Build A Better Business Adam Garlinger
Responsive Identity Design
With all the platforms and mediums where a business needs to be represented, being able to use a single logo as intended is impossible, making a responsive logo or comprehensive identity system an essential to properly representing a business.
In today’s digital and online landscape where there is an extensive amount of platforms where a business needs to be represented, a responsive logo or an identity system designed with this in-mind is essential.
A responsive identity can be the logo itself or as part of an identity system where graphic elements work together to achieve a responsive identity system. Within the identity system, usage of the primary logo, secondary logo, icon, and graphics enables the identity to respond to all visual real-estate.
As part of a comprehensive identity system, the logo is one of the graphics in a palette of graphic components that work together. Within the creative, these graphic elements work together with messaging as a visual language, with each element and the usage of each element defined by reason and purpose. Because the elements of an identity system work together using a formula, all sizes of visual real estate is accounted for and is part of the identity system, with that space being part of The approach in developing a responsive identity system is to that each element allow the identity system.
Taking the identity system further to build situational responsiveness, the usage of these elements can be applied to the business’ products, services, offerings, and elements that showcase the value and differentiators.
In the development of a responsive logo, the logo must work in all visual real estate. This is achieved by ensuring the essential elements of the logo are present in all variations of the logo, with other elements removed. With a design strategy and plan-of-action, ways to achieve that are outlined in the examples below.
In the examples below the responsive result was achieved by developing the logo into a secondary logo, designing a smaller version of the logo, changing and removing the holding shape, removing elements to recreate the logo as an icon, and designing a fully responsive logo using typography.
Using Typography / Search Architects / Responsive Identity
A way to create a responsive identity is to create a typographical version of the logo, using the elements from the logo as part of the typographical logo.
In this example for the Search Architects identity, the graphic elements from within the logo were applied to developing a secondary or typographical version of the logo,, as well as the icon for smaller spaces like social media.
Working with Form & Shape / Logo Design Co. / Responsive Logo
In the approach to building a responsive logo for the Logo Design Co., the main graphic element of the logo sits within a circular, rectangle, and square holding shape, and without the holding shape, and with or without the name. This design approach and options enabled the logo to be tailored to the available shape and size of the visual real estate in the platforms where the logo is used.
Building off of a Design Element / Reach Educational / Responsive Identity System
Carried into the logo redesign to build-on the brand equity, the hands graphic also provided the flexibility needed to develop an identity that is responsive. Within the redesigned logo, the hands graphic served as a letter of the name, and when used on its own, the hands served as an icon and graphic element. Providing further creative flexibility as the organization evolves, a single hand or symbols could be used in-place of the hands, possibly representing a service or offering, with color as part of that creative formula. The creative formula and application of the creative is what enables the logo and identity system to be responsive to both now and as the organization evolves.
Going forward as the organization grows, additional graphic elements were created and used in place of the hands.
Simplifying a Design / Mattis Excavating Co. / Responsive Identity
In the design of the logo and identity system the logo was developed into two versions, or secondary logo, with the secondary logo also serving as an icon. In the development of the secondary logo elements were stripped from the logo, reflecting the function of an excavator which was represented as a graphic in the logo. Incorporating the shape and function of an excavator into elements of the M logo, both logos contain the elements that convey what the business provides, with the secondary logo being a full-representation of the business.
This approach-to and execution-of the logo design enables the secondary logo to function as both the primary logo and icon, and effectively used in smaller visual real estate where simplicity is essential.
Building-on the Elements / Transformation Golf / Responsive Logo & Identity
In the design of the Transformation Golf logo and identity system, elements of the primary logo were applied to building a palette of logo graphics that enabled the identity system to respond to all visual real estate. Within the approach of building a responsive identity system, the elements in the primary logo were carried through to the design of a typographic version of the logo, enabling the logos to work as intended in all possible visual real estate. Because each of the logos share the same elements to ensure they function as intended in all possible real estate, the identity system is responsive. To further extend the identity system, the typographic logo was used in a suite of graphic statements for the brand messaging, enabling the brand identity to be further responsive.
Summary: Responsive Logo Design
Whether the logo itself is responsive or the palette of graphics work together to create a responsive identity system, a business needs to be represented consistently across all platforms, making responsive identity design essential.
In addition to platform and medium, the identity system and creative needs to be flexible and adaptive as the business grows and evolves. New offerings, services, products, need to be able to work within the creative.
Coming Soon Build a Responsive Logo
From the strategy to the approach to the design of a responsive logo, this step-by-step guide will teach you how to create or redesign a responsive logo that represents your brand wherever the logo is used.