Why Do All Logos Suddenly Look the Same?

Minimalism wasn’t a coincidence; it was inevitable

Image via https://onlykutts.com/index.php/2023/10/19/debranding-does-your-brand-require-it/

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“Why are companies all getting so lazy?” I remember saying this when I first saw the new Johnson and Johnson logo. In case you missed it, here are the old and new logos.

Screenshot of the Johnson and Johnson logos taken by the author.

This wasn’t the first or even most recent example of an iconic brand reducing its iconic logo to a sans-serif shell of itself.

It’s slowly but surely happening to every major brand logo. In case you haven’t noticed, here’s a reminder.

Logos are transitioning to.

• Fewer colors
• Sans-serif fonts (no swooshes or accents)
• Fewer words (if applicable)
• Less depth of field (no 3D logos)
• Less shading and detail overall

But why?

We claim to hate it, but our brains beg to differ