It’s always a good time to start thinking seriously about that company you’ve wanted to set up. Play your cards right and you’ll find yourself setting the wheels in motion to turn an idea into a money-making success.
And what better way to aim for the moon than by taking a magnifying glass to the stars? The big brands have made it all the way to the top for good reason.
One of the most crucial elements of any brand, whether new or already making millions, is its logo design.
So if you’re in the market for a custom-designed logo for your fledgling company, taking a look at the big movers and shakers of the world can really help clarify what you need to achieve in branding. To help with that, we’ve rounded up the 100 most valuable brands of the world according to Forbes.
We will give you insight into how these brands managed to make their design concept work so you can do the same for your own brand identity. Before we head onto the list, take a look at the interesting trends we noticed in big brand logos:
At the most basic level, we can already tell successful companies tend to opt for versatile but simple designs. Brands that do this tend to think about how their logo will look when put in different applications and assets.
We found that the majority of logos sampled are combination marks, meaning they have both a text and graphic design component. This type of design is particularly useful for creating both strong brand awareness and name recognition as well as giving it a strong visual presence with purpose-built images.
Companies like to keep it simple with their colors, with 76% of designs using a selection of only one or two colors in their logo which is considered as a logo design best practice. Designs that rely on shape and texture rather than lots of colors to bring their brand across usually work better when scaled up or down on devices and in contexts where only black and white distribution is possible, like on some packaging.
As for the most-used colors, blue took center stage with 35% of logos predominantly in this hue. The next most popular logo colors are red and black in the following spots.
On the other hand, the least used colors are violet and pink.
You’ll notice that top brands have the habit of picking bold and eye-catching colors associated with good characteristics. Choosing a color scheme appropriate for your business is an important aspect of branding, as color psychology can play a huge role in how your company is perceived and who it may appeal to.
Check out how the top companies played around with design elements to create the most iconic insignias today.
Apple
Apple’s iconic logo has an interesting story. The road they took to create the perfect minimalist logo was completed with the help of Rob Janoff. The designer gave the old Newton logo a modern spin in his rendition. Numerous theories surround this fruit logo that bit its own mark in history.
Google
A timely flat design and a custom-made font that exudes the right amount of playfulness, those are the two main ingredients of Google’s logo.
The 2015 logo refresh maintained a good contrast in its color scheme which plays well with the Chrome browser’s default backdrop. From 1996, the Google logo history has always been consistent with the color sequence of blue, red, yellow, blue, green, and red.
Microsoft
What can you create with four square figures and colors? This technology company has created a powerful design with it.
Looking at its logo history, Microsoft has always emphasized the importance of smart typography, You will notice that their logos are always era-appropriate and great at representing the various aspects of their diverse products.
Amazon
Is it a smile or is it an arrow? The hidden meaning in Amazon’s logo has always been a subject of debate. Adding subtle details to your logos can easily make it intriguing. By adding that orange curved arrow the brand has communicated that they offer products ranging from A to Z with a friendly face.
The eCommerce company’s use of lower case characters also contributes to the modern laidback look.
Facebook
The leading social media platform has one of the most recognizable initial logos. Facebook used to carry a wordmark logo or a symbol containing a brand’s full name. Later on, the brand decided to go with a lettermark in its current design.
Using initial logos is a common move for well-established brands in an industry. This Zuckerberg owned platform has a blue logo which is a popular choice for social media brands.
Coca-Cola
This world-famous beverage is represented by one of the most iconic pieces of typography. Coca-Cola’s logo is inspired by the Spencerian script that gives the design a vintage yet timeless look.
We talked about the interesting history of the Coca Cola logo history in-depth. Read it to learn how the beverage brand transformed its logo with great precision over the years.
Samsung
Roughly translated to “three stars” this Korean brand aims to be as bright as the celestial bodies. The brand’s oval design creates a stark contrast using blue and white colors which are the common colors seen in the sky. This color scheme fits the company’s tech products.
The text-only design makes it highly recognizable. Plus, Samsung’s logo looks good on virtually any channel because it doesn’t have complicated details that may cause unflattering effects on the design.
Walt Disney Pictures
When you see the Disney logo, you think of immersive storylines and childhood bliss almost immediately. This entertainment industry powerhouse depicts the iconic castle from Cinderella in its logo design.
The graphic elements complement each other and create a magical face for the company.
Toyota
Japan’s top automotive companies include Toyota which has been in business since 1937. Toyota’s current logo design process lasted for about 5 years. The ellipses design symbolizes the union of Toyota and its customers.
McDonald’s
This fast-food chain is valued at $43.8 billion at the moment. McDonald’s logo is a shining example of how to use color psychology to your advantage. The golden arches placed in a red background make use of mood-enhancing colors that coincidentally, triggers one’s appetite.
Science aside, the chain’s symbol is undeniably eye-catching especially when you’re hitting the road and looking for a place to drive through.
What we’ve learned so far
There are tons of amazing tricks you can do to design an effective logo. Nothing is impossible when you have a team of professional designers in your project to carry out your concept perfectly. Get connected with talented artists by holding a logo design contest today.
And here’s the rest of the Top 100:
ATT
Louis Vuitton
Intel
Nike
Cisco
GE
Mercedes-Benz
Oracle
Verizon
IBM
BMW
SAP
Marlboro
Budweiser
Visa
Walmart
American Express
Honda
Pepsi
Gucci
L’Oreal
Home Depot
Hermes
Nescafe
Starbucks
Accenture
Gillette
Netflix
IKEA
Frito-Lay
Audi
Wells Fargo
Mastercard
Siemens
CVS
Zara
ESPN
Ford
HSBC
Nestle
UPS
HP
J.P. Morgan
Deloitte
Fox
Chase
Bank of America
HM
Citi
Sony
Adidas
Porsche
Chevrolet
Cartier
Pampers
Adobe
Ebay
PwC
Colgate
Corona
Red Bull
Lexus
T-Mobile
Lowe’s
Santander
Danone
PayPal
Rolex
Chanel
Goldman Sachs
Nissan
Costco
Heineken
Uniqlo
Lancome
KFC
Caterpillar
RBC
FedEx
Dell
Allianz
Nivea
Philips
Hyundai
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise
LEGO
Huawei
John Deere
BASF
Kellogg’s
Via: designcrowd.com
