Now switch that logo out for one of a local steakhouse. Have your thoughts changed?

Designers are being faced with similar challenges from the mid 1400s when the first newspaper ads were being printed; how can our company differentiate ourselves and get attention from the public in a saturated market? The answer then was having unique mark. The answer now is a having strong brand. More specifically, a brand that knows who it is and is aware of its surroundings. 

All this to say, logos themselves aren’t as important as they once were for consumers and businesses, but what the logo represents is.  

So, next time you are needing a logo, remember that a logo is just the face. The brand, however, is the heart and soul.