Icons and Branding

Our minds can interpret visual abstractions better than they can interpret written (or typed) words. In an evolutionary explanation, written words are a relatively new technology and there is no reason why our minds would be able to process words easily compared to more useful inputs (more useful concerning survivability for our evolutionary ancestors). Pictures were probably more useful (hence the cave paintings) because the human mind can naturally interpret a 2D image as representing 3D objects in the real world—no clumsy and time-consuming-to-learn alphabet needed. In other words, we are born with picture-reading ability, not with word-reading ability.

In graphic design, icons are little pictures that can supplement written words. Icons can be a powerful part of the visual vocabulary of a brand because they are more (1) more interesting and eye catching, and (2) more easily memorable than words. According to cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, "The two most vivid forms of working memory are mental images, also called a visiospatial sketchpad, and snatches of inner speech".

Above are some icons that I did for a company called BerryPlus. The name of the company is rather bad in my opinion because it lacks clarity. However, based on the icons, can you tell what kind of company it is?

Imagine how much more interesting it is to look at these icons as opposed to written words that describe the company. I can't imagine anything written that would be as eye-catching as icons that communicates as much as the icons do. However, if one does take the time to read written copy, it can be more memorable than icons if the copyrighter engages the imagination by creating a more vivid mental images.

Icons can have great extendability and flexibility in a brand such as in the following pattern:


For Clothes:





And graphic shape:


And Brochure:


And equations: