Before we start the discussion on retro logo designs, here’s a quick question.
What is the number 1 thing you want your brand to be known for?
If you answer things like your product, service, or brand experience, you’re not giving the question enough thought.
The first thing, the lasting thing, and the most important thing that any brand wants to be associated with and known for is trust.
Consumer trust in your brand that you can always deliver consistently. No matter what the product, service, or experience is. If you are consistent with it, your consumers will come to expect it from you, and consistency will beget trust.
What does that have to do with retro logo design?
Glad you asked.
Retro logo designs are known for their distinct details. Textures, shades, badges, rich colors, ornate graphics, multi-element spaces, and more. Because of this emphasis on detail, a retro logo design can present a brand more openly. Along with the brand name and tagline, it can also communicate the brand’s purpose, personality, its character, and help customers associate meaning with it.
The more descriptive and detailed a logo is, research shows the more consumer trust it will gain. Perhaps that is why we have witnessed a huge number of brand logos in the food and beverage industry going for more earthy and vintage vibes.
Contemporary logo designs, on the other hand, (which are typically mostly on the minimal side) are by default devoid of details.
Therefore, brands seeking to create a lasting impression the moment they arrive on the scene do well to seriously consider using a retro logo design for their visual identity.
To elaborate on how impactful vintage-based retro logos can be, consider the Coca-Cola logo.
It has remained almost unchanged for more than a hundred years. In a hand-written typography style, the logo has achieved an iconic status. It looks charming, old school, nostalgic, and a symbol of consistently delicious sugary pleasure.
While Coca-Cola remains a dependable vintage design icon, other brands have dipped their toes in the sea of minimalism and decided it’s not for them.
Burberry is one such brand. It came back to its vintage roots after experimenting with minimalism for a few years. In 2023, Burberry ditched the minimal logo that it had adopted a few years prior. Trying to find a balance between meaning and utility, the brand chose to streamline its equestrian knight logo by giving it a slightly modern spin. The wordmark in the logo was also updated to a stylized but neat serif font.
Some other brands that proudly claim heritage through their designs include:
- Gustini: The German food retailer shows off its Italian gusto with a sturdy wordmark that looks hand-crafted, just like its cheese!
- Bachan’s: The fan-fave sauce brand delights with a textured logo and a playful octopus smiling on every can.
- Demel: Turning baking into culinary art, Demel’s heritage logo proclaims its imperial history with the Habsburg eagle crest and a gold and cream color palette.
- Air India: The Air India logo is contemporary-retro. Balancing extended letterforms with a streamlined overall appeal.
- Munson: Revel in the slab serif world of Munson where branding is fearless, confident, and multicultural.
- First Choice: Featuring a pink that’s reminiscent of the Art Deco era, First Choice brings charm and allure to modern travel.
- Warped Wing: Reflecting the richness of its beers, Warped Wing showcases an earthy red logo inspired by the Wright Brother’s wing-warping invention.
- Pepsi: In 2023, Pepsi went back to its legacy retro logo after staying minimal for several decades — a move garnering much fan love for the brand.
- Mode: If you think retro and data analytics branding isn’t a match, Mode — a business intelligence platform — is here to correct you.
- Blakesville Creamery: From a navy blue and cream website to a logo design in swirled typography, everything here is just a beautiful charm.
Below, we share with you a quick infographic to nudge you toward making retro logos your top choice for memorable, impactful brands. Do give it a read and if you like it enough, we won’t say no to a healthy amount of social shares!
