Modernist Branding & Identity — OUGD601

Probably one of the most lingering aspects of the modernist movement within graphic design is the branding.

Or as Jens Müller, editor of the book 'Logo Modernism' puts it;

“[Modernism] is not just a trend from back then, it’s something that is quite alive and you can take many logos from today—the Airbnb logo, or the new Google logo—and you can call them Modernist logos... ...One big thing about Modernism is that it is, in a way, timeless.” (Source: https://www.wired.com/2015/10/good-logos-modernist-logos-really/)

Pioneers of modernism like Paul Rand, Massimo Vignelli, Joseph Müller Brockmann and Max Miedinger lead the field in mid-to-late-20th century design. The countless identities from thee designers that are still in use or still have aspects from their influence still being incorporated into more current brands are very extensive.

Some examples of this are:

The New York Subway.

An article from AIGA explains how the above design transformed the New York Subway into a true internationally understandable and easily communicated system of unmark 'styles'.

As shown before, the subway was a confusing and difficult system to understand, even if you spoke English:

This is just one example where modernism has conquered any complexities created through language barriers or even due to simply being confusing for any average commuter.

The identity created by Vignelli is still in use to this day and continues to be the standard used by the New York Transport Authority.

Paul Rand, described as the 'Grandaddy of Modernism' in Mr. Keedy's Zombie Modernism has been one of the most influential logo designers of the modernist movement.

With many of these logo's still in use today, Rand has no doubt left a huge impact on how logo's are designed.