Not Just a Sign: In what Ways can Semiotics be used to Contribute to Contemporary Rebranding Design?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/5qn5e246Keywords:
Rebranding, Semiotics, Visual Identity, Logo Design, Brand Perception, Design Theory, Gestalt Principles, Brand Communication, Cultural Trends, Consumer BehaviourAbstract
We are fortunate to live in a world of rapid development, where at meantime people are increasingly unwilling to look beyond the surface to understand the nature of things, which is also a misfortune. Nowadays people see something, they are no longer thinking about the meaning but are just attracted by its appearance and forget it in a twinkling. Brand owners have to comply with the visual habits of human beings and refresh outdated brands by constantly designing a more eye-catching visual identity than before. Simplicity has become a true dogma over the years. Logos are also constantly designed and modified into a simpler shape… The business working through the concept of rebranding itself may ask the following questions: “Is this really a good sign that we are changing and moving forward to a better era? Is this an appropriate time for such substantive work? Are we discussing a soft evolution or metamorphosis? Does this rebranding address a clearly identified problem, and can it represent a genuine asset for making a progress” (Debit, 2017)? The content of this thesis explores this complex semiotic system running behind contemporary rebranding design. We started with this question: In what ways can semiotics be used to contribute to contemporary rebranding design? The research methods employed to resolve this question consisted of essays on semiotics, key readings on world best rebranding projects as well as case studies of particular branding company. This discussion brought us to several conclusions: Firstly, based on evolutionary knowledge of human visual habits, such as Gestalt Psychology and Selective Attention, we know that humans are creatures who only see what they want to see. In terms of this incontrovertible fact, can semiotics build its own temple on it. Secondly, the Functional Matrix system in Semiotics enables rebranding design to have the more possibility to survive in today’s market. In other words, Semiotics brings rebranding design the foreground, makes it more explicit, memorable, recognizable and gives it more protection to keep up with the changing times (Skaggs, 2017). Lastly, the Cultural Symbolism system in Semiotics enables the logotypes in rebranding design have universal power over time. That is to say, no matter which country this rebranding design goes to, it can always be successfully recognized.
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