Over at Creative Bloq Tom May has noticed five of the “biggest trends in logo design”. While his article could have just as accurately been named “5 Classic Logo Archetypes”, it’s interesting to note that designers are using these classic forms more than others right now.

1. Cartoon Style Logos

Tom ties the rise in the use of cartoon-esque logotypes to a concurrent rise in the use of hand-drawn type. Both trends, he suggests, reflect a cultural yearning for the simplicity of 70s and 80s children’s TV lettering.

2. Geometric Shapes

Geometric shapes are hard to use but work brilliantly when done right.

 

3. Simplification

Not only are we living in an over-communicated world that demands simplicity, today’s communications environment demand that word-marks be scalable at any size. Bonus: here are some inside insights on the rebranding of Juventus.

4. Brighter Colors

Colors follow their own trends, and this year the Color Marketing Group is dictating colors that are “fresh, natural and eye-catching”.   (Ahem? This is like the bumper sticker that suggests that I don’t brake for cats? I’m pretty sure you’re all clinging to a sense of job security.)

5. Typographical Trickery

Of course, many think that any great mark employ’s some kind of good visual pun (think of the arrow in the Amazon logo that both spans A to Z, but also creates a smile), but like geometric shapes, it’s hard to get right. Tom thinks more are doing so this year.

Check out his full article at Creative Bloq. He links to good examples of each trend.