Recommendations of the Editorial team
We encounter brands everywhere, often so naturally that we don’t question their impact. “The Elements of Brand Design” aims to examine how logos, colors, typography, sound and digital imagery work together to “shape global identities”.
That means: We hear “Tadum”, we see the red “N” and know that the streaming service program is about to load. There are now even television remote controls that have the Netflix-N placed as a fixed button.
Jens Müller and Katharina Sussek show how brand identities have evolved since the late 19th century, from simple trademarks to visual ecosystems that today include apps, interfaces, social media, animations and AI-generated content.
Today, every brand – Langnese demonstrated this with the “rounding” of the heart logo – must appear familiar and changeable at the same time. The digital age in particular is forcing companies to constantly reinterpret classic design principles. Today, every user has the opportunity to design their own logo or, in the ironic meme culture, to more or less alienate a logo. Just do it”: Three simple words that every sports fan today only associates with Nike. Anyone who wears “Nuke Iran – just do it” on their T-shirt also sends a message.
The volume implicitly asks questions about power, manipulation or cultural standardization. But brands have a social impact – regardless of the fact that they are creative masterpieces. We should never forget that.
