Per Mollerups logo taxonomy

1
Per Mollerups logo taxonomy

• Introduction
• why a taxonomy?
• the classifications
• examples
• Molllerup, Per, (1997), Marks of Excellence
  History and Taxonomy of Trademarks, Phaidon
• http//www.designlab.dk/

2
why a taxonomy?

• taxonomy science and practice of classification
• provides a framework for dividing up a topic
• allows discussion and comparison within the
  topic, and to other topics outside the taxonomy
• features of a taxonomy
• classes should be distinct sharp demarcation
  between each class
• consistent each step based on a single
  principle
• mutually exclusive no entry should be covered
  by more than one class
• classes must be exhaustive all possibilities
  covered

3
why a taxonomy?

• benefits
• graphics is a difficult topic to discuss at the
  best of times
• allows certain features of a logo to be isolated
  and discussed
• allows comparisons with other similar logos
• provides for some level of consistency
• there are not many methodical or mechanical
  approaches to logo design available
• (makes you look really good to the client when
  they see it in the critique that accompanies the
  design!)
• criticisms
• the taxonomy is flawed on most of the points
  outlined
• not universally recognised or accepted
• impossible to tell at this stage what the future
  holds for this work

4
first level

• non-graphic marks
• things that can be trademarked that are not
  graphics, eg the shape of the Coca Cola bottle
• graphic marks
• can be divided into pictures and text

5
second level

• letter marks
• rely on text for recognition
• may be a defined typeface, a modified typeface or
  representation of text using graphics
• gradual demarcation between what is text and what
  is a picture
• can be divided into names and abbreviations
• picture marks
• may be more or less abstract, elaborate
• may be derived from letters
• can be divided into pictures of objects, or
  pictures in their own right

6
third level letter marks

• abbreviations
• can be divided into initial abbreviations or
  non-initial abbreviations
• often the original meaning is lost
• name marks
• brands that are named after things or people
• again origin may be lost
• can be divided into proper names, descriptive
  names, metaphoric names, found names or
  artificial names

7
third level picture marks

• non-figurative marks
• pictures in their own right, are not recognisable
  as other objects
• may have begun as figurative marks, but the
  meaning is now lost, eg Citroen
• figurative marks
• may be highly elaborate ranging to highly
  abstract / simplified
• can be divided into marks that represent the
  product, marks that are metaphors of the product
  or found marks

8
fourth level picture marks

• descriptive marks
• eg a fish logo representing a fish monger or
  restaurant
• metaphoric marks
• eg a gazelle representing a courier
• found marks
• any object used to represent a brand, eg squirell
  representing a print and design shop
• some marks were once descriptive or metaphoric
  but now the meaning is lost, eg Shell logo

9
fourth level letter marks, non-abbreviations

• proper names
• Bass, Ford, Marks and Spencer
• descriptive names
• National Grid, News of the World
• metaphoric
• Aviva, Nike
• found
• Kingfisher, Taunton Cider
• artifical
• Elf, Kodak

10
fourth level letter marks, abbreviations

• non-initial abbreviations
• eg ESSO Southern Oil, FedEx Federal Express
• initial abbreviations
• original meaning may be lost
• may be initials of proper names, descriptive
  company names
• can be divided into acronyms and non acronyms

11
fifth level letter marks, abbreviations,
initial abbreviations

• acronyms
• NASA
• non-acronyms
• IBM