We definitely need a return to a more baroque design aesthetic. Something 3d and skeuomorphic, like early iOS or windows aero. The current flat design trend is getting so awful
BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
161–170 of 193 posts
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#162BMW builds _cars_, not Apps. They pride themselves in craftsmanship. The Logo badge on the actual car is a three dimensional, physical thing. Instead of embracing that, they made it flat like an App icon. It will look shit on cars and it does not communicate that BMW builds _real machines_. Everybody is going crazy about going digital and they forget what they are good at and what the customer likes them for.
Additionally it isn't well composed. I learned graphics design from a guy who actually learned it by using his hands to pit down the letters. He had us move one black square around on a white page for 3 hours and explain why we put it where we did. Then we were allowed two squares of arbitrary size, later colors etc. If you are learning it from that basic level you cannot unsee badly unbalanced design. You cannot jus…
Probably one of those cases where the designer creates something great and then when the customer views it they start “I like it but we want something more modern like those buttons on your phone, how do you call them? Apps right? What if we remove this and this and make these a bit larger”
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#163Earlier quoted context omitted.
yeah, they could have easily made the existing design flat[ter] but left the rest intact. the new look looks very cheap, but i bet they paid $200k for the redesign.
Only $200k? I'd guess at least double that. If an iconic logo is being revamped for the first time in decades, getting it right would be worth at least a million. Sadly, paying a lot doesn't guarantee a good result...
From reading about these redesigns in the past it sounds like most of that money goes to surveying and considering all of the places a logo is used; letterheads, physically on the cars, web graphics, sides of buildings, making sure it doesn't conflict in other markets, etc. Sure, Nike paid $35 to the designer of their logo, but that didn't include any of those things above or pay for all of the rejected designs.
Like you're saying, the client very well might be requesting and choose a design that looks like it was made by an amateur.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#164Earlier quoted context omitted.
Okay, help someone who never learned anything about graphic design from anyone. why isn't it well composed?
Compare the lettering on the two versions. The use of 3D-ish black and fake embossing on the original makes the letters pop. The lack of both on the new version makes the letters look like they've been crammed into a tiny space at the top of a big empty ring. This might have worked with new lettering with different proportions. But it's literally just a flat copy of the original letter shapes, without any of the orig…
> The new version looks like a printer reference mark. It's just... there. It doesn't do anything.
To me, it looks like the mark on a crash test dummy.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#165Earlier quoted context omitted.
Very debatable. Depends on the model. That may be true for the X models, but if you want that is real wheel drive, practical and fun around corners, you don't have many options. It's worth saying that due to taxing in USA they are a worse deal than in Europe.
On the other hand most other goods are much cheaper in the US than in Europe and also US consumers also have more disposable income than Europeans making the price difference of a BMW negligible. And anyway, complaining that some luxury cars are a bit more expensive somewhere is a first world problem most people aren't lucky enough to have.
My point wasn't about purchasing power in general but about BMWs in particular (European cars actually) being a better deal in Europe than in USA. The same way American cars are a much better deal in USA:
A BMW 230i with M package is about 13200 USD than a mustang fastback with the 2.3 engine according to BMW and Ford websites using a sillicon valley zip code. My BMW 230i was around 2000EUR (2250 USD) cheaper than the mustang in Spain, and I added around 2k€ worth of extras (not including the m package which I was already counting).
Regarding the cost of the goods, cars in particular are still cheaper in USA (even European ones). Most American states will have cheaper taxes than most European countries.
Regarding the rest of the goods, I don't know America nearly enough to have a strong opinion, but checking median salaries by state and median salaries by country in the European union I'm quite skeptical to believe most goods are actually cheaper.
Regarding the purchasing power I don't know either.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#166Earlier quoted context omitted.
> They pride themselves in craftsmanship. Used to. These days, not so much. And they're misfiring quite a bit. For example, the new X3 xDrive30e gets a measly 18 miles of electric range (EPA; real-world likely less). All of that added complexity and weight for very little benefit (in 2020 -- 10 years ago it would have been alright). No 3er manuals in the US anymore. Have you seen the rear of the new 3er which looks l…
The e32, e34, e38 and e39 series are iconic and really good cars. Just like MB's w123 and w124 series. Today, not so much.
Surprised you didn't mention the e36. The car modding enthusiast community loves the e36.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#167Earlier quoted context omitted.
Very debatable. Depends on the model. That may be true for the X models, but if you want that is real wheel drive, practical and fun around corners, you don't have many options. It's worth saying that due to taxing in USA they are a worse deal than in Europe.
How many BMW drivers care about rear wheel drive? That is a very small niche. People who really want those features would go for one of the more practical sports cars.
This probably varies a lot per region, here in Europe BMWs are a pretty affordable when compared to other real wheel drive cars.
As I said in another comment imported American cars aren't a good deal in Europe. Japanese are a good deal too, but there aren't really many options that are sporty AND practical.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#168Earlier quoted context omitted.
Compare the lettering on the two versions. The use of 3D-ish black and fake embossing on the original makes the letters pop. The lack of both on the new version makes the letters look like they've been crammed into a tiny space at the top of a big empty ring. This might have worked with new lettering with different proportions. But it's literally just a flat copy of the original letter shapes, without any of the orig…
> The new version looks like a printer reference mark. It's just... there. It doesn't do anything. To me, it looks like the mark on a crash test dummy.
Yes, I knew it reminded me of something - that's it!
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#169I like BMW, but I’ve always hated their logo. It’s ugly and looks terrible on a car. This new logo is even worse.
Re: BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design
#170It looks like a particularly hideous off brand sticker. This trend of making everything look drab and lifeless can't stop soon enough.