The Logo Thread

[Phos]

I like Aquacomputer's logo:

[Dark Qiviut]

This thread has so much potential that I can't let it go to waste. So on my accord, I'm REVIVING this topic!

There are many more great logos that I want to present, past and present.

Here's one that everyone should be familiar with:

The Nike swoosh. Its main lockup's the swoosh with italic type on top, but people in general recognize it just by the swoosh. Simple, straightforward, and carries the "moving forward" message. It was originally designed by freelancer Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $35. That trademark hasn't changed one bit, and nor it should.

The Apple logo. Initially rainbow in color, it's reduced to silver for the purpose of competing further, showing prestige, owning the color in the marketplace, and especially for better color production. What makes the logo interesting is that it takes a verse right out of Adam and Eve, in which one bites into the apple of knowledge, although the main designer refuted that. That said, it's unknown why the symbol was designed.

I'll post more later.

[Dark Qiviut]

Well, how disappointing how the topic's all died out.

Well, let me try to revive it again by featuring more great logos.

This is the Toyota logo. Now, one great thing about the "T" trademark is how subtle and abstract it is, but when dissecting its meaning, it makes so much sense. The two rings inside indicate communication between the corporation and the consumer. The outer ring indicates a firm, close, everlasting partnership. It's a logo not many give credit for, and it's really cool.

The Harley Davidson motorcycle badge. Indicating being the classic, top-of-the-mountain, best quality motorcycles in the U.S.

The "Shape" logo. Each stroke for its typography that, when completed and combines, creates a clever scroll.

Now, just because this is "The Logo Thread" doesn't mean we showcase only good logos. Bad ones can be discussed, too.

And I got one good BAD one to display.

This logo is supposed to read "Kids Exchange," but due to the lack of proper spacing between the two words and poor care for kerning, it reads as "Kid Sex Change." XD

[T-Min]

Oh you gaiz and your logos.

...

Hey.

Anyone know about these?

(OH DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOT A SCREAMER)

But if you want a screamer...

I love TV Tropes.

[Milo]

Hey, a logo thread! I have quite a knack for animated production logos/vanity plates. Is anyone here heard of the Closing Logos Group Wiki, by the way?

@T-man I also made my own variation on that video:

I've also been making frequent visits to TVTropes as well.

[Diz]

The national mailing service. To the right, the new logo which has replaced the left one for a year or two now. Looks like a pokeball if you ask me!

[Dark Qiviut]

The national mailing service. To the right, the new logo which has replaced the left one for a year or two now. Looks like a pokeball if you ask me!

Responding to the bold:

That's exactly what I thought, too. Granted, it's supposed to look like a mailing tag, but the positioning of the sphere and the colors really make it out as a Pokéball unintentionally.

Now, one logo revamp I'm going to feature now is this:

The Nickelodeon logo from 1984 till 2009. The logo's purpose was to broaden its target audience, which is families and young kids. The orange color is warm, vibrant, and very in-your-face without being very aggressive. It's a playful hue. Combine that with the Marker Felt typeface, it's very accessible.

In 2009, Nickelodeon revealed their new logo.

There was a lot of controversy because the old logo is nostalgic and reminds people of the wacky atmosphere during the early 1990s, especially on their zany game shows like What Would You Do, Double Dare, and Figure It Out. However, despite being a "classic," this current logo is better than the old one yet still needs a bit more tinkering.

The reasons why the current logo works better are:

1. The typeface is more accessible and keeps the casual feel. Marker Felt is a nice little typeface, but it's now one many people go to. The curvature of most of the letters makes it feel casual and inviting, and the little slime representation in the "I" reminds people of their storied past in the 1990s. It's a really nice touch.

2. The lower-case letterform makes the logo much easier to read. Words in all caps tend to be read much slower and with more difficulty.

3. The color palette represents fun. Nick's current palette is orange (its primary color), blue, and teal. Nick retains the color scheme that gives them their identity, and the colors are fun to play with. So despite being complementary, they work.

3. It's much simpler and is much more accessible to read cross-media. A logo's purpose is to be as simple as possible. The old slime splat has too much detail. When Nick's old logo gets placed on some small stationery like a business card, then it'll look like it was printed out of a bad CMYK press. Nick's current logo is cleaner and way more versatile.

Now, despite that, one issue here lingers: it's in one straight line. While it doesn't LOOK rigid, it FEELS too rigid. The type placement doesn't feel playful. Instead, it feels too corporal. That's the one thing the old logo did best. Often, it was slanted upward. It didn't go straight across like this one. If maybe Viacom would play with the placement a bit more, then it would capture the fun representation a bit more.

[T-Min]

Hey, a logo thread! I have quite a knack for animated production logos/vanity plates. Is anyone here heard of the Closing Logos Group Wiki, by the way?

[SHAX Hedgefox]

I don't care how cheesy this logo is, it just blows my mind everytime I see it

Listen to that cheap, 80's synth! Be amazed at the logo sparkling into colour! Stare in shock at the words "World Wrestling Federation" CAREENING FROM THE FOREGROUND!

Much better than the WWE's current logo, ah tell yew wut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vttRWo_rekY&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL92CB0E08897F2E7C

[Milo]

Enjoy your nightmares.

Edited September 24, 2011 by Ananze

[Gaming Misfit]

So I'm the only one who saw the C instantly? Go fig.

No, I did too. I actually didn't notice the little arrow thing until later.

[Dark Qiviut]

Wind it up and bump this thread up, boys!

I'm going to discuss another logo change, one from Major League Baseball.

It involves this team:

The Florida Marlins were MLB's first Florida team, inaugurating in 1991 and played its first game in 1993. The purpose of the colors here are for two reasons.

1. To reflect the coastal waters of Miami. Miami's waters are clean and blue.

2. To have a relationship with the NFL's Miami Dolphins in terms of colors. When the Marlins entered the league, H. Wayne Huizenga owned it, who also owned the Dolphins. Teal was one of the Dolphins's colors, and both teams played in one stadium.

The Marlins's ownership has since changed hands, now belonging to Jeffrey Loria. A few years ago, a new stadium agreement was reached in order to give the Marlins a stadium of their own. Furthermore, the Florida Marlins would be renamed the Miami Marlins to reflect the city and its culture. The Miami Marlins were slated to undergo a re-branding. It was leaked in October 2011 under poor reception.

In Novemeber, the logo, hats, and jersey were officially revealed. Here's their new logo.

My response?

This logo is UGLY! Much worse than the Florida Marlins logo.

1. The colors are supposed to represent the vibrant Miami culture, primarily the Little Havana one, for Miami has a very huge Cuban population. However, there are just way too many colors. Black, gray, white, blue, red-orange, AND yellow. Six colors! As what Bob Barker would say, "That's Too Much!" At most three colors would've fared.

2. The color combination don't speak "baseball." Baseball is known for being a very low-key sport in the U.S., and it's very difficult to pull off so many bright colors at once. The only one to effectively pull this off is the Arizona Diamondbacks with their copper, turquoise, black, and purple. I don't see a relationship between baseball and Miami at all here except the abstract marlin.

3. It feels very trendy. Many logos today are starting to become simpler and simpler, but sometimes they'll go a little overboard by putting in too many colors simultaneously. It's trying to capture "Miami" by putting in too many messages at once.

4. The placement of the marlin doesn't feel right at all. You'll notice that the end of the fish's tail is in front of the stylized "M" and just hanging on the upper-left. The placement doesn't feel like it belongs. Personally, it would've worked much better if the tail was behind the "M" and have the snout in front. That way, it gives that marlin the illusion of it curving around the letter.

5. The gray outline is completely unnecessary. It doesn't belong at all.

The font is great. It doesn't need that much changing. But the logos and color need plenty of more work before it feels like both baseball and Miami.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Dark Qiviut

[Mono]

Screams BEER

[LoseR]

*Sees this logo*

*Doesn't read topic*

Man... Do I miss these guys; even if they layed my father off after 15 years of working there. :U

[Dark Qiviut]

Bumping this topic to briefly analyze the new Microsoft logo.

For twenty-five years, Microsoft's logo looks like this:

It's a black italic Helvetica with a slice in the first "o" as a means to open a new era of technology. It's a classic, identifiable logo that doesn't need any color to pop.

Recently, in order to connect with their computer products better, Microsoft adopted a new logo:

This logo uses the four colors right from Windows's flag, only to simplify it into four cubes. In addition, the typeface was replaced by Gill Sans, with the color from black and italic to gray and standard.

So far, the reception has been mixed. I, for one, consider this a major upgrade. The old logo is bold, but the slice makes the "o" look like an "e." So instead of the logo reading as "Microsoft," it reads as "Micresoft." Furthermore, the new logo ties itself down to Windows, their flagship franchise. It correlates to their Windows 8 logo here:

Despite the skewed perspective, Windows 8 uses one of the four colors from the main logo and retains the Gill Sans typeface for consistency.

Earlier this afternoon, I researched reception of the logo and located this concept posted last month. It ties Microsoft down to its computer products — the smartphones, computers, and Microsoft Office. "Microsoft" is one plain logotype, but its products use an edgy trademark variation in the form of slanted windows. There's even a conceptual ad campaign for it.

Your thoughts?

[...]

Everyone knows about the Golden Arches.

Edited August 31, 2012 by Felix

[Milo]

I always do like how the current Cartoon Network logo is similar to the original:

Current (2010)

Original (1992)

[Solkia]