This topic is food for thought for another day, for now we will be looking at the problem of logos becoming outdated and how companies have evolved their logo over time to stay relevant. Another point to consider is the recent revival of retro branding, that is companies using their original logo to show they are an established brand and to let the customer connect with their history.

Generally speaking iconic logos tend to be simple. They need to be used in all situations from a business card to an advertising banner, sports hoarding or even the tail fin of a plane. Below are some examples of iconic logos and how they have evolved.

Microsoft Xbox – here is the first example of brands ditching their name in the logo. Obviously it would be hard to do this for a start up company, but once the format, style and colour of the logo is associated with a brand, they are able to remove the text while it still being recognisable to the general public.

Shell – well the use of the shell is obviously a mainstay of their logo, which is clever in itself as not many brands can get away with using the visual representation of their company name as their logo, and to be honest it hasn’t changed too much over the decades. The red and yellow colours are important to their business as you will see the majority of their forecourts whislt driving, and most drivers can tell a petrol station from the colours of the roof before they even see the sign. Again they have lost the name from their logo.

Starbucks – this logo has managed to not stray too far from the original but also stays current and up to date.

Ford – this is a classic logo and is the first one that uses a unique font combined with the blue and white colours to make a brand that is synonymous with tradition and reliability. Again they have made use of advances in graphic design to make their logo stay fresh with use of metallic effects.

Adidas – their clothing is known for the three stripes, and they have cleverly used this in both versions of their logo. In the clothing market branding is everything, and I believe that the Adidas one is instantly recognisable, yet simplistic in its design and colour.

BP – the last logo on the list incorporates many of the factors already seen; losing text, symbolic colours, fresh redesign, but also is perhaps the most different in terms of the starting point to the current one. A brand like BP can get away with it as their logos are seen often and the colour combination isn’t as common as some used by other companies.

Let us know if you can think of any other iconic logos that have changed considerably but always stayed on trend and relevant.

10. E.T (1982)

9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

8. Rocky (1976)

7. Vertigo (1958)

6. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

5. Jaws (1975)

4. Pulp Fiction (1994)

3. Hard Candy (2005)

2. Attack of the 50ft Woman (1958)

1. American Beauty (1999)

]]> http://blog.discountdisplays.co.uk/top-ten-classic-movie-posters/feed/ 2 http://blog.discountdisplays.co.uk/posters-from-the-1950s-found-in-tube-station/ http://blog.discountdisplays.co.uk/posters-from-the-1950s-found-in-tube-station/#comments Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:12:31 +0000 admin http://www.blog.discountdisplays.co.uk/posters-from-the-1950s-found-in-tube-station Workman renovating Notting Hill tube station discovered a display of vibrant posters, which give a fascinating insight into the capital’s past.

The colourful posters were found on the walls of an old passageway which led to the lifts at the station, but during the 1950s the lifts were taken out and replaced with escalators.

More than ten posters were found in total with some advertising a selection of films being shown nearby. The dates of the films suggest the posters were put up in the late 1950s.

Films advertised included ‘Too Many Crooks’ which was released in 1959, the film featured George Cole as the hopeless leader of an unsuccessful gang.

Another poster was for ‘The Horse’s Mouth’ which was released in 1958, the poster describes the film as the ‘1959 Royal Performance Film,’ indicating it was seen by members of the Royal family.

The posters are a good indication of the style of art used to catch the eye of busy passersby. A unique advertising style was developed in the fifties, which moved away from the propaganda put out during World War II.

Through poster printing designers and advertisers were given the chance to attract consumers to cinematic treats and the other consumer goods on offer.

Howard Collins, chief operating officer for London Underground told the Daily Mail: “This is a truly incredible find. Heritage is a huge part of the London Underground’s identity and these 1950s vintage posters show what a rich history the London Tube has.”

The posters have yet to be removed in an effort to keep the vintage signs in their original state.

“Until we can find a way to remove the posters without damaging them, these delicate historical pieces will remain where they were found. We will ensure that they are kept secure and well looked after,” added Mr Collins.

Hoarding boards – typically designed to grab attention in a short span of time, hoarding boards communicate one message with few words and bold images.  The next time you’re driving, take notice of the boards that get your attention and count the words on the ones that do.   That will give you some idea of how much information those passing by your exhibition stand have time to absorb.

Shopping centres – retail shops are always good places to look for exhibition stand design inspiration.  Walk through a shopping centre and take notice of what kind of signage or imagery seems to do a good job of drawing people in.  Look at how successful shops merchandise their products using traffic flow, colour and layout.

Fashion magazines – high-end fashion magazines usually have advertising that uses language and imagery sparingly to grab your attention.  Instead of flipping through a magazine to read it, look at it from a design standpoint – use of typography, colour, illustrations, photography, texture, etc.  You’re sure to get some good ideas for your next exhibition stand design project.

Exhibitions – you should be walking the floor of each trade show you attend and take note of what stands out.  Notice which booths are attracting the most traffic and see if you can discern why.

Online –  there are many websites that have photos of exhibition stands, including Discount Displays, where you’ll find configurations of every type of exhibition stand imaginable.  Going online will also keep you up to date on the latest trends and exhibition stand equipment available; just like many design-based industries, new products are the lifeblood of the industry!

Discount Displays’ showroom is a great place to “try before you buy”.  The address is 31-35 Wortley Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 3EB.  A map and more information about the Discount Displays showroom are available here.