The Logo is the cornerstone of a brand, it is everywhere in all contents and on products. A good logo design already takes into account all the aspects of the story, the style, values and the spirit of your company. So that's why we might think there is not much left to do in the process of animating a logo compared to the process of designing it in the first place. We just have to make it move, right? Well, that would be ignoring the potential of an animated logo and missing the opportunity to take things to another level.
Now one question arises. If you have a good logo with a great design, why would you want it animated? Here are some of the main reasons why I think animating a logo can bring value to a brand :
Brand awareness
In other words, to catch the audience attention and be remembered. Numerous studies show that our brain retains visuals much better than written content. And moving images keep people's attention much longer, making the audience more likely to remember the brand. Also video has this specificity to contain all types of content, moving images, graphics, texts and sounds! All in one piece of content!
We can see the trend of video marketing at its highest on instagram with IGTV, the gifs and videos now available on Twitter and the increasing success of Youtube that Facebook tries to replicate with its video player. Even email signatures can be animated now! So once you get your audience's attention what do you do with it?
Connect with emotions
The animation brings your logo to life, it is now moving. But more importantly, how does it move your audience? From a simple reveal, a sophisticated buildup or a 3D effect, animation tells something about your identity. Why does the animation convey a feeling? Because it shows a behaviour! Just like colors and shapes, the speed and fluidity of animation has an emotional impact on the audience. Look at these examples, you'll see the animation conveys an extra layer of emotions on top of the design.
This Nike logo animation conveys energy.
A clever execution here for Firecracker
A very playful reveal for the infamous Fanta drink
Story telling
Animation allows unlimited creative freedom and the potential to conceive the reveal of your logo as a short sequence. This highlights the story, the origins or the services provided by the brand.
The Google Logo is a perfect example of main services depicted in a flawless fluid motion.
Look at this video signature for intel
The Token Logo for an High Tech ring that saves all your digital ID
Sometimes it can something as simple as this Zoom Logo
You can use a video to aware your audience on the meanings of your branding through the process of your logo design.
Communicate about events
A brand needs to communicate constantly on events and new products. And the good news is that with one design, can come different animations for different lines of products, or events. Each video can have a different animated logo signature adapted to each specific content! A logo can display the colors and the mood of Valentine's day, Christmas or any other holiday to advertise a special offer. A motion designer can create this little extra layer of design just for you for the occasion!
Google became a master in declining its logo to different occasions
The Fubiz website made variations on the logo to depict different cultural categories of their website. These are logo animation masterpieces to date.
Branding in motion
Now, motion design is more and more integrated in the branding process and not only for logo animations. Mainly because of online platforms displayed on screens. The motion in U.I. and U.X. is starting to be a huge component for the engagement of the audience on online platforms. Animated logos and icons provide a captivating interactive experience for the user and a great readability as motion helps to get user's attention where you want it to be in the navigation process.
Uber's branding includes motion in every aspect of the U.X. and the design of the app, not only for the logo.
As a bonus, you can read this pretty insightful article about motion in UX design
Make the good move
In the end, you can find a ton of articles that state the dominant role of video marketing due to the increasing use of screen displays for the last decade. But remember also that the competition is getting stronger everyday so building your brand awareness with motion doesn't consist only in agitating your logo and images to the face of people and be the loudest one in the crowd about it. It consists in getting their attention and connecting with them to build an audience. So to answer the title of this article, what makes a good logo animation is the animation that transcends your design with the behaviour that fits your brand and your target audience, in the way it moves (fast, energic, playful or elegant, clever or peaceful). See how these different behaviours convey different feelings and tell something beyond the logo itself? You can also use your logo animation as a way to tell the story of your brand! And the use of motion design will simply put you on the top of the trends. But remember, an animation will never save a bad logo design. If the logo design does 90% of the job, the animation is all about how clever and creative you get with it!
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