Imagine a world without logos

Logorama from Marc Altshuler on Vimeo.The award-winning animated short, Logorama, does a wonderful job of showing how pervasive branding is in our lives in a clever and satirical parody.The art of crafting logos and creating brand identities has long been a mainstay of graphic design. Schooled in creating icons, it's hard to find an advertising or design company that doesn't have a dedicated section in their online portfolio for branding.In 1999 Naomi Klein wrote the bestselling book, "No Logo," where she reported on the dangers of global branding and how while our minds were elsewhere, superbrands ramped up their cannibalization of every aspect of our cultural lives. Klein critiqued the political power of superbrands.Twenty years later, branding is bigger than ever. People are encouraged to create their own personal brands. There are courses offered in it. High school counselors, job coaches, and other well meaning folks all stress how important this is.On the other hand, people are told personal branding is meaningless in an article by Fast Company aimed at Generation X. The article encourages them to seek out their professional ethos rather than their brand.Brands have become even bigger than Klein had predicted, with bespoke design soaring as a discipline, and entire branding companies describing themselves as bespoke brand specialists. Music festivals, charity events, product placement, social media, sports teams, and more are co-opted by logos of the brands they represent as companies strive for "brand engagement."Whether it is embracing our brand, rejecting our brand, or seeking to create a bespoke brand—the common denominator throughout is indeed branding. There's no question that creating the symbols for them—logos—is bigger than ever.Can you even imagine a world without logos?Sources:https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/aug/11/no-logo-naomi-klein-20-years-on-interviewhttps://www.fastcompany.com/90385831/you-are-not-a-brand?partner=rss