When designing a logo, complicated shapes can make it hard for potential customers to recognize the brand and understand the message. Simple shapes are easier to add text and images to and much like colors, the shape used for a logo can affect the perception of the viewer. When you look at the Nike swoosh logo shape, you think of speed, fast running, and going forward. Shapes can add dimension like a triangle or keep information contained like a square or a rectangle. Circles give an appearance of completion and continuity, but ovals give off the feeling of generosity, motion, and rhythm.
While Shapes add lines and boundaries to a logo, different shapes can either complement a design or create an eye-catching distraction that can burn the company’s message into the minds of potential customers or members. While many logos make use of a circles, squares, and rectangle shapes, the oval is still a contender for smooth and versatile logo design.
Ovals allow for many configurations and flexible placement within a design or with text. An oval can be placed on an angel to create the look of dimension without 3D technology. There are thousands of logos old and new that incorporate an oval shape. Many of them are created with a simple design and they have stood the test of time. With design changes leaning towards clean, straight lines, oval shaped logos still command people’s attention.
Large corporations, businesses, sports teams, TV shows, and other large companies use ovals in their logo design. American Idol hasn’t changed their logo in the 11 years since the first season aired, and the elegant oval logo with the blue glow around it, it unmistakable. Amoco incorporates a torch in their oval shaped logo and has it extend from the top. The message is indicative of unending fuel and service. Evian water takes the oval shape, gives it varied thicknesses and slants it to one side. The pastel colors blend well and mountain peaks rise out of the oval. This creates the feel of high mountains with pure water.
Ford Motor Company uses an oval to surround the single word, Ford giving it stability and a welcoming look. Other automobile companies such as Ford, Hyundai, Scion, Toyota, Land Rover, Kia, Subaru, and more, make use of this same concept of an oval shaped logo and it works well to offer customers a memorable and friendly logo. When an oval is slanted or left open-ended, the liquidity and fun design makes it appear to be animated. Companies that use this effect are Intel, Miller Beer, AAA, and Budweiser.
Often companies such as the producers of Coca Cola will add their text logo to an oval to add emphasis or to make it stand out from other elements in an advertisement or design. This is used by other companies such as Kleenex, Jacuzzi, Post Cereal, and Kroger. Ovals are also used by many sports teams. The Montreal Canadians football team, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, NY Jets, the Cincinnati Reds Baseball team.
All these well known logos are created with an oval shape and it’s not likely they will ever change.
