2016 has without a doubt been the year of technology overload, today we are connected to digital devices at every turn whether it be our IPhones, Androids, smart watches or smart TVs. This constant connectivity through varying screen sizes has changed the way brands communicate their logos to users and with information being so accessible it’s lead the public to crave simplistic design. Minimal design acts as a moment of calm in the fast paced millennial life. So, what brands have adopted minimal designs for 2016 and what trends are trailblazing the logo landscape?

Google

As number two on Forbes Most Valuable Brands of 2015, it’s no wonder that Google is the market leaders for design trends, where Google lead others gladly follow. Google kick started the minimal rebrand trend in late 2015. Thanks to the multiple devices their customers are using to interact with the search engine the brand had to create a scalable logo that would not become distorted on different platforms.

• Google modernised the font to sans-serif in a flat design, with no shadowing.
• The brand wanted their logo to mirror their brand vision: simple, uncluttered, friendly and colourful.
• The logo changes depending on what screen the user accesses the site on.

Mastercard

Thanks to Google’s brave rebrand it gave others, such as Mastercard, the confidence to enter into the world of minimal logo design. With the rise of online banking and portable devices,the  financial giants have been forced to rethink their fifty year old design and bring it into the digital age. The original logo can be seen over two billion times across bank cards and billboards, so design team Michael Bierut and Luke Hayman of Pentagram had the challenge of creating a minimal logo that works for the digital age without alienating generations of loyal customers.

• The overlapping circles relate to the new connectivity of the digital age.
• The orange central colour is to connote the transparency of the brand.
• The “flat” design provides great UX and for digital customers.

The new logo holds true to Mastercard’s original brand identity, keeping the red and yellow overlapping discs, this consistency has allowed the brand to reassure existing customers the brand is not leaving them behind, whilst engaging with the new millennial demographic. Research conducted by Mastercard following the rebrand found that more than 80% of consumers still recognised the symbol without the inclusion of the name.

Minimal Logo Design Trends in 2016

Negative Space

Subliminal messages using negative space in logo design is a great way to convey a deeper message to your audience. One major benefits of considered logo design is communicating with the world without the use of words. Negative space designs are a playful way to achieve this.Professional logo designers explain the secret to great negative space techniques.

“Try to narrow down your ideas to the main message you are trying to convey and start there. If you try to use too many colours, images, fonts or words you are going to confuse and inevitably lose your audience.”

Monoline and Broken Line

Line art has been popular since 2015 and doesn’t look to be going anywhere; they evoke nostalgia in the audience with their similarity to childhood drawings. Of course, with the rise of screen reduction designers must be sure they don’t make the lines so thin that the logo can’t be scaled down.

Bar Design

With such busy lives and often chaotic schedules, audiences are craving simple design with clear patterns. Logos that have uniformed designs are the epitome of minimal design; the audience feels a sense of control as they navigate the pattern with ease. Bar designs are great options for companies who are looking to demonstrate their structure and stability.

The Future of Logo Design

Minimal logo design is the hottest trend of the year, and when designing logos we’re reminded to KISS – Keep it Simple, Silly! Simple design is about using less clutter to create more meaning and resonate the true brand identity with the customer. With such busy lives and the scores of information users have available to them 24 hours a day it’s the minimal designs that are proving successful as we search for calm in the chaos of 21^st century life.