These Logos Swap Western Type with Chinese Characters
Laura McQuarrie — March 16, 2014 — Art & Design
References: behance.net & designtaxi
Designers Niek van Wingerden and Stephen Wright swapped out the text in some of the most well-known brand logos for Chinese characters, testing out how much of the brand identity relies on the original typographic choices.
The transformations include brands like Disney, Intel, Sega and Kit Kat, and although the designers were careful to choose typefaces that maintain as much as the original look and feel as possible, in some cases, like the New York Times logo, it's pretty much unrecognizable.
In the project, van Wingerden points out that "despite having official Chinese names, many Western brands shy away from reinterpreting their logo into Chinese for fear of diminishing their brand identity," and this experiment is a pretty good case for why this might be.
The transformations include brands like Disney, Intel, Sega and Kit Kat, and although the designers were careful to choose typefaces that maintain as much as the original look and feel as possible, in some cases, like the New York Times logo, it's pretty much unrecognizable.
In the project, van Wingerden points out that "despite having official Chinese names, many Western brands shy away from reinterpreting their logo into Chinese for fear of diminishing their brand identity," and this experiment is a pretty good case for why this might be.
Trend Themes
1. Chinese Character Logo Redesigns - Designers are experimenting with swapping Western type for Chinese characters in well-known brand logos, demonstrating a potential trend for localization and cultural customization in global branding.
2. Cultural Identity in Branding - The use of Chinese characters in logos sheds light on the importance of considering cultural identity in global branding efforts.
3. Multilingual Design for Globalization - The use of multilingual typography and design elements could be an emerging trend for companies looking to appeal to global audiences while maintaining brand consistency.
Industry Implications
1. Brand Management - The Chinese character logo makeovers emphasize the importance of maintaining brand identity across cultures, presenting opportunities for innovation in global brand management.
2. Localization Services - As multinational companies seek to establish a local presence, there are opportunities for localization services providers to offer customized logo design and implementation for different markets.
3. Graphic Design - Designers specializing in visual communications can apply their skills to the challenge of creating logos that are both globally recognizable yet culturally relevant.
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