Simple Overlays

Pairing the austere aesthetic of the previous category with the unencumbered clarity of simple transparency creates a message as evident as its construction. These logos cast aside any pretense of overachievement and completely rely on a simple geometric message: Embellished forms need not apply. This trend relies on two elements creating the purest of intersections with a formula of one plus one equals new. MetLife’s two quarter-rounds obviously create a mnemonic M but also suggest strength where the twain meet.

Transparency has become a standard in the identity canon with a diverse array of applications and styles. One of the primary attributes is to convey the open nature of the company, organization or practices it represents. Often affiliated with entities in the financial field, transparency shows consumers their investment is open to inspection, and the process is not cloaked from the public. Pentagram brought MasterCard back to this genre with a smart clean version of the classic Venn diagram in brilliant orange where the red and yellow hemispheres of the world meet. If there is a challenge with this trend, it may be that a reliance on two pieces of simple geometry means we’ll run out of good building materials soon, so let’s hope an affinity for this trend also includes a plan to evolve it forward.

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PROPHET, METLIFE
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NCTA, NCTA – THE INTERNET & TELEVISION ASSOCIATION
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PENTAGRAM, MASTERCARD
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PAVEL SAKSIN, MATTERFUND
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