Aesthetic theory and logo design: examining consumer response to proportion across cultures

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate reactions to the divine proportion (a ratio of 1: 1.618) in logo design across different cultures. Design/methodology/approach - The approach is a survey in three different countries: Australia, Singapore and South Africa. Findings - Results showed there is universal preference for the divine proportion across cultures. Logos based on forms found in nature that were expressed in the divine proportion were most preferred, but for artificially constructed logos, a 1:1 ratio was preferred. Research limitations/implications - A limited set of ratios were considered. Further research could investigate different ratios and different logos. Practical implications - International brand managers should commission designs that use natural forms based on the divine proportion. Different national cultures react similarly to logo designs, in contrast to many other fields of business where strong cultural differences exist. Originality/value - This paper is the first exploration of responses to the divine proportion in logo design across cultures.