Narrative Logos

Learn about storytelling in logo design.

Association Internationale de linguistique Appliquée, Martin Dufour, 1974, Canada, Communication

Logos should identify, be distinctive and function well in all the relevant contexts. There are many ways of arriving at a logo that achieves these. Some will say a logo doesn’t need to reflect the function, practices or situation of a brand or business, but these can offer a starting point or route forward to meet the three foundational requirements.

Bois Clo-Val Inc., Philippe Bouvry, 1978, Canada, Wood Mill

One such route is what I call a ‘narrative logo’, a logo that tells a story. This often means two elements or parts that intersect, interact, or transition between. These could be representative or descriptive in some way. They aren’t strictly puzzles to decipher, but ways to arrive at an original form.

For example, Philippe Bouvry’s 1978 logo for wood mill Bois Clo-Val Inc. represents the processing of a round log in the negative space, intersecting the final cut strips of wood. In the two elements; the origin and final form of the product, the logo tells a story, but more importantly arrives at a something distinctive.

Iran Thalassemia Society, Sima Moshtaghi, 1992, Iran, Healthcare

Sima Moshtaghi’s 1992 logo for the Iran Thalassemia Society, tells the story of ‘thalassemia’, a genetic blood disorder. It does this by simply slicing and displacing a droplet. When printed in red, this becomes a powerful and evocative gesture.

Glasgow Airport, Margaret Clavert, 1964, UK

And finally, in the interplay of arrows (in the negative and positive space) Margaret Calvert captures the story of the coming and going of aircraft from Glasgow Airport. She further situates the story in Scotland, alluding to the Saltire, the national flag.

Can you guess the stories that the other logos are telling? Comment below.

Want more examples of storytlling used in logo design? Search ‘Narrtive’ on LogoArchive.

International Review of Red Cross Feature Films, Kiril Gyulemetov, 1973, Bulgaria

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