[On the Job] When Design Goes Beyond Just Products

In this episode of On the Job, we take a look at the pivotal role played by the LG’s unsung brand and packaging designers.

In the consumer electronics industry, the term “design” usually conjures up images of gadgets and devices on a drawing board. Although the way a product looks is without a doubt a key factor to its popularity, so too are the way it’s packaged and branded. Done well, these two elements can go a long way toward creating a unique, instantly recognizable identity, one that resonates with consumers and communicates the core values of a product or lineup and the company that made them.
 

At LG, the responsibilities of brand and package design fall on the visual identity (VI) team at LG Corporate Design Center. When designing a logo or package for a new model or product range, the VI team considers a range of factors such as consumers’ needs, legibility and usability, never losing sight of their goal to establish a clear identity that creates a good first impression but also an instant understanding of what the brand stands for.

A distinctive logo is at the heart of any good brand’s visual identity. LG’s VI team develops a symbol that embodies the essence of every product and effectively communicates their differentiated values. LG SIGNATURE, LG PuriCare, LG CordZero, LG OLED TV and LG UltraGear are just a handful of the globally recognized logos the team has created to date.
 

Able to enhance a product’s appeal and reinforce its overall aesthetic, packaging design gives the VI team another way to express the identity of each LG brand, in addition to affording adequate protection for the company’s diverse offerings.

LG UltraGear^TM gaming monitors have made a name for themselves among serious gamers worldwide by providing great picture quality and performance. Seeking to match the monitors’ strong reputation with an equally dynamic symbol, LG introduced a new UltraGear logo in 2020.  In order to convey that LG UltraGear is a key “weapon in the quest for gaming victory and glory,” the VI team set about researching the legendary weapons of mythical heroes and gods, such as the shield of Isis, King Arthur’s Excalibur, and the Harpe of Perseus. The team ultimately drew inspiration from the famous Greek sculpture known as the Winged Victory of Samothrace – also known as the Nike of Samothrace – representing action and triumph.

The winged motif seemed like the perfect choice for the UltraGear emblem due to the prevalence and significance of wings throughout gaming history. Wings symbolize many things: aerial superiority over opponents, fast travel to new destinations, tactical advantage by surveying from above. The final version of the logo depicts Nike’s wings in the form of a stylized U and G in two versions, one flat and the other in 3D.

“Creating and developing LG UltraGear’s emblem was a meaningful and rewarding process,” stated Seo Young-seok of LG’s VI team. “We feel that it successfully expresses the identity of our premium gaming monitor brand and how seriously LG takes the needs of the gaming community.”

To increase consumer awareness and raise the profile of the new emblem at launch, LG hosted an art contest to involve fans in the creative process because there is nothing more powerful than visually communicating the value of a product through great design to grab the attention of consumers in a crowded market.