Hey, what’s happening?
Why is everything losing the third dimension?
The time of 3D has passed, and we’re going back to 2D.
But don’t worry, it’s for the better!
I’ll explain.
Let’s start from the very beginning.
Back in the 19th and 20th centuries, before the computer era, company logos were, obviously,
made in 2D.
I mean, they were mostly hand-drawn works of art!
Just take a look at this 1976 Apple logo — it’s nothing short of a masterpiece!
Why did it change later?
Well, I’ll tell you that in a couple of minutes, stay with me!
Anyway, old logos were often quite elaborate, as if companies tried to outwit one another
and just didn’t know where to stop.
This is understandable considering you had to stand out from the crowd to be on the top.
Professional artists and designers were often hired to make a brand instantly recognizable.
This is especially obvious in the second half of the 20th century, when companies emphasized
a simple, memorable logo.
That means by the end of the century, companies understood that their customers didn’t need
to see works of art — they needed something that caught their eye and kept their attention.
That started the era of logos as we know them.
Soon after, the computer and mobile age came, and every home was set up with at least one
PC and cell phone.
As you know, the first cell phones had buttons, not touch screens, and a keyboard and mouse
just like today.
Now that I’m saying it, that strikes me as rather weird.
Don’t you think we should finally move on from physical keyboards?
Share your views in the comments below!
Just a few decades ago, the time of VR, AR, and other modern technologies had not yet
come, but the digital age was already on the doorstep.
And since it’s quite difficult for humans to adapt to something new, designers made
the digital revolution rather soft.
That’s exactly when 3D came into play.
When the first touch screens appeared, for example, all the icons on them had to be pressed
with a bit of force and were made to imitate buttons.
They had texture, volume, and shadows to look like the real thing, and they were even animated
to show you when they were pressed.
This way, you felt pretty comfortable using new technology while still being attached
to your good ol’ button cell phone.
Company logos went through the same transformation.
When the Internet appeared to the public (I’m not talking about its early, military-only
days), not everyone was ready to accept the transition from the real world to the virtual
one.
So it happened step by step.
When most companies first put their logos online, they made them look like actual objects.
Take the Instagram or YouTube logos, for example.
They actually depict an old-fashioned TV set and a vintage camera!
This was their link to reality; the means to engage people and make them tune in.
This is a technique used by the best of them: skeuomorphism.
Wow, what a weird word!
What it means, though, is exactly what I’ve just said: when something new and unusual
comes to the world, designers make it easier to get used to by emulating familiar shapes.
In fact, even the ancient civilizations used this skeuomorphic style.
For instance, the long rows of cubes along the seams of many Greek structures imitated
wooden rafters in old buildings.
Scientists believe such elements were used to welcome an innovation while making it comfortable
for people.
Before marble, Greeks built from wood, so small familiar additions, like these cubes,
imitated the wood and made the new material easier to get used to.
The same can be said about the new logos and touch screen icons.
People needed to accustom themselves to the fact that buttons weren’t necessary anymore.
But can you imagine how hard it was for some?
Just picture this: you’ve been using analog devices your whole life, maybe even rolled
that dial on an old telephone once.
Leave a comment if you actually remember that, by the way!
Anyway, you’re used to buttons, triggers, and other physical means of interaction.
And then, one day, you’re told you’re entering a new era, and all this stuff is
obsolete.
Cultural shock?
Definitely!
So, to avoid mass confusion, companies started using 3D logos for themselves and 3D icons
for their devices, which imitated items from the physical world.
Okay, thanks for being so considerate!
But then, literally in one day, everything changed.
Apple, being the trendsetter in the digital world, presented its new iOS 7 design on June
10, 2013, and was the first to get rid of the skeuomorphism.
Of course, the new operational system had been presented three months before it was
actually implemented, so users had time to come to terms with this new idea.
However, the change itself was revolutionary.
Apple basically said it was high time for old rules to go to the trash.
And everyone else followed suit.
Icons on mobile devices became completely flat, ditching the realistic look and animation.
Naturally, many people were disappointed with the changes, but in the end, it proved to
be an ingenious solution.
The icons took on a cleaner look without all those shadows and extra textures, meaning
more space on the screen and more functionality overall.
This effect soon spread to everything else — company logos included.
You see, the “flattening” of digital screens influenced the way we see the world around
us.
We entered an age where the Internet took over humankind.
Today, we no longer need to touch things to see them as they are.
We look at flat images and add the details ourselves.
Companies put two and two together and made use of the new trend.
Now their logos are as simple as mobile phone icons: flat, minimalistic, and easy to understand.
They don’t look like they’re going to jump at you anymore — and let’s be honest,
you don’t need them to.
Today, people want to perceive maximum information with minimum effort, and the new 2D style
is about just that.
To be more specific, let’s go back to the example I gave you earlier: Instagram and
YouTube.
If you take a look at their modern logos, you’ll see nothing but flat images.
They’re symbols in their purest form, which works, because it doesn’t distract us from
the essence.
And I bet you still want to know why the Apple logo changed so much!
I promised to tell you at the beginning, so here you go: The company wanted to create
a more memorable image that’s easy to grasp from the first sight.
And wouldn’t you agree that they succeeded?
By the way, the bite in the apple was added so people wouldn’t confuse it with a cherry!
Now that’s something I didn’t expect.
In any case, though, brands have learned one undoubted truth: the life of a logo is as
long as the trends are.
You can’t just put up one logo and live with it for centuries, or even decades.
New times require new changes, and although we, as consumers, may not think much of it,
we’ll always choose something modern and up-to-date over old-fashioned and obsolete.
So what do you think the next logo trend will be?
Share your views down in the comments!
I’m betting on abstract symbols.
There’s just nothing more simplistic than that, don’t you agree?
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Bright Side of life!