It was way back in 2013 that Apple first unveiled their “flat” aesthetic for graphics. It took seven years, but automakers finally caught up, beginning with the Germans. First BMW, then Volkswagen, changed their logos early last year:
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Later in the year the Japanese jumped on the bandwagon, with Toyota and Nissan going flat:
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Earlier this year, GM joined the trend:
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Now Sweden–er, China–is also onboard:
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In each case, you can see that the recipe is always the same: Lose the gradations, make the letters skinnier, and switch to one or two colors.