Blanding with Flavour

We all know it when we see it: the super minimalist logo, that stands out in its simplicity. Also the source of many a brief that comes a designer’s way for a logo that’s “just a font”.

This style of logo is a classic example of blanding, a branding trend that took the tech, food and retail worlds by storm last year.

Here are a few reasons we think there’s still merit to blanding (with a little spice, of course, but we’ll get to that later).

Make way for Pivots:

In the time of COVID-19, with companies and businesses pivoting to stay relevant, having a large, unambiguous visual element almost forces a rebrand. Blanding allows for pivots, and to redefine yourself.

B2C to B2B

It also has the added advantage of allowing you to more easily tone down and perk up your communication as per your audience. Whether it’s an Insta Story announcing a flash sale, or an email about a technical difficulty.

All about the future

Blanding, today, also connotes a future-facing business or company. Whether the logo has been created with slick sans-serifs or elegant serifs, the approach gives off a vibe of openness, free of fussy or extraneous details.

But here’s why blanding may not work for your brand:

What was your name again?

With so many brands following an ultra-minimal approach, a world with bland brands, may as well be a world where every brand’s named “Paradise”.

No seriously, what was it?

If your goal as a new business is to stand out and grab your customer’s attention, rethink this approach that so unapologetically goes by the name “blanding”.

That said, blanding can be done right for new businesses and for all the benefits stated above. When you think about it, blanding has existed for ages with retail brands like Mango and Zara going minimal with their logos, and there’s a reason why they did it too.

For a piece of apparel the label acts as a little billboard in the closet for years (hopefully decades) after it’s been bought. And this billboard is often showcased against the background of varied prints and textures, standing out while standing the test of time.

And herein lies the lesson on blanding with flavour.

Build your bland with some spices on the side.

These spices are what come in handy when you’re looking to pep up a piece of communication, or experiment a little.

Whether it’s with colour palettes, font families, or image-making techniques, you can ensure you stand out, pivot, or breathe when you want to.