Brand Identity Essentials

SHAPE13 Logo Shapes

An assemblage of different shapes often comprises a graphic identity. At the same time, graphic identities form a single shape once assembled. A logo’s internal shapes largely define it, since other aspects such as color may change over time or in different contexts. Which shapes are selected and how their interplay unfolds can become memorable components of a graphic identity: Are they contained or freeform? Complex or simple? Thick or thin? Symmetrical or asymmetrical? Singular or multiple?

Many logos strive for a sense of balance or simplicity by employing a circle or square as its primary external shape. Like word marks that are recognized before they are read, the overall shape of a logo becomes a recognizable identifier ...