Comments on: When is a logo too simple?

By: Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyer

Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyer — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:53:39 +0000

I like that logo, and there is enough contrast in the words to make it not “too simple”.

By: Virtual Agents

Virtual Agents — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:46:26 +0000

In today’s world designs logo is totally under rated. People value every logo design. It might be simple and very unique though some may not understand how important it is in business. The importance, it communicate people.

By: Oklahoma City Social Security Attorney

Oklahoma City Social Security Attorney — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:49:40 +0000

This may have been said but it looks too much like a windows desktop icon.

By: Can a logo ever be too simple?

Can a logo ever be too simple? — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:15:31 +0000

[...] brought this question up once before in a slightly similar post titled “When is a logo too simple?” but after posting Kate Spade’s new logo (shown above) on Logo Of The Day, I think [...]

By: ale

ale — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:32:23 +0000

I think the problem is the type. The use of those capital C and V next to the i is terrible looking in that choice of type weight. Helvetica doesn’t ALWAYS work

By: Lala

Lala — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:10:34 +0000

I’m really new at this, I’ve entered a university this year and going to study graphic design. Yeah, this logo may seem too simple or dull but what I’ve learned from this site<3 is that a logo must be simple, memorable and recognizable. And I think the designer has it. And the thing that the top right corner is colored prevents the logo from being dull. I've never really learned anything much about graphic design (such a shame) but I think it's never too late to learn so as I said the things I already know 50% i learnt from this site. Wow, I didnt expect this comment to be so long for I just wanted to ask: so can a logo ever be too simple? Thanks in advance

By: john

john — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:53:09 +0000

I think this is too simple to steal people attention,and this is not the aim of any logo..Logo can be simple but very unique and that does a good job.I don’t really know the ideas behind this logo and creations but according to me it fail to communicate.

By: Alyy

Alyy — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:39:52 +0000

I like the idea behind what they were going for, unfortunately I do not think that this logo really pops, or conveys anything about the company. I think that it needs some spicing up, not a lot, just a bit, and then it could have the potential to draw attention in a good way. I definately agree with other posters that a different font would really help.

By: Ash Menon

Ash Menon — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 03:14:22 +0000

Can’t…breathe…must…increase…kerning…

Considering the amount of vertical space available, I think a tad more kerning/tracking is due. The logo itself makes me think of something in nature of a directory, or an index.

Also, I’m not sure if this is the designer in me speaking, but it’s sort of a marketing ploy. Instead of having swooshes and gradients and vivid colours which make me think that they’re trying hard to get my attention (“Look at me! I’m SHINY!”), this logos clean lines and minimalist colour seems as if it’s waiting for me to go to them. That quiet confidence is somehow alluring, and most definitely memorable.

By: Marina

Marina — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:21:32 +0000

When I was scrolling up and down this page to look for the “simple” logo. At a quick glance, the logo didn’t register that it was a logo…I thought that it was a link to download an application to see the logo…I must say that the website looks good though…

By: Fola

Fola — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:30:02 +0000

i think its a great logo… simplicity has been my standard for years, and i love the fact that other designers realize that using the simplest of fonts can still bring forth creativity.

A little tweaks here and there (a stapled page is flipped from the bottom right corner) aside, its a cool logo for its purpose.

By: Nina

Nina — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:35:00 +0000

Hi,

Just so you know, after all your comment, we improved the iCVbook logo. Hope you’ll enjoy it! Check this out http://www.icvbook.com

Thanks everyone for your comments!

By: ces

ces — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:05:09 +0000

The logo on their website is litle bit different from the one in this page, and it works much better. I Like it.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:29:17 +0000

As an aside, there’s a REASON icons no longer look like boring rectangular boxes – something to think about.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:27:06 +0000

Definitely thought there was an image load error (like a lot of other people). If a logo is constantly being confused for something it is NOT (e.g. a Windows icon, a load error) how is it supposed to further the brand? Can you imagine if every time you looked at the logo for your local mechanic you confused it with the logo for your local grocery store?

By: PhilippineOutsourcing

PhilippineOutsourcing — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:59:52 +0000

maybe, one with dull common colors.

By: Lance

Lance — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:17:50 +0000

Simple works a lot of the time – but i like getting more creative in my work.

By: Diana

Diana — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:39:51 +0000

I think is very simple but effective, it looks like an icon, but is a logo, I think the reason what people think that logo is not good is because they want to see “more colors” or gradient effects, etc, something web 2.0′ish, I’m not sure if is a trend, and some designer think if they make a very simple design they have to charge low prices, make sense? excuse my english, I hope you can understand me. Cheers.

By: Ashley Adams : Postcard Printing

Ashley Adams : Postcard Printing — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:58:12 +0000

A Logo is used by professionals as a brand name or Icon. Simple Logos are also nice but a designer while creating such logos should make them unique or attractive. If you could push it a little further, I think it will definitely work:.Thanks.

By: Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyer

Oklahoma City Personal Injury Lawyer — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:11:31 +0000

A logo needs to have something that stands out even when going for simplicity. Without that, there’s really nothing to remember.

By: Tom Dabner

Tom Dabner — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:01:52 +0000

I agree with abounding media and the loge lacking a more defined focal point. However as for ‘too simple’ I don’t think this is possible, atleast not in terms of image complexity. I mean take the Nike logo for example, probably one of the most simple, yet iconic logos in the world.
I know it has more hidden meaning, but to the untrained eye of a passer by, its simple design avoids confusion and invites the customer.

So I think the logo here for iCV book is not too simple design-wise, I feel it just lacks something that will really boost its effectivness in terms of drawing in potential customers. Possibly the introduction of a single colour as mentioned before.

By: Jacob Cass

Jacob Cass — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:39:15 +0000

Thank you all for your opinions on the logo & about what makes a logo too “simple” – I would reply individually but I’ve already stated my side of the story and really don’t have much else to add. Thanks again.

By: Eric Sly

Eric Sly — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:30:33 +0000

I think that it just screams Windows 3.1. The little ‘i’ just looks like it isn’t aligned with anything, or just slightly off, or too close to the ‘C’, and it just keeps my eye there until my brain fixes it, but the silence never comes.

I keep hoping that a gust of wind will catch the paper fold and flip it over to end the madness.

The ‘i’ clashes with the with of the spine of the ‘b’ and just does not fit in.

I don’t like it.

3 things come to mind:

1. Some sort of Image Load Error
2. Outdated Clip Art
3. Boring Word Processing

I wouldn’t want a creative identity, professional or personal, of my own to be associated with this.

Nike is TOO SIMPLE.

This is TOO something else.. I can’t think.. the ‘i’ is hurting…. my…. head………

By: Nathan Sarlow

Nathan Sarlow — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:45:34 +0000

I don’t think a logo can ever be TOO simple, but it can be under-designed. As per a lot of comments here, I think the concept is fine, but it SEEMS to lack execution or originality, both in the mark and type.

Juul Coolen said: I think a logo is only too simple when the identity is not strong enough.

By: Tom Skipp

Tom Skipp — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:46:12 +0000

I’ve enjoyed reading all these comments.
Just to say. It’s not Helvetica.
Cheers. Tom.

By: Amanda G @ northridge creations

Amanda G @ northridge creations — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:19:23 +0000

Whether or not you believe a simple or complex logo best represents the brand – it is often the client who has the last say. Clients can think they are getting ripped off with a simple logo whereas others think complex logos are too “busy” looking. Be true to the brand.

By: Timothy Miller

Timothy Miller — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:19:46 +0000

It looks like dated clip art.

By: Rachel Cary

Rachel Cary — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:25:07 +0000

This looks unfinished to me. Even in context, it stands out, and not in a good way. It looks plugged into the Web site.

Logos are too simple when they fail to create a distinctive, memorable impression. And this one is failing big time.

However, pushed a little further, it could definitely work. The font is not working (and I love Helvetica, don’t get me wrong) and the icon looks like clip art. It wouldn’t take a lot of tweaking to make the icon a little more proprietary in feel while still maintaining the ‘desktop’ feel that does make sense for the brand. Typography would take more time as you’ve got serious space restrictions, but what they’re using now looks like it was done in PowerPoint.

By: Chris Lane

Chris Lane — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:16:08 +0000

I agree with most of the posters here. It just seems too generic and like someone said, I would think of this as an .icv file. Not that the logo is too simple, as most simple logos are very successful, it just seems too lacking in originality. It’s almost exactly the icon that shows up when no icon is present for a file. I understand what Jacob says about it reminding of Microsoft Word, and it certainly does that, but almost too much so.
I actually much prefer the version on the site that has the color and is just iCV without book below it. The square shape, though not as much like a page, makes it stand out more from the generic icon look that the main version has.
One more note, what’s with the bright yellow blog title over a white background? ouch.

By: Kiren

Kiren — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:39:16 +0000

I think it really works with the website, it’s not a bad logo. I kinda agree with Jacob, I think that’s what they were going for, with the desktop icon looking thing.