Minimalism in Design: Simplicity Can Be Sweet

Sitting in my yet-to-be-decorated office space on my second day as junior designer at RCM (hello, readers!), I was inspired to write a bit about minimalism. Empty desk, blank walls – the area looks brand new (so fresh and so clean clean!) That same bare-bones look has been popping up in branding, too, where it seems the rising trend is: less is more.

When the design programs were newer and brand presence was less pervasive, clients were impressed by complex gradients and 3D appearances. But as advertising becomes more omniscient and fancy effects become more commonplace, designers are going back to the basics and into the modern age of minimalism.

Check out these rebranding solutions from Starbucks, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Skittles:

Modern masterpieces – or have they gone too far? My personal favorite redesign is the Seattle’s Best, whereas I think Skittle’s “rainbow tongue” looks more like a Lisa Frank seashell. What do you think?

P.S. Here’s where the Starbucks logo is headed