I think the miscommunication here is that clear, identifiable and function-representative visual guides are hard to design, so some people (especially those who

I think the miscommunication here is that clear, identifiable and function-representative visual guides are hard to design, so some people (especially those who have attempted that challenge) are inspired by the ones that do all three (while being aesthetically acceptable, the right amount of eye-catching, matching the overall brand image, whatever other standards have you).