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11 Famous Logos and their Successful Case study

In everyday life when we see so many brand logos, we appreciate few and others vanish from our mind. Have you wondered what makes a logo creative that will stay in the minds of people and doesn’t vanish?

In this blog, LogoPeople will take you behind the scenes and discover what it takes to design a successful logo. Some eye-opening logo design case studies below will help you make an overview of successful logo designing. 

Table of Contents

Google logo represents all the positive, energetic, and young forces. It’s simple, brief, and powerful.

The very first impression of the Google logo is that it is simple and colourful!

Brands collect all information from data online, sorts and display them to the users of Google results. Irrespective of colour, race and area it treats users equally.

If we ignore all colours, only the simple word” G” is visible, which is its theme. In real life also we are bombarded with much information, but we urgently need a convenient service to sort data and provide what we need most. That’s what Google does! Google doesn’t use any art fonts that are hard to read. Instead, all Google logo fonts are straightforward.

It all started with a fruit Apple, the falling fruit that led Isaac Newton to discover the gravity concept. The main idea behind Apple is bringing simplicity to the public, with the most sophisticated way. It was simple but strong and with changing, the evolution of logo’s from 1976 till today thought it brought variations in its colours, but the shape of the logo remained untouched.

When Apple came up with its first-ever iMac, the Bond Blue, the logo was modified and its rainbow colours disregarded. They thought that the rainbow-coloured logo would have looked childish, silly, and out of place on the sky-blue compute.

The logo then took designed with a luxurious metallic look with embossing. The “Glass” themed logo design was the next evolution for the logo. Now the company uses a more modernized flat “Millennial” Apple logo.

The logo matches the personality of the brand when we think of Apple’s products; we think of words like accessible, sleek, and intelligent. The logo conveys just that.

The brand Nike “swoosh” has one of the most recognizable and iconic brand logos. The recent advertisements let go the Nike name and use only the logo, combined with their tagline “Just do it.” Graphic design student Carolyn Davidson created the logo. Despite being a famously simple logo, it has evolved and changed since it was initially conceived.

The line reflects the goddess Nike wing, who gave the brand a name. Nike means the victory in ancient Greece and patronized the athletes. The Swoosh is known to the whole world and transmits sound at high speed. It is a symbol of eternal and constant movement.

The wing shape was designed as a reflection to stimulate athletes to achievements and actions such as the tagline “Just do it” that appeared later.

In 1971 a logo featured the full company name “Federal Express” inside a rectangle which was divided in two by a diagonal line. The corporate colour palette included three hues (blue, red, and white) that portrayed the ideas of power and professionalism.

Such as colour orange stands for FedEx Express, red is a direct indication at FedEx Freight and green is the corporate colour of FedEx Ground.

FedEx emblem is simple if you look between letters E and X, you will spot a white arrow which stands for accuracy speed, strive for perfection, and perseverance in achieving goals. It looks stylish and relevant even decades after its last re-designing.

The FedEx logo is a textbook example of how to use negative space; for the iconic hidden arrow, designer Lindon Leader paired the Universe 67 and Futura Bold fonts

It consists of a thick black ring encircled by a silver lining where the word ‘BMW’ is inscribed in a non-serif typeface in the top half of the black ring. The ring was partitioned into four equal alternative colours of blue and white quarters which are known as “roundel”, which was created and registered in the year 1917.

It is remarkably simple and projects an identity that is smart, clear, sporty and image-conscious.

The white and blue colour of logo has many variations such as:

Sky blue and white fields other are interpretation to a rotating propeller and BMW logo to Bavaria where the products are produced”.

On 3rd march new logo is revealed to match their new release i4 car concept. The circle shape is still the same along with the blue and white colour. The lighting and 3D effect replaced the thick black ring with a transparent one to develop a more straightforward and minimal logo.

6. Coca-Cola 

Over the year 1886 there were many changes in the logo, but there was never a dramatic change, aside from the addition of the “white wave” that we commonly see underneath the text or classic, and script lettering that has largely remained the same.

The logo represents originality and classiness; the cursive and fashionable lettering is truly unique and personifies the stylish class of its brand. The brand has created red and white colour as the anthem of cold drink. It is the most desired logo all around the world due to its emotional connect and nostalgic feel.

Red displays energy, appetizing, passion and excitement. The logo is very simplistic, and hence it stayed in the minds of customers. In fact, people recognize the logo with just colour and font style also.

7. Mc Donalds 

McDonald’s iconic logo has gone through a lot of changes during its history. The logo was just a simple sketch of a chef in the 1940s. Now it has been transformed into one of the most recognized logos, eliminating its unnecessary elements over the years.

The McDonald’s brand logo looks similar to two of the restaurant’s golden brown French fries bent into the shape of an “M”.

It is a subtle message that advertises one of McDonald’s most popular menu items without the viewer, even realizing it. The brand chose to incorporate the slogan “I’m lovin’ it” into their logo. In this slogan, the company purposefully uses lower case letters and abbreviation to convey a calm and informal tone.

The packaging design of the Pepsi label has contributed in a massive way to the victory of the brand. The Design of Pepsi Logo is simple, attractive, instantly visible and helps in catching the attention of people towards the beverage.

Pepsi Globe shape logo that we see today has gone several changes over the years. The new Pepsi brand logo is now a simple circular design without the company name, which simplified version of the logo that act as excellent on all promotional campaigns. Started with almost same typography and colour as their competitor brand Coca-Cola, but now brand logo uses blue and red as these are contrasting colours.

The middle white strip increases the contrast more for producing tantalizing spectacle. The word Pepsi are typecast at the side of the globe this time in the lower case. The centre white space gives a smiling face to the logo. Current Pepsi logo has a patriotic palette of the year 40s, minimalistic design of the years 70s and script-like curves from the brand logos original look.

Shell from 1891 has gone many changes with its brand logo, but the picture of the shell has never disappeared.

The company wanted to align the colours of the Spanish flag, where many early California settlers were born to try and form an emotional bond with their customers. The shell represents a mollusk, which reflects the company’s trading roots, and part of the eco-cycle of oil exploration.

Bold and robust font lines indicate a bold company with a strong standing in the business world. Shell’s colours remind us of the company’s heritage.

10. Microsoft

Microsoft started with a soft coloured graphic which carried a suggestion to data structures. The ‘times’ family moved a crossed ‘W and this logo had a professional and sophisticated look.

Over the years it added more colours to its logo such as red, green, blue, yellow along with bolder sans type. The later logo acquired cleaner, 3D that presented as the plastic look and hence after two generations the logo came up as flatter ad cleaner design.

These few changes were aligned with the evolution of digital screens. As the resolutions get better, the type gets thinner.

Finally, the present logo, with the arrival of Windows 8 was a time when the whole design philosophy of Microsoft products was changing- when the entire design world was realizing the utility of flatter designs.

11. Walmart

The company played around with various designs, mostly flip-flopping on whether to hyphenate the company name in the logo to read “Wal-Mart” the company eventually settled on the latter in 2008.

“Walmart” which was spelt out in all lowercase letters accented on end by a yellow sunburst, the brand refers as “the spark”. The logo marks the 6th version of the brand logo design and said that the design was to make shopping more attractive to higher-income families.

The soft blue and yellow colour is an attempt to be more welcoming and inviting to their customers across the world. The spark is a symbol of inspiration and innovation, both things that have driven the company forward over the years.

The new logo didn’t have to be completely innovative and original; it just had to be different from their old one—something that would represent a fresh start and a new direction for the company.

Some other famous and successful brand logo:

Conclusion:

After going through the above beautiful and iconic brand logo case studies, there are also many other famous and successful brand logo such as Adidas, Honda, Starbucks, Rolex, Mercedes, Google, Chanel, Mickey mouse, Sony, Toyota, Dell, ford, ebay, Disney, Harley Davidson, Burger king, Dominos, Jeep, Amazon, Costa coffee, Android, CNN, Nestle and many more in list.  We are sure you have enriched your knowledge. Case studies make us realize that these giant companies have also once faced issues. Their logo today, we see their famous and most recognized logo all around the world, but now we know they have even gone through a journey of modifications and alterations to get that one perfect logo. Though changing time and market makes us keep updated with logo design, it is essential to approach a professional logo design agency who understands your requirement and then work. The agency that thinks for your future expansion and aligns such relevant elements in your logo design is significant. You can connect us if you are confused or ready to change your old logo and take a new direction, we will make you achieve your vision.

Being a strategist’s head and a long term visionary personality aims to achieve excellence in branding, packaging and digital marketing field. My 15 years of design experience and masters degree ais my strength which keeps me motivated and keep me going positively. I have participated in extensive branding design conquests in India, USA, Australia and New Zealand with winning zeal. My objective is to encourage start-ups and hence involves actively in the articles which will act as a productive intake of knowledge for them. Do connect me personally via my LinkedIn and I love to share my expertise with you.

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17 Logo Design Case Studies

Although there are a lot of quality tutorials available for designing logos, case studies from real-world projects can prove to be even more valuable as a learning resource. Case studies are excellent for showing more of the entire process, the steps that are involved, and putting it into the context of a specific client.

In this post we’ll point you towards 17 logo design case studies that will give you an in-depth look at the process of logo or identity design.

Logo Design Process and Walkthrough for Vivid Ways

Henri Ehrhart Brand Identity Design

Logo Design Project Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Vissumo Brand Identity Design

Giacom Brand Identity Design

Logo Design Process for Just Creative Design’s Award Winning Logo

Logo Design Case Study – JMR Insurance Group

Berthier Associates Brand Identity Design

Logo Design Case Study – Victory Marketing Agency

Hilcon Brand Identity Design

A-List Blogging Bootcamps Identity Design

Tammy Lenski Brand Identity Design

Identity Design Process for Butterfield Photography

The Philadelphia History Museum

Komplett Fitness Brand Identity Design

Logo Design Case Study – Bayfront Bistro

Logo Design Process for FITUCCI

For more on logos please see:

• Top 10 Sources of Logo Design Inspiration
• Logo Design Toolbox: 60+ Resources for Logo Design
• 50 Clever, Creative Logos
• 35 Type Based Logos
• Showcase of Logos with Folds

35 Portfolio Websites that are Sure to Inspire

Showcase of double-sided business cards.

Very insightful post. It’s amazing how much work is put into a single element. That’s why I get so frustrated when a client tells me to “whip up a logo” in an hour or two. sigh…

Excellent article. Logo design has always been something I wanted to really work on – this is just another great article to add to the toolbox. myNiteLife Rocks…

Great list guys…I always love case studies b/c they let you the behind the scenes stuff that goes into creating something. I will definitely be checking these out!

Great post! I love to see the published logo case studies but don’t always catch each one that crops up via twitter etc so it’s good to have a collection. I’ll be looking through these. I’m not brave enough to post one of my own from start to finish!

Always nice to see how other designers work. An additional resource for logo design processes is Processed Identity, (processedidentity.com) a community driven site dedicated to the creative process.

Thanks Steven

Thanks for these. I really like these posts showing the process of people create logos. Always interesting.

Thanks for including my logo in the list! I’m thrilled with the logo David Airey designed for me and get constant positive feedback about it.

These provide an interesting perspective into the design process. Nice post.

some of the great logo designs with case studies. you can take many inspiration and how the other designer work. excellent post

Great perspective into the design and logo process.

Great article. I’ve never been good at logo design but these case studies are definitely going to be a good read and give me a better idea about the process of designing a logo. Thanks for sharing.

Really nice list, guys! I’m doing my final project at college about brading, and the post was really useful 😀 Congratulations for the site!

Perfect work.

The persons that create this designs are just EXPERTS 🙂

Logo design is so difficult, you need to put a lot of effort in whilst making the design seem like its effortless. The devil is in the detail, if you look closely at any of these great logos there are many small subtle details making up the designs, there is much to learn by taking a closer look!

These are really sleek and simple looking logos which have been well thought out and the target audience and brand have been considered.

Thanks for these resources. So many great logos, and it’s always good to see some thought processes.

nice article, thanks for sharing

These are great examples for inspiration. The liquid illustration for Vividways is great.

they are good ideas all.

I just required to thank you for an awesome internet site about a topic We have had an curiosity in for any extended time now. I are actually lurking and examining the feedback avidly so just desired to express my thanks for offering me with some quite very good examining materials.

These are very interesting studies. I will keep these in mind if i ever change my logo, or work on creating a logo for someone else.

Thank you for providing this logos. It is SOOOOOOO difficult to find a good logo. A friend of mine just is working on a new logo for a new project. Hard work!

Nice Case-Study … we will see what kind of results we can took of it for our company

Thank for the logos, great help for logo designers.

Well written article, well investigated and useful for me in the future.I am so glad you took the time and effort to write this posting. Will be back soon.

Some of those logos are not good at all.

Tasty like a spoonful of honey… I agree with Mark though some are a bit whack. The top three are my top three.

your article was great.the quality of tutorials for designing logos are very necessary. the studies case from real-world projects can prove to more valuable as a learning resource.

Wow – just perfect place to find really good inspirations. I’m impressed.

Great collection of logo design inspiration. The liquid illustration for Vividways is I think the best looking logo. But I’ve noticed most of the company logos have white backgrounds, maybe it’s more effective? I’m not really sure, there must be reason behind it, or maybe just plain coincidence.

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Logo Design Case Studies: Deconstructing Successful Logos

Your brand’s first impression is crucial in a crowded marketplace. The key to making a lasting impact lies in your logo, which serves as the visual ambassador. It’s like a firm handshake, a warm smile, or a catchy tune that instantly captures attention and stays in people’s minds.

A skilled logo design agency crafts a well-designed logo that goes beyond being a pretty picture; it silently ensures trust, quality, and connection. It speaks volumes about your brand’s personality, stirs emotions, and creates a strong bond with loyal customers.

Logo design case studies help us reveal the design choices, target audience insights, and marketing strategies that shaped these iconic symbols. By deconstructing these real-world examples, we learn the secrets of memorability, emotional connection, and brand differentiation.

It’s like discovering a treasure chest of inspiration that guides us in crafting logos that truly make an impact in the constantly evolving brand industry.

Logo Design: Case Studies and Fundamentals

Logo design is the process of creating a visual symbol that represents a company or brand. It involves combining colors, shapes, and text strategically to convey a distinctive and memorable identity. The key to a successful logo lies in its simplicity, memorability, and versatility. It should have a distinct look, be easily recognizable, and work well in different sizes and formats.

The colors and shapes are carefully selected to convey the brand’s essence. A successful logo stands out, making a lasting impression and effectively representing the brand’s identity and values. Join us in unraveling the elements contributing to their success and gaining valuable insights into the art of deconstructing impactful logos.

Logo Design Case Study 1: Spotify

Spotify is a Swedish audio streaming platform that has revolutionized the music industry by offering a legal and convenient alternative to music piracy. Spotify’s logo is a simple, user-friendly design with a groovy sound wave and circular badge. It symbolizes growth, harmony, and freshness.

Spotify’s logo features a sound wave at its heart, showcasing the platform’s diverse range of sounds and reinforcing its comprehensive audio experience. Spotify’s logo is a true reflection of its modern and dynamic brand identity. It perfectly aligns with their innovative music streaming approach and their constant strive to be at the cutting edge of technology.

Logo Design Case Study 2: Pinterest

Pinterest is a social media platform that helps users discover and save ideas for various interests. Its goal is to ignite creativity and preserve ideas. Pinterest’s logo is a combination of a “P” and a pin, with a clean and recognizable design and a bold red color representing passion and excitement.

The pin element emphasizes curating and organizing ideas. The stylized “P” represents the brand’s initial and resembles a pin, representing the act of pinning or saving visual content on the platform. Pinterest’s logo promotes creativity and accessibility. Its simplicity adds to its user-friendliness. The logo combines the letter “P” with a pin for instant recognition and reinforces the brand’s identity.

Logo Design Case Study 3: Chanel

Chanel is a prestigious fashion brand known for sophistication and style, offering clothing, accessories, perfumes, and beauty products. Established in 1910. You’ve probably seen those interlocked, mirrored double “C” letters before, right?

That’s the Chanel logo or “Coco Chanel monogram.” It’s a really clean and stylish design. Fun fact: those interlocking Cs stand for Coco Chanel’s initials. This logo has become a symbol of pure luxury, sophistication, and that classic Chanel vibe.

Among luxury fashion users, 89% recognize the Chanel logo

The logo design features interlocking “C” letters for balance and timelessness, with a clean and bold typeface for a modern look. The Chanel logo represents elegance and luxury, embodying the brand’s dedication to sophistication and opulence. It has become a symbol of high fashion and impeccable style.

The logo exudes simplicity and balance, making it relevant and captivating throughout various periods. It is instantly recognizable and stands as a prestigious symbol of excellence and superior craftsmanship.

Logo Design Case Study 4: SpaceX

Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, intending to make space travel more affordable and pave the way for humans to settle on Mars. The logo of SpaceX showcases a cool octagonal star with a swoosh that goes beyond it. It’s a super modern and forward-thinking design. With its sleek lines and futuristic look, it perfectly represents the company’s dedication to innovation and exploring space.

SpaceX’s logo features an octagonal star and swoosh, symbolizing the company’s focus on space exploration and technology, with clean and sleek lines. SpaceX’s logo represents their dedication to space exploration and their influential position in the industry, with a sleek and modern design appealing to younger audiences.

Logo Design Case Study 5: Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari founded Ferrari in 1939 as a luxury sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance vehicles and distinctive red hues. The logo of Ferrari features a horse in a yellow shield, drawing inspiration from an Italian pilot’s emblem. It represents good luck and pays homage to Modena.

The design of Ferrari’s high-performance vehicles features a horse, symbolizing power, speed, and grace. The yellow shield represents Italian heritage and Modena. With its clean and sleek lines, the design adds a modern touch to the classic look, showcasing Ferrari’s dedication to blending tradition with innovation.

Logo Design Case Study 6: Starbucks

Starbucks, which was founded in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, is a coffeehouse chain that is renowned worldwide. It is famous for its high-quality coffee and cozy environment, making it one of the most recognized and influential coffee brands globally. Drawing inspiration from a 16th-century Norse woodcut, Starbucks’ logo presents a siren with two tails enclosed within a green circle.

Starbucks’ logo is crucial to its brand identity. Its simple design resonates globally and symbolizes its strong brand recognition. The use of green colors and ethical practices highlight their dedication to social responsibility and sustainability. Starbucks’ twin-tailed siren symbolizes the charm and quality of their coffee, enclosed in a green circle to promote eco-friendliness and ethical sourcing.

Logo Design Case Study 7: FedEx

Frederick W. Smith founded FedEx in 1971, establishing it as a renowned courier delivery service company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It has built a strong reputation for its reliable and efficient express shipping services, catering to both international and domestic delivery needs.

The FedEx logo has remained unchanged since its creation in 1994

The FedEx logo showcases the company’s name in a vibrant combination of purple and orange. Purple signifies sophistication and reliability, while orange represents energy and enthusiasm. The space between “E” and “x” creates an arrow, symbolizing the company’s fast and precise nature, improving legibility, and strengthening the brand’s reputation. The logo’s simplicity and cleverness also make it highly recognizable on a global scale, contributing to FedEx’s strong brand recognition.

Logo Design Case Study 8: Coca Cola

Coca-Cola, established in 1886 by John Stith Pemberton, is a global beverage company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s famous for being one of the most renowned and easily identifiable brands worldwide, particularly for its leading product, Coca-Cola, a fizzy soda.

When you see the scripted letters of “Coca-Cola,” you can’t help but feel a warm and friendly connection. The bold red color not only catches your eye but also represents the lively and thrilling nature of the Coca-Cola brand. And of course, the contour bottle silhouette is an essential part of the logo, giving the brand its unmistakable visual identity.

The Coca-Cola logo is recognized by a staggering 94% of the world’s population

The Coca-Cola logo is an iconic symbol that everyone knows, regardless of their culture or language. Its timeless design evokes feelings of joy, refreshment, and the shared enjoyment of a Coca-Cola beverage. By using this logo consistently over the years, Coca-Cola has created a strong and enduring brand identity.

Logo Design Case Study 9: Nike

Back in 1964, Nike started its journey as Blue Ribbon Sports before rebranding itself in 1971. Now headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike has become a major player in the athletic footwear and apparel market. The company’s catchy slogan, “Just Do It,” and the iconic swoosh logo have become symbols of its success and recognition worldwide.

In 1971, a graphic design student named Carolyn Davidson created Nike’s famous swoosh, a cool checkmark-like design that serves as the brand’s logo. This swoosh symbolizes speed, movement, and the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. It perfectly captures the essence of the brand, representing athleticism, determination, and triumph. Nike’s swoosh symbolizes movement and greatness, with the brand name displayed in a bold font.

Nike paid just $35 for its first “swoosh” logo

When you see the Nike logo, you immediately think of excellence in sports and the determination to reach your goals. It’s famous everywhere and plays a big part in making Nike a global leader in sportswear. The logo gets even more attention because famous athletes support it, showing that it’s connected to achievements in various sports.

Logo Design Case Study 10: Lacoste

Lacoste, a French brand established in 1933 by René Lacoste, a tennis player and André Gillier, is famous for its top-notch apparel, shoes, and accessories. Their iconic polo shirts, adorned with the legendary crocodile logo, are particularly renowned.

Paying tribute to René Lacoste’s media-given nickname, “The Crocodile,” Lacoste’s logo prominently features the green crocodile. This iconic logo was one of the pioneers in the fashion industry, instantly recognizable worldwide. It represents sophistication, opulence, and a strong association with the game of tennis.

Lacoste’s products have a recognizable green crocodile embroidered logo and clean, bold lettering, adding to their minimalist and sophisticated design.

The crocodile logo is a symbol of Lacoste’s tennis and sportsmanship, representing style, luxury, and high standards. It’s a globally recognized emblem that upholds the brand’s reputation as timeless and iconic. It symbolizes athletic grace and excellence.

Identifying Common Elements among Successful Logos

• Simplicity : Most of these logos are simple, with clean and uncluttered designs that make them easy to recognize.
• Iconic Imagery : Many logos have famous symbols or images, like the crocodile in Lacoste or the swoosh in Nike, which helps people remember the brand right away.
• Distinctive Color Palette : These logos have a consistent and unique color scheme that helps people easily recognize the brand. For instance, Coca-Cola is known for its iconic red color, while FedEx stands out with its combination of purple and orange.

Trends in Contemporary Logo Design

• Minimalism : Many brands, like Spotify and Chanel, have adopted a minimalist approach to their logos. This design choice reflects the current trend of embracing simplicity and clarity.
• Versatility : Nike and Starbucks logos are incredibly versatile, effortlessly adapting to different contexts and highlighting a contemporary approach to logo design.
• Hidden Elements : The clever utilization of negative space, like the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo, showcases a modern design trend.

The Role of Innovation and Uniqueness

• Innovative Concepts : SpaceX’s sleek and modern logo represents innovation in the aerospace industry, aligning with the company’s cutting-edge technology.
• Brand Storytelling : The Chanel logo is like a tale, showcasing intertwined double “C”s that represent grace, refinement, and everlasting style.
• Unique Symbols : Ferrari’s iconic prancing horse and Starbucks’ famous mermaid are special symbols that add to the individuality of their brands.

The Bottom Line

Looking back, when we think about the importance of logo design and the process of breaking it down, it becomes evident that logos have a crucial role in defining and expressing brand identities. As we wrap up this journey, it becomes apparent that logos go beyond just being visual elements—they are influential messengers of brand values and narratives.

The process of deconstruction offers valuable lessons on simplicity, symbolism, and adaptability, giving businesses a roadmap to create impactful logos that connect with their target audience. Essentially, a thoughtfully designed logo is a foundation for brand recognition, leaving a memorable mark on consumers and playing a crucial role in the overall success and identity of a business.

At Logowhistle , we offer tailored logo design services that meet customer’s requirements. Take a look at our logo design packages for more options and details. Curious about how to choose the right design tools for your logo creation? Visit our LogoWhistle FAQ section for expert guidance. The logo design journey is a creative one, and we’d love to be a part of it. If you have any questions, ideas or need professional design services, please contact us at +1 (201).918.4295. Let’s create a remarkable logo that truly represents your brand.

Disclaimer: All the images used in the article were taken from the internet. None of the above images are owned by LogoWhistle.

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Branding Case Study

Case Study: Referanza. Logo Design

Fresh case study telling the details of logo design process for an innovative marketing startup referanza. full path of logo creation packed with illustrations..

Logo is definitely the basic element for efficient branding and marketing. Its design, taken seriously and based on user research, analysis, talent and design laws can become a solid basis for successful communication of the brand with its buyers, customers and users, that is why it needs careful professional approach.

Here in Tubik Studio we have felt the nuances of branding and logo design. You probably remember detailed cases of design process for  Ribbet , Passfold , Tubik , Saily ,  SwiftyBeaver  and Andre logos shared here in the blog. Today we would like to continue this set with a new detailed case study, showing logo design process for Referanza . This case was assigned for Tubik graphic designer Ildar Aleksandrov.

Logo design for an innovative marketing startup  Referanza .

Adobe Illustrator

The clients represented a startup based on the idea of enhanced marketing and business growth: Referanza helps businesses improve customer satisfaction and turn happy customers into referrals. The task set for a designer was to create a logo which feels modern and friendly and signals on customer happiness and growth. The primary target audience was defined as young marketing professionals and online entrepreneurs. General task on branding design solutions was to get a fun and fresh look for a brand.

After user research and marketing research, the designer worked over several stylistic directions. As for the color palette, the search didn’t take long because the clients primarily set their preferences on light and airy design within white and blue shades. So, the main search was focused on shapes and imagery. At this stage, the clients were provided with four stylistic versions, three of which presented various approaches to lettermark while the fourth featured a mascot character. All the versions were based on circular geometric approach. The logo versions were made monochrome applying flat style of graphic design.

The first option showed the stylized version of the initial letter “R” combined with the image of a target card as a symbol of success.

The second variant moved away from the letter concept and featured a friendly positive mascot as a part of branding.

The next option offered the lettermark accomplished with a more classic stylistic approach and inscribed in the colored circle.

The fourth variant featured another lettermark which looked a bit bolder and more massive and had a star inscribed in the top part as an image usually associated with high achievements and success.

In addition, all the versions were supported with stylistic variants of lettering for the brand name.

Having discussed all the set, the clients agreed upon the direction of lettermark rather than the slogan. The version with bold and massive “R” was chosen as a basis and the stage of the creative search was continued around this concept. The clients wanted to see more prominent and clear sign of communication setting the link with the startup activity and philosophy. So, the designer offered another option for combining the letter with a bubble speech easily associated with communication.

Lettering for the full name of the brand was accomplished originally for the brand without capital letters to feel balanced when used together with the logo image. Rounded corners, enhancing readability, also added some original look and consistency to design of both parts of the logo combination.

Once the final version was approved, it was carefully tested in different resolutions, on multiple devices and surfaces to ensure that logo works effectively for various environments. The logo keeps harmony and consistency in both horizontal and vertical placement of its elements.

The final version of the logo was also tested on smoothly colored surfaces to provide the brand sign with marketing flexibility.

To read more about theory and practice in the logo design process, welcome to look through the articles about types of logos and creative stages of logo making. Don’t miss new design cases and articles coming soon.

Useful Case Studies

For those, who are interested to see more practical case studies with creative flows for the logo and identity design, here is the set of them.

AppShack. Logo Design for a Digital Agency

LunnScape. Identity Design for a Landscape Company

Binned. Brand Identity Design for Cleaning Service

Reborn. Identity Design for a Restaurant

Andre. Logo Redesign for Landscape Firm

Andre. Corporate Identity Design for Landscape Firm

SwiftyBeaver. Logo for Mac Application

Saily. Logo for Local C2C E-commerce Application

PassFold. Logo for a Mobile App

Ribbet. Logo for an Online Photo Editor

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• January 2022
• December 2021
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• September 2021
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• January 2021
• December 2020
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• August 2020
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• December 2019
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• December 2016
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• October 2016
• September 2016
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• February 2016
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• December 2015
• November 2015
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• September 2015
• August 2015

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30 In-Depth Logo Design Case Studies

Last Updated on March 7, 2024

Table of Contents

Ever wondered what it takes to create a logo? Well if you have you’re in luck, because today we have some eye opening logo design case studies.

You get to go behind the scenes and discover what it takes to design a successful logo. The case studies  below provide an overview of logo redesign/design by talented designers.

We hope you will enjoy this article and hopefully get inspired to create your own logo. Please feel free to comment below and tell us what you thought.

2. Just Creative Design

3. A-List Blogging Bootcamps

4. butterfield photography.

6. Ultimate Potential

7. Rockable Press

8. Vivid Ways

9. MyNiteLife

10. the bounty bev.

13. Latitudesouth

15. Directededge

16. Mindberry

17. Grooveshark

18. Dachelogo

19. Brokers

20. Siahdesign

21. Peter Hylenski Sound Design

22. Undersea Productions

23. Keyboard Kahuna

24. Tamara Kauffman

25. Apple & Eve

26. Orb Web Solutions

27. Foehn & Hirsch

28. Smashing Network Badge Development

29. Botanica

30. Homespun Chili

Posted by: Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

Case Studies

A deep dive into all the world’s most famous logos; how they started, changed, and where they are today.

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Table of Contents

Introducing Gap

Gap is a well-known, well-established clothing and accessories retailer founded in 1969. It stands as one of the largest global specialty retailers due to its popularity amongst a broad demographic of consumers.

In 2010, following slumped sales after the Financial Crisis of 2008, Gap decided to redesign its 20-year longstanding logo, giving rise to the ‘Gapgate’ phenomenon. This article will look at the unfortunate backfiring of this logo redesign, highlighting the lessons that brands ought to learn from this seemingly unexplained rebranding strategy.

The Gap Logo Change

The Old Gap Logo

Gap’s highly recognizable logo, which represented the brand from 1990 to 2010, is a simple dark blue square featuring the ‘Gap’ name in white serif writing. Typically, a brand will undergo a visual rebranding following a significant change in the company’s strategy, which warrants a visual signal for something new within the organization. Therefore, the almost complete upheaval of the original logo in 2010 proved to be a shock felt (and expressed) amongst both consumer and professional communities.

The New Gap Logo

The old Gap logo disappeared pretty much overnight. It was replaced on October 6, 2010, with a new logo that featured a much smaller dark blue box and the ‘Gap’ name written in bold, black Helvetica font. This new logo was designed by a leading New York based creative agency, Laird and Partners, who holds a solid reputation in the field of branding and communication in the fashion industry. It is estimated to have cost around $100 million. ( 1 )

Gap’s vice president of corporate communications, Bill Chandler, when asked about the change, said, “ We believe this is a more contemporary, modern expression. The only nod to the past is that there’s still a blue box, but it looks forward ”( 2 ). A spokesperson for Gap added that the new logo was intended to signify Gap’s transition from “ classic, American design ” to “ modern, sexy, and cool .” ( 3 )

Gap seems to have embarked on a mission to modernize and rejuvenate the company, along with its sales figures and stock prices. This urge to modernize has been criticized as a “ panic to do something, and quick ”, to fix fallen sales (Baekdal, 2010), with figures showing that same-store sales at the time were down 4%, following a 10% decline the year before ( 4 )

A second consensus was that Gap was simply experiencing “brand fatigue” having kept the same logo in place for over 20 years, the redesign a “ change-for-change’s sake ” (Enderwick, 2014).

How Long did the New Gap Logo Last?

In an embarrassingly quick turnaround, Gap took the decision to revert back to its old 1990 logo after less than one week (on October 12, 2010). The same spokesperson, now backtracking on her original “ modern, sexy and cool ” comment, stated that “ we’ve learned just how much energy there is around our brand, and after much thought, we’ve decided to go back to our iconic blue box logo ” ( 5 ).

A Logo Redesign Failure

Gap’s speedy return to the old logo signifies a failed rebranding strategy. The new logo received almost immediate negative backlash from both consumers and professionals, who were taken aback by the change, which occurred without any prior build-up. The move neither seemed to accompany any other organizational change, for example, in product offering or senior management.

Immediate Consumer Backlash

Consumers quickly took to social media platforms to express their disdain for the new logo. Some critics hailed the new logo for harkening to the brand’s nature (plain and practical) (Baekdal, 2010), but the reaction was negative for the vast majority.

Within just 24 hours, one online blog had generated 2,000 negative comments, a protesting Twitter account (@GapLogo) gathered 5,000 followers, and a “Make your own Gap logo” site went viral, collating almost 14,000 parody logo redesigns ( 6 ).

It is clear that both consumers and branding professionals felt cheated by Gap, who, off their own back, decided to revamp their identity. This visual change which appeared a rather out-of-the-blue act confused and angered the community.

Understanding the Backlash

So why did consumers feel so strongly about the new Gap logo?

Brand Recognition 

Consumers use logos as a key signifier of a brand; it’s often the first thing that comes to mind when a person thinks of or hears a brand name. The logo, therefore, largely contributes to building brand salience. Changing your logo at the drop of a hat causes confusion and risks depleting any brand awareness that has been built. Will customers know that you’re the same brand they’ve always known and loved?

Emotional Connections

Brands often underestimate their emotional impact on consumers, particularly their loyal ones. This emotional bond exists because a brand and its reputation (complete with its recognizable name and logo) have the power to offer a consumer a sense of familiarity and safety about the products they purchase.

Put simply, the logo is a visual indicator of trustworthiness and acts almost as a connection point between the brand and the consumer – consumers know what they are getting behind the logo. The same logic applies between humans – familiar and recognizable faces provide us with a greater sense of safety and trust.

How Gap Handled the Logo Backfire

First: A Crowdsourced Redesign Attempt

In response to the backfire, Gap firstly tried to justify the new logo as a deliberate strategy to crowdsource ideas for a fresh logo. On their Facebook profile page, Gap wrote, “ Thanks for everyone’s input on the new logo! […] We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to see other ideas .”

The new logo could have also passed as a clever PR stunt to increase brand strength through online publicity and word of mouth. This idea seems more credible than the unrealistic crowdsourcing claim, especially given that the designers (Laird and Partners) are trusted in the industry and have dealt with many big brands, including Calvin Klein and Juicy Couture. Surely they knew what they were doing?

Second: A Necessary U-Turn

It seems that Gap agrees that the crowdsource excuse was far-fetched. After just six days, Gap reinstated its original 1990 logo. In response to the move, they stated that much had been learnt in the process – “ we are clear that we did not go about this in the right way […] we missed the opportunity to engage with the online community. This wasn’t the right project at the right time for crowd sourcing. There may be a time to evolve our logo, but if and when that time comes, we’ll handle it in a different way ” (Marka Hansen, President of Gap in North America at the time).

This acknowledgment of error over both the need to rebrand and how to go about it has highlighted Gap’s lack of understanding of how brand identity should be maintained and developed. It is clear that consumers are at the heart of any strategic move, particularly when financial results rely almost solely on their purchases. If you upset your customers, you upset your profits.

Luckily for Gap, the speed at which the 360-degree U-turn came meant that many people had not even noticed the change before it had disappeared again, saving Gap the humiliation of a further sales slump.

What Can Brands Learn from Gap’s Mistakes?

This case study has revealed that a company’s logo plays a central role in connecting consumers with brands, and therefore in enhancing brand equity Brand equity represents the value of a brand. It is the difference between the value of a branded product and the value of that product without that brand name attached to it. . Here are four key lessons to learn from Gap’s error in rebranding judgment:

1. Customers Care More Than You Think

As much as we all try not to judge a book by its cover – we all do. The same goes for brands. We often judge a brand based on its logo and aesthetic alone, and Gap has proven that changing your logo can damage the extent to which people are able to recognize and trust you.

Brands must be aware that consumers do not tire of logos as quickly as employees might, for they are exposed to it much less frequently. If you plan to change your logo, it’s a good idea to warn your customers first because they might care more than you think.

2. Your Logo Represents Who You Are

Changing your visual identity has the power to change how consumers perceive you. A logo is often the most efficient way of stating who you are since it is nearly always the first thing (other than the brand name) that consumers come into contact with. Making significant visual changes has the effect of displacing all previously formed brand associations, putting you back at square one in terms of developing your identity.

Rather than eliminating the overall essence of your logo, make small, incremental changes that enable consumers to continue to recognize you in the same way.

3. Make Your Rebranding Strategy Make Sense

As the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Gap at the time of the change showed no indication of faltering brand loyalty or recognition, and although sales had slumped, the logo redesign seemed a little random. A logo refresh is no bad thing, but it must reflect changing organizational realities or a change in brand direction to be successful. Visuals should be the last step in the strategic shift. If your new logo isn’t solving a different problem, you are best to leave it alone because the consequences can be equally as negative as they might be positive.

4. Beware Of Social Media

The internet provides a space for news and opinions to spread like wildfire. Online word of mouth needs to be accounted for and monitored by brands. Adverse reactions can result in a poor reputation for the brand. Negative brand associations can quickly develop and, in turn, can have negative repercussions on your brand equity (and your bottom line).

It is difficult to predict how people will react to a new branding strategy. This case study illustrates the power of a logo to define who you are and to act as a connection point between you and your customers. Making drastic changes to this connection point must be done in line with a wider branding and business strategy. Otherwise, brands risk facing the wrath of consumers whose opinions easily serve to damage their reputation.

• Gap’s Failure Wasn’t the Logo. (2010). Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://www.baekdal.com/thoughts/gaps-failure-wasnt-the-logo/
• Gap’s logo disaster a lesson for all brands | Adwiz. (2021). Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://adwizbranding.com/2010/10/gap-logo/
• Gap scraps logo redesign after protests on Facebook and Twitter. (2021). Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/oct/12/gap-logo-redesign
• Weiner, J. (2021). New Gap Logo, Despised Symbol of Corporate Banality, Dead at One Week. Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/10/new-gap-logo-despised-symbol-of-corporate-banality-dead-at-one-week
• Why Gap’s logo change failed but Netflix’s didn’t. (2021). Retrieved 31 March 2021, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140722154130-16677-why-gap-s-logo-change-failed-but-netflix-s-doesn-t-t/

Good article. I was never a fan of the old logo. Bit clumsy and old fashioned. I prefer the new one. It looks fresher, sharper but still simple like their products. That’s good but I agree it’s a big shift too far in one go. If they had preempted and teased the audience slowly at first then Less of an impact. Let’s not forget though that some loyal fans of the brand as it stands may jump ship but there are new audiences to be found. So, maybe in time it would level out. Risky but a brand seen to be refreshing itself is no bad thing but, as you rightly say, that needs to be sensitively handled. Thanks for your article. Very informative.

Hi Abigail, nice compilation I still like the old one – it’s classic.

Forgot to mention how the common comment was that it looked cheap and could of been made on MS Paint.

Here we go again. This time it’s Elon futzing around with Twitter trying to rebrand it as X.

Yes indeed! An article about Twitter’s extreme rebrand to X will be published on Monday. We’d love to hear your thoughts about it. Stay tuned :)

The “360-degree U-turn”? 😂

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Doritos Case Study: Logo History & Fake Rebrand

Triangle-shape tortilla chips that leave dust on your fingers.

We’re betting that this sentence would immediately bring one brand to mind for 99% of the population.

Now  that’s  brand recognition .

Okay, we’re cheating a little since you’ve already seen the title.

Of course, we’re looking at the ‘little golden things,’ the iconic  Doritos brand .

This article will examine exactly what makes the Doritos brand work with a deep dive into its logo.

We’ll also see evidence of Dorito’s connection with its target audience by looking at what happened when a rebranding concept went viral.

Doritos History

The history of Doritos is, fittingly, the stuff of legend.

The story goes that, back in 1964, a restaurant in California-based Disneyland fried up its leftover stale tortillas with a selection of spices.

And so, like any modern Disney Marvel character, the hero was born with a legendary origin story.

Thus, the iconic tortilla chip brand came into existence.

From these perhaps accidental origins, the brand has evolved through time to become one of the best-known, immediately recognizable snack brands worldwide.

The brand in its current form is a social-media-savvy behemoth, with sophisticated ad campaigns that stay trending, supporting the notion that Doritos signifies an extreme, vibrant lifestyle with its tagline “for the bold.”

But it’s just a bag of Doritos, right?

How did the Marketing guys and gals at Pepsico equate the Doritos brand name with a vibrant, carefree lifestyle?

Well, let’s look at the Doritos logo evolution as one aspect of its branding.

Doritos Logo  Evolution

You can almost see the  brand managers’  thought processes over the last six decades as you look at the evolution of the Doritos logo.

There have been several iterations as the brand consistently  listens to its target audience  to shift and stay relevant.

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Doritos’ first three logos featured a wordmark encased in seven vertical rectangles.

Initially, the vertical rectangles featured saturated alternate red and yellow coloring.

The red represented peppers, while the yellow represented corn.

The second logo featured more monochromatic colors before a return to red and yellow for the third.

The typeface used gets increasingly bold and chunky as the years progress.

The 1990s saw the removal of the rectangles in favor of the triangle.

The bold black wordmark receives a yellow outline, while the dot above the “i” is replaced with a triangle. A yellow triangle outlined with red forms a freeform border around the “D” in Doritos.

This update takes the core elements of the 1990s logo but places it on a bold black triangle background outlined with blue, enhancing the red and yellow triangle behind the now white wordmark.

The 2005-2013:

3D logos were all the rage in North America for a time, as evidenced in this logo that features a shadow around the white Doritos wordmark.

2005 saw a shift in the logo as the black triangle disappeared.

The red and yellow triangle above the brand name is now heavily stylized, resembling fire or a high voltage sign, tapping into the fiery, powerful taste of the chips.

The 2013-Present:

The current iteration of the logo. For the 2013 rebrand’s new logo, the Doritos marketing team traveled to different markets to study  its target audience  worldwide.

As a result, they opted for a dynamic, bold design intended to inspire.

They reverted to the black triangle bordered with a fiery gradient of yellow, red, and orange. The triangle pierces the ‘O’s in the Doritos wordmark.

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Case study: the ‘anti-ad’ ad campaign.

Doritos has built a reputation for edgy advertising, part of their brand identity to stay ahead of the curve and appeal as an exciting brand.

Over time, you can see this through their humorous high-concept Superbowl ads that follow trending themes.

In 2019, they launched a campaign to appeal to their Gen Z audience, notoriously skeptical of traditional advertising methods.

They named the campaign “Another Level.” The phrase could have multiple meanings, connoting gaming, highlighting the belief their product is on another level from its competitors or signposting the notion that we’re shifting into a new era of branding.

Whatever meaning you choose to interpret, it’s undeniably enigmatic, indicating a transformation of some kind.

As part of the ‘Another Level’ campaign, Doritos decided to cleverly play on its own brand recognition, creating a campaign that did not feature its brand name or logo but using all of it’s other associations in a game of “Guess The Brand”.

Talk about flexing!

Instead, the campaign plays on the idea of the triangle, using images of triangular things while playing on other associations of the product, such as the infamous  ‘Dorito dust.’

They doubled down on the idea by replacing the Doritos logo with a simple triangle accompanied by the caption ‘Logo goes here’’.

The whole campaign was supported by other promotional activities designed to attract younger consumers, such as a Snapchat filter that transformed your face into a triangle.

The narration over the adverts means that, by the end of the advert, it’s unmistakable that this is a Doritos campaign.

Yet, it’s still impressive to think that the brand has built such a reputation through these immediately identifiable associations that it can run such an ‘anti-ad’ campaign without sharing its logo or brand name.

It’s a perfect illustration that a brand is not a logo, but a collection of associations that creates perceptions built up through experiences

It’s a testament to the feelings the brand evokes in its audience that you can evoke with this vibe without a recognizable caption, logo, or brand name.

Let’s look at a second case study to further explore this connection between the brand and its audience.

Case Study: Michael Irwin’s Redesign Concept (Fake Rebrand)

Michale Irwin is a conceptual designer.

His Instagram page showcases some of his conceptual designs. He shares them as examples of different creative ideas and design examples to explore different brand directions.

Recently, his rebrand design concept for Doritos went viral among fans and non-fans alike.

His creative impulse was simple enough.

He wanted to create a concept of an “uber clean” Doritos rebrand.

He wanted to strip away all the extreme elements of Doritos’ branding, taking away the fire, the energy, and the bold aggressive marketing campaigns to c reate minimalist package designs .

He used a simplistic typeface, a solid muted color to differentiate between flavors, and removed any other eye-catching graphics from the packaging.

He wanted to infer that the simplistic packaging was like a red flag, hiding the explosion of flavor contained within.

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Doritos ReBrand Riles Fans

The result is plainly a clear contrast and would constitute a clear break from the current Doritos’ brand direction, as picked up on by Doritos fans.

Despite the fact Mark clearly identified the design as a ‘concept,’ the post went viral and was picked up by several websites claiming a Doritos rebrand.

The reaction was unanimous; people did not like the rebrand.

There was even a petition on  Change.org  with thousands of signatures to get Doritos to their usual concept.

This reaction holds a lesson in branding.

When done well, branding generates an emotional connection between audience and product.

As a result, there can be intensely negative reactions when a brand is seen to break that connection by doing something drastically different or new.

To the consumer, the new minimalist packaging broke the brand promise, even though it wasn’t real!

For the Doritos marketing team, who watched on with interest, this was an exercise in how not to do a rebrand.

It shows how effectively they have listened to their audience in the past, and, due to their loyal customer base and brand recognition, why they will  need to continue to listen to their audience when considering future alterations to their brand.

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Case Studies in Design is a new effort to create opportunities for community and design leaders to think together about ways to catalyze transformational design, planning, and place-keeping from the ground up. The goals are to learn from ambitious projects designed in community, to share knowledge and experience through dialogue and a public library of case studies, and to train ourselves for new practices of creative, collective action. We hope to build conversation among thinkers and doers in community organizations, movements, public agencies, schools, and the architecture, landscape, planning, heritage and art fields.  

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We will support 5 case study writers in 2024 with a fee and expense allowance of $50,000 per author to research, write, and curate or create illustrations for a case study over a period of 8 months. Fees for community members participating in interviews, travel and other expenses will be managed by authors within the resources of the $50,000 lump sum for fee and expense. (Two people may apply to work together on a case project, sharing the fee.)

Public library and action—oriented summit PennPraxis will publish the case studies and create an online public library to disseminate them. We will organize a variety of forums from the classroom to gatherings with policymakers and funders to propagate strategies that increase community conversation and influence in the built environment. In the third year of the effort, with 15 case studies in print, we will organize a summit for community leaders, policymakers, students, practitioners, and thinkers to probe more deeply into methods and to shape lessons learned for key audiences. The aim of the summit is to create culture-shifting dialogue between disciplines, spheres of action, governments, funders and community leaders, practice and theory.

Case study method of conversation and analysis Most design “case studies” are project descriptions and images that focus on the what, not the how—the built project and perhaps its reception and performance. Designers are skilled at presenting the thesis, appearance and materials of their projects; so much so, that it can be difficult to understand whether the project outcomes and process measure up to the image for those who will live with them. The statement of the designer rarely conveys how the project was made, or the perspectives of community leaders, policymakers, scientists and other participants in the process.

Our case studies will place focus on the process—the many collaborators and contingencies—and offer insight into how communities and interdisciplinary teams have attempted to traverse the “valley of death” between ideas and implementation.

We aim to create a case study method that invites analysis and requires participants to shape their own values and strategies—active learning for would-be activist designers and community leaders interested taking on complex challenges. Similar to teaching case studies developed in policy and business schools, we are interested in supporting the creation of case studies that are intentionally open-ended presentations of a compelling situation that carries some conflict and uncertainty, with many different viewpoints included in the reporting, rather than critical essays that offer the authors’ conclusions or a how-to guide. The purpose is to cultivate the users capacity for critical analysis, bias recognition, collaboration, leadership, decision-making and action on challenging issues and projects. We believe that, done well, case research and discussion can help us develop theory from practice, and apply new theory to practice.

Applying to study and document a project Individuals (or pairs) can apply to develop a case for a fee of $50,000 by submitting the following material via this webform in a single pdf file of no more than 20MB:

1) a writing sample—past work that demonstrates capacity for narrative and analytical writing 2) CV or résumé with current contact information 3 a) 2,000 to 3,000-word description of a project that you think would make an interesting case study in community-engaged design, planning or place-keeping, and why (project images are optional) AND / OR 3 b) 500 to 2,000-word response to our outline of the intent of the case study program, including any critique that you think would make it stronger.

An applicant who does not apply with an interest in a particular project (outlined in response to 3a above) may be invited to document a project suggested by someone else. The length of your résumé is less important than your perspective on projects designed in community and capacity to enrich the knowledge base through the medium of case study writing and illistration.

Suggesting a project if you are not applying to write a case study We also welcome suggestions of exemplary projects worthy of deep analysis from colleagues in community and indigenous organizations, movements, public agencies, design and planning practices, and foundations. You can submit a project suggestion (with or without images) via this webform . Recommendations can be of any length, even just a project name and location or link. We can accept file sizes up to 20MB. Please include your contact information in case we would like to reach out to learn more.

Send any questions to [email protected] .

Timeline Applications will be reviewed as they come in until the deadline at 12pm on June 30, 2024. We aim to award all contracts by July 28, 2024, and may award some contracts for early applicants prior to that date. Authors will have 8 months to submit a completed case study (April 1, 2025), with an interim review at roughly 4 months.  

Documentation

Download a PDF version of the Call for Applications