As a branding fanatic, I know all too well the more famous logo evolutions out there. Looking at brands like Starbucks, Pepsi or Shell Gasoline through the years, it’s clear that logo simplification is more than a trend—it’s the way of the future for brands.
Not too long ago, I was thinking about this style of minimal brand evolution while flipping through the TV on a cool Saturday morning. My friends and family know this time is reserved for my 8 am Premier League viewing. Now, most Americans have no idea what I’m talking about, so in short, for the non-sport fanatics, I was watching soccer. British soccer from the best soccer league in the world.
What caught my eye though, wasn’t the beautiful game, which by the way, generates $2.3 billion a year in television rights. It was the beautiful branding that was being seen for the first time by me and the other 4.7 billion viewers worldwide.
You see, the league’s sponsorship from Barclays had expired and it’s common to see a rebrand when something like this happens. What was known as Barclays Premier League had become the very hip and vibe-y English Premier League. The Iconic lion figurine that’s always been a part of the brand has been simplified, but managed to keep all of its iconic character.
BEFORE
AFTER
The branding, done by DesignStudio, is hip, youthful and modern. It feels so 2017 and I think it’s a great example of logo simplification because it stays true to the core of the original brand and spills out just as much character as its predecessor but in a completely fresh way.
What do I think about branding simplification? I love it. I mean who has a problem with efficiency? DesignStudio and Premier League executed a clean rebrand that’s both attractive and versatile.
I also think that form follows function pretty well here, since the colors are fun and vibrant. I believe that they are best fit for broadcasting on television—which is exactly where they are seen most—and that this hip-ness is more inviting than the older logo. This new version complements the fun and excitement in Premier League soccer. It’s sure to be successful pulling in more, and younger, viewers.
Just for kicks (pun intended), here are a few more examples of fun, recent and minimal brand evolutions from marquee teams in the English Premier League: