When it comes to a business’s operations and marketing, both typically have a fluid tendency. Updating your company’s products or services, pricing, marketing campaigns, or other brand-specific changes are necessary for an organization’s successful growth.

In this article, we’re going to focus on one of our favorite aspects of marketing and design — branding. We’ll share brand updates from well-known companies as well as a redesign project from our designers at WebRealSimple!

Brand Design Trends of 2019

Before we delve into our favorite brand updates of 2019, let’s discuss this year’s trends. With the popularity of mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, understanding their role in brand management is more important than ever. Traditionally, companies did not require multiple renderings of a logo. Logos came in a convenient “one size fits all” version. Modern times call for modern answers — responsive design.

While past marketers would advise against changing a company logo, this school of thought has been replaced by creating multiple versions of a logo. Depending on where the logo will be displayed, designers may choose to omit certain aspects or scale down. This allows companies the flexibility to share a unique logo across their multiple platforms. It is no longer uncommon to find a different logo on a company’s mobile app than you may see on their website or promotional materials, like clothing or brochures.

While it may seem counterintuitive to the above trend, the “less is more” approach has caught on. Designing cleaner logos that aren’t as busy as their predecessors has even become popular across brands that clung to original logos. So, on to the round up of our brand updates.

1. Sears

Enter content about the new Sears logo, goal for recreating a logo (company going under, etc.)  and a  fun quip about why public opinion feels this logo update is successful.

Slack

As a modern company with a better-than-average pulse on design principles, the cloud-based messaging platform understood the necessity of rebranding. With 11 colors in its signature symbol (the hashtag/octothorpe), an exact 18° tilt angle and a logo that could only be placed on a white background – the original logo was a marketing nightmare. They redesigned the logo to achieve a singular goal: cohesive visual identity with a bolder typeface and a cleaner hashtag symbol. Their first redesign was not accepted with open arms by the public and failed to translate across all platforms, defeating the purpose of having a logo. But we feel that their second redesign really hit the mark!

Made some content changes – please read through and update if needed)

City of Raleigh

This was an interesting redesign to watch play out as WebRealSimple is located in Raleigh and Greensboro North Carolina. The public opinion was very mixed on the final result.

The new logo was presented as symbol that combines the old town feel with the growing tech industry in the Raleigh area, but a lot of opinions felt that the new logo seemed to computer generated and did not support the City of Oaks vibe of Raleigh, NC.

Our feelings are still mixed as we continue to get used to this new logo – how do you feel about it?

Update text to read better – and include when the original logo had been created. 

Toyota

The vehicle manufacturer replaced its shiny, chrome logo (created in what year?) for a flat design for 2019. The company name stands out in a black, bold typeface. The Toyota symbol is smaller and encapsulated in a red square, offering an energetic simplicity.

Is there any further information on why they went this direction and any majority public feedback when it launched? 

Let’s include a blurb about why we like it – something along the lines that in some cases such as this “simple is simply better!”

IKEA

The European ready-to-assemble furniture company made a few subtle changes to its iconic logo earlier this year. Although miniscule, our trained eyes noticed the aspect ratio has been reduced and the trademark symbol was moved to the inside of the rectangle. Sometimes the smallest adjustments on a logo can make a huge difference!

Charlotte eSports

This logo was designed by WebRealSimple’s Sr. Designer, Joshua Corum. It takes its inspiration from the soul of Charlotte, the “Queen City”. The crown represents this notion along side the idea of Charlotte eSports being the pentacle of eSports organizations, not only in North Carolina, but the eastern seaboard. The color is a representation of Charlotte’s “sports royalty” teams that have used similar colors to define themselves from the rest. Feedback has shown that the success of this logo is in its visual striking appeal to the gaming community.

7. West Raleigh Baseball

Need small blurb about West Raleigh Baseball, who they are what they do. I have an original design and the new design. The design was basically done because the volunteers for the organization are younger and wanted this to feel more like a baseball logo vs the original. 

Also mention how the logo was designed by WebRealSimple with wording like WebRealSimple had the opportunity to redesign the logo for West Raleigh Baseball. It is successful because parents and kids are seeing a more relateable baseball organization, feel like they are on a real major league team with the new uniforms and just overall gives them a more branded look within the baseball industry. (however you want to word that).