What Can We See in a Logo?
We see hundreds of logos on signs, vehicles, websites, and even on the clothes we wear. All of these logos are designed to attract our attention. They also help us remember a product or service connected to that image.
Researchers gave 85 students a simple assignment to draw the Apple logo purely from memory. Surprisingly, only one student in the study could accurately draw the logo from memory.
Researchers have developed a theory that they think might help to explain this blind spot in our memories.
Logos are typically designed to be simple and easy to recognize with a quick glance. This process is known as "attentional saturation (注意力饱和)." Our brains actually signal us to ignore information we don't think we will need to remember.
Even though the brain is accustomed to ignoring unnecessary details, it is also programmed for recognition. This constant exposure leads to something scientists refer to as gist (梗概) memory. It means that our brain remembers the basic idea without all of the details. This general sense of memory has its own benefits. In fact, familiarity with a popular logo can even make people feel more comfortable about purchasing or using certain products.
Logos are everywhere we look today. A fancy design or a thoughtful color combination may be a good start for a logo concept, but there are other factors to consider. A clever design may be interesting, but most people will forget the details—especially if our brains have anything to say about it.
A. This may be inspiring to logo designers.
B. People will know the product behind the logo.
C. So why is it so difficult for people to recall the details of images?
D. Yet the frequent exposure to these logos can actually make our brains overlook them.
E. When we see images such as logos over and over again, we become familiar with them.
F. Logo designers need to know that people will only remember what they believe is worthwhile.
G. However, recently research supports the idea that remembering what a logo looks like is a very difficult task.
