Complex / Simple

I am a great believer in the simplicity of line, of idea of look. Now, many of the failings of art and design is the notion that the more you put into an image, an icon, a design the better it is going to be. This obviously isn't correct, and there are testaments to this all around. The Nike logo, above, for instance. What does it mean? There are many simple elements to the design that have sustained its purity and simplicity. Nike is a Greek word for 'Victory'. There is a belief that the icon is simply a 'tick'. This is to represent the positive. It is true. The symbol is a representation of the tick, however, there is also a combined aspect that reverts back to the origin of the word. There is a connection that the symbol also is to represent the winged heels of Hermes. The messenger god.

So, in one simply image, but through a complex thought process a very clever idea has come about. There are hundreds of these examples around in the design industry. One of the things I teach on my creative thinking course is the need to implement the thought process as the most complex part of the entire design development. This is because, as previously discussed, there is a tendency in many people's minds to conclude on the first step of the process. What in fact should be achieved is a continuous reanalysis of the concept in order to streamline the ideas and to make the concept more simple. It can be a hard thing to do, but ultimately using the brain is the best approach to resolving any design flaw.

This complexity in thought carries on through into many aspects of the design word. I have a small challenge that I give my students related to slogans. Slogans for a company are very important. They can make a strong identity for a brand or company, and so for this reason should be memorable. Now, due to the way the brain works there are certain criteria that will make a slogan more memorable. This can be tested and is nine times out of ten correct. If you read many of my blogs you will know that I have talked on the aspects of cognitive thinking. This is what distinguishes us from animals: our ability to take in information and to process it and then to either store or disregard it. Now the last part of that statement is the main point to good slogan design, and the theme of this topic. Simplicity. With that, if you also add in the need to have a promotion to a product or company, so avoidance in negative words helps also then you have a formula. Negative and short phrases can work, take "Shit Happens!" However, this is a bumper sticker and not an advert for a company or product. This would not be so effective if directed to sell toilet rolls for example.

So, lets do a test. No need in cheating or researching. Simply post a reply with your answers. There are ten company names. I want you to write down their most famous slogan:
1) Audi
2) Microsoft
3) American Milk Board
4) Nike
5) Sony
6) Hewell Packard
7) Apple
8) Canon Photocopiers
9) Google
10) Heineken