The Danger with Logo Examples as Inspiration

I refrain from publishing inspirational or redesign examples for a couple reasons: 1. so many others do it already, and 2. I find it of higher quality to write about the hows and whys vs. a subjective opinion of the end product.

Today I feel the need to debunk one of these typical posts and the fatal flaws within. It comes from Smashingapps.com.

All of these examples below plus a couple dozen more are considered exceptional. I have an issue using words like exceptional in describing a good percentage of these logo examples because they fail very basic, “logo design 101″ tests. Some of these, compared to their predecessor, are more difficult to reproduce, some are less legible, and some create more confusion as to what they are representing. 

Some of the examples on the post are truly superlative examples. But many are just bad. I’m especially struck by Capital One’s refresh. (I double-checked, the swoosh is the new version). For 2008, that’s got to be one of the biggest gaffes I’ve seen in a long time. The swoosh was designed internally - big surprise - and Landor has been hired to roll it out. I’m shocked even they can’t convince CapitalOne to loose the swoosh. One of the least exceptional logos, it’s a bad chiché.

Shock and awe, and not the good kind. 

Thomson Reuters seems more complicated than it needs, especially compared to the previous Reuters day/night graphic they’d established.

Mindshare is visually much more interesting, but can already predict it’s failures in one color, and other difficult applications (vinyl, embroidery, faxes, etc).

Difficult to reproduce

I agree that Yellow Pages needed a refresh on some level, especially since no one uses their product vs. online search. But their logo leaves me with as many questions to their already murky business model.

Doesn’t answer we they do now

Most upgrades are adding much more depth and visual interest and even hinting at what their business is about. The new versions for Photoshelter, barclaycard, Dubai International, Woolworths, fall into that category. But I’m left with the same questions that I am with Xerox’s red ball, that I previous wrote about: How are they going to implement these in all mediums, at smaller sizes, silkscreened, embroidered, cut in vinyl, etched, faxed etc.

May be prettier, but do they perform?

A high majority of these blog entries don’t really help spark smart problem-solving as much as offer a volume of found content and dressed up as “inspiration.” Sometimes they offer very personal, subjective comments that ultimately don’t do the design effort, or their credibility much good either. I share a take with Chuck Close that ”inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up.”

If you want smart and insightful takes on new logos I’d check out  Under Consideration.com or IdentityWorks.com