Trends in Visual Identity Design 2008

It is always enlightening to purposefully analyze design trends across many industries. Each year there is a rich ebb and flow of new ideas and some not-so-new ideas. This year is no exception. Here is some of what we have seen.

Typography  
Sans serif typography continues to be the typographic style of choice when it comes to creating the visual cornerstone of an organizational or corporate brand. There is a resurgence of Helvetica as well as an ongoing usage of newer sans serif fonts. These newer typographic entries often have an approachability that some of the more traditional sans serif fonts seem to lack. Some examples are Xerox, McMillan and Emege. The classic serif fonts, like the Bodoni and Garamond families, appear to have a very slim showing. Again, the newer serif fonts have reached a level of refinement that makes them a good option when the traditional “sans” faces just won’t do.

A Classic Format  
We have observed a definite trend in recent identity revitalizations based on the very classic formula of: symbol + wordmark, or wordmark + symbol, all on one horizontal plane. It is not a new or distinctive format, but it is a very workable one, affording flexibility and options if managed well over time. Xerox, Walmart, St. Jude Medical, LodgeNet and MillerCoors are just a few of the many companies now leveraging this approach. We are interested to see how the use of these symbols evolves over time.

Graphic Patterns  
Patterns continue to be an effective way for organizations to maintain consistency, create a distinctive visual language and communicate key information about the brand. We are seeing two categories: corporate symbol as pattern, and pattern as secondary design element.

1) Corporate Symbol as Pattern  The corporate symbol used as a graphic element, á la Target, is showing up in many industries. Topaz Energy and Thomson Reuters are ones to watch. And, we’ll be interested to see what Walmart does with their sunburst icon.

2) Pattern as Secondary Design Element  Patterns can add a level of sophistication and excitement to visual identities, especially those that leverage simple wordmarks. One recent example of this is MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis. The pattern depicts a layered, interlocking arrangement of musical instruments. It was designed to create an emotional connection between the school and aspiring musicians of all ages and musical interests.

Another inspiring example is 23andMe, a web-based service that helps customers read and understand their DNA. The logo, symbolizing “genes,” is derived from the pattern, and the pattern from the logo.

The Third Dimension  
A few years ago when UPS and others unveiled new identities that went dimensional, we braced ourselves for an onslaught of 3-D logos, similar to the arcs and ellipses of the dot.com era. We still see many examples of 3-D in the unveiling of new identities, but not to the epidemic proportions that we anticipated. Of note recently are MasterCard, Photoshop and Harland Clarke.

We look forward to next year’s identity trend analysis as we’re seeing a surge of new identities during these turbulent economic times.