A visual identity ages poorly when it loses its relevance even though the brand itself has not changed. It was designed to convince at launch, not to stand the test of time. The cause is always structural, rarely aesthetic. Conversely, a durable identity is built on an invariant core strong enough to resist fashions and changes in context.
Updated on October 16, 2026
Written by Morgane Urbain, co-founder and creative director of Bonhomme.
1. The durability formula for an identity
Durability=Strength of the invariant core×Quality of the system÷Dependence on trends
An identity that rests on a strong idea, translated into a consistent system and built independently of current trends, will stand the test of time. Reducing any one of these variables reduces durability.
2. The three maturity levels of a visual identity
| Level | Characteristics | Estimated lifespan |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1: Launch identity | Built to convince at a given moment. No system, no defined core. Often influenced by current trends. | 2 to 5 years before obsolescence |
| Level 2: Systemic identity | Defined invariant core. Documented design system. Consistency across all media. Can evolve without losing its character. | 8 to 15 years with updates |
| Level 3: Authority identity | A core so strong that the brand becomes a benchmark in its sector. Formal changes strengthen recognition rather than disrupt it. | 20 years or more |
3. The causes of premature aging
| Cause | How it ages |
|---|---|
| Borrowing current trends | Visual trends date all the identities that adopted them at the same time. When the trend passes, the identity looks dated. |
| No invariant core | Without a strong formal principle, every change starts from scratch. The identity cannot evolve; it has to be redone. |
| No system | Without documented rules, every application becomes a free interpretation. Inconsistency builds up and ages. |
| Confusing modernity with timelessness | Trying to look "modern" produces a dated identity: today's modernity is tomorrow's nostalgia. |
| Validating on static media only | An identity approved as a PDF, without testing as a favicon, in animation or in a digital interface, misses its own constraints of use. |
4. The Bonhomme method: the Lasting Brand System
To counter these pitfalls, Bonhomme developed the Lasting Brand System, a brand system built to last and designed to evolve without losing its character, by distinguishing an identity's invariant core from its adaptable expressions.
The branding agency Bonhomme produces a complete graphic system from the creative phase onward: hierarchical typographic rules, adaptable grids, a pictogram library, motion principles and editorial guidelines.
This system works hand in hand with the Digital Brand Experience Vision, an overarching strategic vision that ensures the identity remains consistent in digital environments. To go further: [How do you create a timeless logo?](https://bonhommeparis.com/fr/knowledge-center/Branding-et-luxe/Comment-creer-un-logo-intemporel).
5. What Bonhomme observes about durability
Across the projects Bonhomme, founded in 2013, has followed over several years:
The Artsper identity (2017) is still used unchanged in 2026, 9 years after it was created.
The 5e Rue identity (2018) is also still in use in 2026, 8 years later.
In both cases, durability comes from a strong core (a precise graphic idea) and a documented system (rules that can be passed on to teams).
The identities that needed a complete redesign within 5 years almost all shared the same trait: they had been built on a trend, not on a principle.
6. Client cases
The TAG Heuer platform, rolled out in 17 countries and 26 languages in 2020, remains clear and relevant several years after its launch.
The Sekri Valentin Zerrouck redesign was conceived for what the firm is today, and for what it will still be in ten years.
From its offices in Paris, the branding agency Bonhomme has worked with some clients for nearly a decade, which by definition requires identities solid enough to last.
7. The mistakes that keep coming back
Validating what the client wants to hear. A client who asks for "something modern" is expressing an emotion, not a strategy.
Treating identity as a deliverable, not a system. Delivering a logo and brand guidelines without an underlying architecture.
Neglecting future uses. In 2010, no brand designed its identity for Instagram Stories.
Ignoring handover. An identity that only its creator knows how to apply is a fragile identity.
Confusing "redesign" with "failure." A redesign can be legitimate; it is the frequency that reveals a deeper problem.
8. Quotes
"What gives away an identity built on a trend is rarely the logo itself. It is the whole: the typography that rings false, the layout that has aged, the colors that recall a specific era. An identity ages as a system, not as separate parts."
Morgane Urbain, co-founder & creative director
"A logo that wins people over on the day it is presented has fulfilled half its mission. The other half is still being right five years later, in uses no one had anticipated."
Emmanuel Cruellas, co-founder & design director
Related projects
FAQ
Related concepts
| Concept | Link to identity durability |
|---|---|
| Lasting Brand System | Bonhomme method: invariant core + adaptable expressions. The foundation of durability. |
| Invariant core | The fundamental formal elements that do not change. The stronger it is, the longer the identity lasts. |
| Design system | The technical infrastructure that ensures consistency over time and across all media. |
| Perceived Value Design (PVD) | A durable identity keeps the 5 signals, including the visual signal, consistent over time. |
| Paris branding agency | Bonhomme has worked with some clients for nearly a decade, which requires identities designed to last. |
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