Wonderful Union

Wonderful Union is an award-winning interactive design firm located in Seattle. We build creative solutions for our clients, including Dreamworks, Getty Images, Microsoft, Nintendo, Xbox and Zune.

Visit the Wonderful Union website.

Cog Design

Founded in 1991, Cog Design is one of the UK’s most successful arts-based design companies.

Visit the Cog website.

There’s something about the Cog logo that just doesn’t sit quite right. Perhaps it’s the spacing between the O and G, so I tried this:

I do like it though.

Does the Cog logo turn your wheels?
Is the Wonderful Union design wonderfully unified?

Via bildirgec.org.

Coley Porter Bell’s new logo for the Museum of London (right). Pentagram’s former logo for the institution is shown on the left. Via CR Blog, and Brand New.

In the fall of 2006, the Montreal Metropolitan Community decided it needed “a branding that will clearly and cohesively present the metropolitan region’s features on the international scene.”

Two years and $487,000 later, here’s the new Montreal brand identity. Smarties anyone? Via The Logo Factor.

An interview with David Pache.

I consider myself a multi-media services provider. However, the reason why I focus a lot of my time and energy on logo design per se is that this is the area that 90% of my clients require from me. And it really is my passion.

Build, established in 2001 by Michael C. Place, has documented the logo design creation for Objectified, using a neat series of images. Michael talks about the logo on the Build blog. Via Quipsologies.

Veerle takes us step-by-step through a number of actions in Adobe Illustrator. The tutorial shows how the Cecif.com logo icon was created.

DixonBaxi recently completed a rebrand of Five (one of the UK’s terrestrial TV channels). Via FormFiftyFive.

Thanks for reading

I hope you enjoy these brief logo design round-ups. Thanks for taking the time to read them, and if there are any particular features or articles you want to see here, do leave a comment and let me know.

Here I’ve shown 10 of your favourites that I consider timeless logos.

1. Shell
Logo designer: Raymond Loewy

2. New Man
Logo designer: Raymond Loewy

3. Deutsche Bank
Logo designer: Anton Stankowski

4. Families
Logo designer: Herb Lubalin

5. CBS
Logo designer: William Golden

6. Fender
Logo designer: ?

7. Nike
Logo designer: Carolyn Davidson

8. Apple
Logo designer: Rob Janoff

9. Mother & Child
Logo designer: Herb Lubalin

10. The Fashion Center
Logo designer: Pentagram

I wanted to limit this feature to 10 designs, and they’re shown in no particular order. Thanks again to everyone who voted for their favourites!

Pentagram partner, Kit Hinrichs, and designer, Mo Woods, have created a new brand identity for CultureBus.

CultureBus is an initiative from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to provide locals and visitors with an easy, economical and eco-friendly bus service from downtown San Francisco to Golden Gate Park, with stops at many cultural institutions.

The CB logo brings together the letters C and B in a form that resembles a route.

I’m not over the moon about the application, much like Khoi Vinh, but who knows what restrictions the design brief might’ve included? I do, however, very much admire the monogram logo. How about you?

D & AD’s branding section of the 2008 Annual.

Worth a look.

Mother & Child

Logo designer: Herb Lubalin
Voted by: Alex Charchar, of retinart

The beauty of the ampersand that feels so delicate as it nurtures the ‘child’ just breaks my heart. Is it the best logo in the world? No. But I can’t think of any logos that hit me so hard the first time I saw it and continues to make me smile.

United Colors of Benetton

Logo designer: Vignelli Associates (thanks Michele)
Voted by: iParasite

…so simple and minimalist, and i love the combination of green and white. in my opinion it also supports the idea of Benetton (minimalism, elegance and a few colors)…

CNN

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Frank, of D2L Graphics

Clean, classic and very versatile.

Apple

Logo designer: Rob Janoff
Voted by: Ryan Gonzalez, of IONIZED MEDIA

It’s simple, is recognizable everywhere and has adapted to change.

Aeroméxico

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Jose Antonio Contreras, of Good Graphic Designer

I like it because it refers directly to Mexico’s prehispanic history — the aztec man wearing an eagle headdress — representing the dream of flying. How wonderful is that?

The Islands of the Bahamas

Logo designer: Joe Duffy
Voted by: Jenni McKay, of Perceptivity Studio

…bright, colorful and evocative of the location it represents.

The Fashion Center

Logo designer: Pentagram
Voted by: Yuri Akulin, of Logo Diver

I always loved the witty and clear message of this simple mark.

Agadir

Logo designer: Hicham Lahlou
Voted by: Ahmed, of Chergaoui

Agadir is a city in south Morocco, known especially for its 360 days of sun and its kilometres of sand and beaches. So the logo had to emphasis these things: the blue of water, the wave (it can also refer to a mountain) and the sun (the yellow dot)!

The font used on the logo is also great. The name of the city is presented also in Arabic and Berber (the signs in the middle… we call that alphabet: Tifinaghe)

Beijing Olympics

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Sean Farrell, of Penflare Designs

…very impressed with the Beijing Logo, typeface and overall layout.

Euronews

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Armin

Many logos incorporate a circle somehow, for it’s powerful symbolism, but none are bold enough to leave it the way it is. It isn’t very artistic or original, it is simple and very effective.

Nike

Logo designer: Carolyn Davidson
Voted by: Brian Yerkes

http://www.dinesh.com/History_of_Logos/Miscellaneous_Logos_-_Design_and_History/Nike_Logo_-_Design_and_History/

$35 logo…in 1972…it’s got to be the Nike Swoosh!

FedEx

Logo designer: Lindon Leader while at Landor
Voted by: Elizabeth Bradburn

It was the first logo I really studied. I was fascinated by the fact that the arrow was hidden in between the E and X - how on earth did the designer ever figure that out? I wondered.

Amazon

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Andrew Kelsall

It looks nothing spectacular in itself, but contains 2 subliminal elements:

1. The Amazon smile, promoting customer satisfaction & promise
2. The Smile / arrow, literally pointing from A-to-Z

Brilliant.

Cingular Wireless

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Trish, of Contemporary Native

I always loved the Cingular Wireless logo. When it was launched I was sold on its modern look, sense of fun and youth, and its fresh color usage in a field of black and red sameness. I felt there should have been a funeral held for the brand when at&t took over the company. Although, I thought the transfer was done decently. Adding the Cingular orange to at&t’s color palette helped at&t’s brand in my opinion.

Fender

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Timo

It represents rock, as well as music in general. Although it is well over 60 years old, people from all ages and regions identify with it because it represents what we all have in common: the language of music.

Ask most musicians or regular Joes / Janes and they can tell you that Fender has been a part of them, in some way or another. For the legends it is a symbol of their achievements. For the aspiring player, it is an inspiration for excellence. Like all classics, this one will continue to go strong and will never get old.

New Man

Logo designer: Raymond Loewy
Voted by: Mattus

It is distinctive, authentic and based on a very smart graphic idea.

Oakley

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Dan, of SKYBEND

…incredibly simple and instantly recognizable and that is a powerful combination.

Deutsche Bank

Logo designer: Anton Stankowski
Voted by: Diogo

…it’s strong, it’s beautiful and it has a clever geometrical construction.

swisscom

Logo designer: Moving Brands
Voted by: Simon, of Condomunity

The new Swisscom (Swiss telecom) is getting bashed from all sides, but I can’t stop looking at it really. I know it looks like a strange apple / pear mutant but… I think it’s well done.

Families

Logo designer: Herb Lubalin
Voted by: Chaitanya, of BrandPirate

It shows everything it needs to show in a very simple and excellent way.

Cotton Inc.

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Kevin Burr, of Ocular Ink

One of my current top picks.

Coca Cola

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Lauren, of Creative Curio

I’ve always like the curves in the Coca Cola logo; even though it is so ubiquitous these days I don’t get tired of seeing it.

Gall & Gall

Logo designer: Millford Brand-id
Voted by: Tjeerd Van Sas, of Syrion

Although I’m not fond of alcohol, I must say I love the new logo for the dutch Gall & Gall chain of liquor stores. First of all, the wine-bottle shape in the negative space of the G. Secondly, I think it appeals to the customers they’re trying to reach with the new format (younger (30+ instead of 40+) and female customers). It somehow reminds me of those lounge-café’s and lounge-discotheques which have been popping up over the last decade.

Shell

Logo designer: Raymond Loewy
Voted by: Al Woods, of DubMissile

Always been a huge fan of petroleum company logos (Esso, Texaco, Shell, Mobil…etc) for their simplicity rather than deep clever meanings, pure aesthetics.

Google

Logo designer: Ruth Kedar (thanks diogo)
Voted by: Jayson, of AzAkers

…despite employing nearly every horrible technique and design mistake in the book (notably absent are a swoosh and lens flare) the logo is still one of the most recognizable and embraced brands in the world.

Hong Kong

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Jasmine

It’s actually got the HK in it. But moreover the other aspects of the logo make up the chinese words for hong kong.

Yellow Pages

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Trish, of Contemporary Native

The walking hand has been adjusted, tweaked, and updated a lot over the years, but the original still stands as the best.

Astra Zeneca

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Nathan

In the end, it may not last through the years but it works for now. It may be better to flatten it out.

Carrefour

Logo designer: ?
Voted by: Philippe Boyrivent

…the first logo to impress me when I was a kid is the one of a company I hate now. Why this one? Because of the C in it. I’m still surprised when I see someone who never sees the C in the logo. I like this logo just for this reason. It’s not a good one, but…

CBS

Logo designer: William Golden
Voted by: Pat Taylor

The CBS eye.
It says it all visually!

BP

Logo designer: Landor
Voted by: Todd Bertsch, of Design Dump

It’s very clean, simple, energetic, symmetrical, fresh and was WAY ahead of it’s time. Especially with the “everything is green” effort that is being crammed down our throats. Oh, and the colors are beautiful and harmonious as well. I actually don’t like bp gas, but I love the logo every time I see it. I never get sick of it.

Thank you

Thanks very much to everyone who voted on their favourites. I enjoyed compiling this logo design showcase, and hope you enjoyed browsing.

Are there any logos not here that you’d call a favourite? You’ll notice some of the logo designers are represented by question marks. Who can fill in the blanks?

Veerle shares her logo design process with her readers. I’ve been subscribed to Veerle’s blog for some time — nice to see a logo feature.

Should you use a logo or a photo as your Twitter picture? Michael, of Pro Blog Design, has written a concisive post about the subject, which I also addressed on davidairey.com (use your avatar to build brand recognition).

Victoria school forced to change apple logo. Via The Logo Factory.

CR Blog list the shameful reality of brand jargon from their fictitious rebrand article mentioned here in the previous talking about logo design post. One more from CR Blog, following the current financial crisis, and looking at the trend of bank logos: the banks have some explaining to do.

James Kurtz highlights blog posts about logo design evolution, including one of my previous features here on Logo Design Love.

Todd Bertsch, from Design Dump, is giving away two copies of Maggie Macnab’s Decoding Design. I’ve previously featured Maggie’s logo book on davidairey.com, so if you want a sneak preview before entering the draw, you know where to look.

More logo design evolution. Via Design Observer and swissmiss.

Best Buy gets a new logo design, with mixed reviews in the Brand New reader comments.

If you have any logo design news or resources, and would like a mention on Logo Design Love, please do drop me a message.

Here’s a novel idea from Kolbrener, a table of brand elements based upon the scientific periodic table.

Lg = Logo
A logo, or logotype, is the letters, words or phrase that identifies an entity, similar to a trade name. In advertising, the logo, also referred to as a mark or identifier, typically incorporates graphic design elements to create an evocative and memorable identifying symbol for a company, organization or brand.

Ty = Typography
The use of type fonts and styles, in addition to the logo and brand signature, to create a memorable look and feel in communications materials. Typography usually involves existing fonts, but also may use a uniquely modified or custom-made font.

Thanks Paul.

From the Wegmans press release:

“When we looked back at some of our earliest logos, they conveyed the warmth and personal attention to detail that we hope reflect our brand,” explained Colleen Wegman. “The family culture in our company continues to grow. It was time to go back to our roots and to a logo that is welcoming because it is more like a family signature.”

For a family-owned company, the new design is much more personable than the more rigid, angular logo from the 1990s.

This was kindly brought to my attention by Yael Miller. Yael mentioned the recent logo trend of companies looking to their past for logo refinements and redesigns — like the Pentagram rebrand of the Saks logo.

Creative Review have a rebranded with a beautiful 3D marque called the MaRble. For some thought-provoking rationale — including the following pearl of wisdom — read the full explanation on CR Blog.

The word ‘infonauts’ is an invented one, stumbled upon in our brainstorming sessions through the expression of our core values of being an “information” provider for the creative industries boldly going to the outer limits of the new frontiers of media distribution networks in a web 2.0 world.

Yes. Just what I was thinking.

This 3D paper homage to Milton Glaser’s I Love New York logo is worth a butchers. Via DesignNotes.

Dirk Leys offers a nice overview of his logo design process. Thanks for the email, Dirk.

Simon Nielsen recently brought his similarly-named portfolio website — logolove.dk — to my attention. Good luck with everything, Simon.

Have you ever heard a design client say, “I could have done that in five minutes”? Steve Douglas wrote an article on The Logo Factor that digs a little deeper:

…I suppose they’re kinda right. Some logos could be rendered (an important distinction) in a couple of minutes. If we knew exactly what the client wanted. If we were able to nail a concept down in our first attempt. If the client approved said design on first blush. And if that logo consisted of basic elements — a few shapes and some typography.

Tina Roth Eisenberg, of the excellent swissmiss blog, has updated her logo. I like it a lot. How about you?