As a professional logo designer, it’s my job to combine best practices with innovative techniques to produce something unique for your business that communicates what your organisation is all about. I do this using my tried-and-tested logo design process, which has resulted in hundreds upon hundreds of great assets (and just as many happy clients).
Much of the time, I like to stick to clean, simple design concepts that are bound to stand the test of time within my logo design packages. However, there’s always a little scope to experiment with current design trends, so I like to keep my finger on the pulse and take inspiration from what other people are coming up with.
It’s been a fascinating year for logo design, so I thought I’d take a quick look back at the styles that were making waves in 2024, as well as share my opinion on what’s going to be hot in the months ahead.
What trends dominated the logo design space in 2024?
Gradients remained a big deal
Designers have been blending more shades than ever before, often using three or more colours to produce a visual with amazing depth.
Letterforms ruled
Interestingly, a lot of brands have chosen not to produce a separate design for their logo, and focus on experimenting with their company’s wordmark, instead. (Or, they’ve integrated illustrations to their letterforms to make their graphics a bit more engaging.) Cutting edge, or just a bit lazy? I’m not sure!
Flat box came back in
It’s nothing new – but designers have been getting creative with traditional boxed perspectives by using colour to hide or edit highlights and shadows, incorporating letterforms where they can, too.
Art deco was revived
Inspired by the visuals of the 1920s, art deco logos made a comeback. With their bold geometric shapes, they offered a contemporary take on a centuries-old style; somehow, they managed to look distinctive and timeless all at once!
Nostalgia was king
There’s comfort and familiarity in things we’ve seen before, which is probably why so many logo designers have been keen to incorporate retro vibes into their graphics. Many logos from the 1960s and 1970s have been brought back to life in the last few years (with a modern twist, of course); Pepsi, Burger King and Co Op are just a few of the brands that have jumped aboard the vintage train.
Brands weren’t afraid to go bold
2024 was the year that more was more, and I was definitely here for it. I’ve loved looking at bright colours, punchy typography and maximalist graphics in other people’s branding, and I’ve leaned into this trend a little bit in my own work (if it made sense for the client, of course).
And what’s in store for logo design in 2025?
More designers will shift towards 3D
Flat, minimalist designs were in fashion for ages, but I’m expecting there to be a move towards three-dimensional concepts again – especially for brands that have characters or mascots in their monikers, because there are endless possibilities to bring these illustrations to life, whether through new design iterations or animations.
Heritage will remain at the fore
To continue the rebellion against the super-slick and quite often reductive logos of the 2010s and 2020s, I think brands will continue to resurrect old iconography in their new iterations. Using historical motifs in at least some form will help these businesses better communicate their roots, setting them apart from new entrants into the market and reminding their customers that they’ve been around for some time for a reason!
Hand-drawn elements will remain popular
Hand-drawn logos might not be perfectly polished, but in an age where our audiences want to seek out genuine connections with the businesses they buy from, some DIY-style designs can add a lovely human touch to a company’s brand image. A few shapes scrawled across a piece of scrap paper will rarely have the impact you’re hoping for, though – which is why it’s still important to ask an experienced logo designer to shape your initial idea into something that stands up against your competitors’ efforts.
Designers will find new ways to convey sustainability in their clients’ branding
Companies are becoming increasingly focused on doing their bit for the environment and exploring more sustainable practices – and it’s still going to be our job to help them communicate these values through their designs. I’m sure that straightforward, single-colour designs with approachable (and sometimes very basic) typographical elements will continue to do well, but we might need to get a bit more imaginative for brands that are competing in particularly saturated markets.
More of us will embrace AI
Artificial intelligence is nowhere near ready to replace talented HUMAN designers, but at this point, we’d all benefit from working with it, not against it. AI can be incorporated into any design process to speed up the brainstorming phase and help creatives come up with concepts they might not have thought of otherwise. I predict that more designers will be willing to explore AI’s capabilities, instead of thinking it’s out there to end their careers.
What are your thoughts? Have you enjoyed the direction that logo design has been going in, or do you think some of the ideas you’ve seen recently are a bit too ‘out there’?
As I mentioned earlier, I’m always keen to balance what’s up-and-coming with tried-and-tested techniques that I know are going to deliver incredible results for my clients. With decades of experience under my belt and hundreds of happy clients to my name, I’m confident I’ll be able to come up with something you’ll love when you choose me as your branding partner!