: Is the Google logo a good example for basic trends in logo design? Last year one of the most popular logos changed significantly by introducing a controversial "'new logo and identity family

@Radia289

Sounds a bit like a chicken and egg conundrum! Is Google following trends, or creating them? The most likely answer is: Both (Google is a Schrödinger chicken!).

I think the gist of it is the issue of brand identity and consistency vs change.

The concept of a brand is that it should remain unchanged over its life - to communicate the continuity of its identity. Identity provides longevity, but the paradox is that change is the only permanent thing in the world.

A brand that doesn't change with times will probably die, not only because the customers' taste, lifestyles and expectations change, but because so do the competition. So does technology. If a brand doesn't keep up, some other one certainly will.

What's important, though, is that the brand's message stays consistent for a fairly long period of time. Change shouldn't be change for the sake of it, but it should be an evolution of the brand identity.

A good pace (or balance between consistency and change) is key, and I think Google is a great example of it. They changed enough to keep up with (and possibly create) trends, but their identity remained consistent. So, yes, because their changes have a motive, one can safely assume the choices behind them were a response to what was happening in the world (technology-wise).

Some nice examples of brand evolution:

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@Alves566

I guess they see the value in being easily recognised, and simplifying the original idea over time. Coca-Cola and many others before it have followed similar ideas, whether it's it is a good example I am not sure. The digital era that we are in now calls for a logo mark that is easily adaptable on all devices and minimal in file size, something Google are working hard towards with their new SEO rules to ensure that the web and onwards is clear and clutter free. It is of its time, and purposeful, and I suppose it could be considered a benchmark for design in the digital age.

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