ESL seminar: Visual Cultural
Yuchen Liu
05/17/2014
Changing logo overtime is important for a brand
Logo design is an important part of branding for both commercial advertisement and
company condensation. The Oxford Dictionary says that: a logo identifies a business in
its simplest form via the use of a mark or icon. [1] A logo identifies a business or a
product in its simplest form and logo design is playing an important role in various
fields in the contemporary world. Many people believe a brand logo is easy to design –
just some colors, some fonts, a slogan and maybe some shapes added in too. In reality, it
is much more complicated than that. Actually, a logo is, in some degree, a “corporate
idea” as time goes by. There are many well-designed logos that draw people’s attention
and generate great achievements. So figuring out the secrets of logo design is crucial. In
general, on the road of designing a logo, keeping changing and modifying logo overtime
is essential and important for a brand.
A logo is the key element for any company’s corporate identity. Why logo design
is important to a company is worth discussing at first. It is important that a company
ensures that the logo that is representing the company effectively, so that people can
easily identify and relate the logo to the company. A logo is what gives people the first
impression of a company and reflects what a company is all about. If a logo is poorly
designed, it can have a negative effect on the company of what it is speaking for. For
example, The Arlington Pediatric Center is certainly gaining some unwanted publicity
because its logo designed impossibly wrong.
[2]
The weird position of the two people in
the logo leaves one wondering what services this company offers. While the center may
employ wonderful physicians, the public will forever misperceive its services because of
this tragic logo. Bad logo design is one of the causes of a new business’ failing because
of the ineffective marketing it presents. Whether the company sells computers,
cosmetics or clothes, the company’s logo should speak for the company. Having a good
logo denotes seriousness of an entrepreneur towards his business.
There are many reasons why logo design is important to a brand. First, A logo is
used primarily to promote instant public recognition of a brand and help clients recognize
the brand more readily. Logos can give personality to a brand. First glance at a logo can
give customers a sense of the company’s character. Think of Disney’s logo, for example.
Disney’s logo appears whimsical and magical, giving viewers the sense that it is a brand
that is positioned around entertainment.
Second, it conveys a sense of security among people, making a brand more
legitimate and trustworthy. Take Nike, for example. Over the years Nike has chosen to
use a symbol-only strategy, dropping the word Nike and just featuring a swoosh logo.
Nike had become a dominant fixture in its category and can stand on its own with just a
symbol through extensive marketing. Part of bringing in and keeping clients is based on
their willingness to trust the brand. A solid logo that conveys the honesty and integrity
can help put clients at ease More than built credibility, a well-designed logo denotes
highest degree of professionalism and showcases that the brand is sincere towards its
business dealings.
Third, having a strong logo can also boost recognitions. A logo helps identify a
business in its simplest form. When consumers see the famous golden arches, they
automatically think of McDonald's. Consumers shop with their eyes and logos can be
easier to remember than names, products and services, so a great logo design can create
memorability. Over time, a customer comes to associate the logo with the company.
Moreover, if clients already have a good impression of the business, the brand can build
on that admiration by creating a logo that is well regarded for its good looks, cleverness
or effective simplicity.
This creatively designed symbol is the center of the marketing job and displayed
on everything the company owns: websites, company adverts and documentations, so in
nutshell, a brand’s logo is just as important as a brand’s name and function. However,
designing an outstanding logo to represent a company is one of the hardest areas of
graphic design to perfect. The board of directors of a company usually invests a lot of
money into marketing teams in order to create the ideal logo to embody the company. So
how to design a better logo is worth discussing.
The principles of designing a suitable and valuable logo is keeping revise and
modify the logo as time goes by. Paul Rand, designer and creator of the IBM and ABC
logo, states “There are no formulas in creative work. I do many variations, which is a
question of curiosity. I arrive at many different configurations-some just slight
variations, others more radical-of an original idea. It is a game of evolution.”[3] This
being said, Graphic Designers usually follow guidelines and basic principles to aid them
in designing an effective logo for a company.
Looking back the histories of famous brands’ logos, one can easily find out the
logos were went through several changes. While many hold Apple up as a symbol of
modernity and simplicity, its first symbol was quite intricate and downright folksy.
Similarly, Microsoft's first effort would be at home on a disco album from the late 70s.
History of Pepsi’s logo design began in 1898 with a close rivalry with competitor brand
Coco Cola. During the period from1898 to 1940s, Pepsi had a swirly red script logo,
which looked similar to that of Coco Cola logo. In 1906, Pepsi logo underwent a change
in design when the logo incorporated lots of text. The logo attained a spherical shape for
the first time in the year, which became a major success. The spherical shape continues to
be part of the design till today. One of the reasons for spherical shape of the logo was that
the company wanted to accommodate the slogan “The Original Pure Food Drink” in the
design.
Another example of a world famous company with unsatisfied first and second
versions of logo design is Apple. The Apple logo is one of the most famous logos in the
world. Apple fans not only put this logo on their vehicles to show their loyalty, but also
go to the extreme of tattooing themselves with it, which is a level of dedication very few
brands achieved. The logo is admired for it's simplicity and many meanings that people
attach to it. When Jean Louis Gassée (executive at Apple Computer from 1981 to 1990)
was asked about his thoughts to the Apple logo he answered: One of the deep mysteries
to me is our logo, the symbol of lust and knowledge, bitten into, all crossed with the
colors of the rainbow in the wrong order. One couldn't dream of a more appropriate logo:
lust, knowledge, hope, and anarchy.
[4]
Actually, this almost magical logo was not
designed for just once. In its first 35-year history, Apple has had only three corporate
badges. Two of them are variations on the iconic apple with the single leaf and bite mark.
When Apple Computer debuted in 1976, co-founder Ronald Wayne designed the
first logo, which resembled a Jethro Tull album cover—a woodcut of Sir Isaac Newton,
with an apple dangling over his head and the tagline: “A mind forever voyaging through
strange seas of thought … alone.” [4] This logo design did not last long. Jobs reportedly
thought the logo was too arcane and complicated. According to Owen Linzmayer, author
of “Apple Confidential”, Steve Jobs believed the logo was much too intellectual and
wasn’t suited for reproduction in small sizes. It’s plausible that this is the reason that
Steve Jobs in April 1977 asked Rob Janoff, art director of the advertising company
Regis McKenna Advertising, to design a new logo. And the new logo was a rather costly
matter, but Steve Jobs forced the multi-colored logo through. It is said to be Steve Jobs
who advocated that Apple should have a more stylish logo, according to several
different sources, on the transition to the well-known rainbow colored logo. According
to Linzmayer, Rob Janoff started with a silhouette of a black apple on a white
background, but felt that something was missing. A play on words that Apple previous
had used in advertising for the Apple I, may have helped Janoff to the idea that a bite
should be taken of the apple (playing on “taking a bite of the Apple”, where “bite”, is
pronounced the same as the computer expression “byte” as in Megabyte). The bite in the
apple also meant that the logo no longer looked like or was confused with a tomato,
Janoff has told. Bill Kelley, also working for Regis McKenna Advertising, says that the
bite was symbolic of acquire knowledge (as a biblical reference to eating of the apple of
the tree of knowledge). Bill Kelley also says, that the colors in the logo were there
because of the Apple II’s colorful possibilities. The rainbow apple stuck around for 22
years—until Jobs's return to the company in 1997. It was the third evolution of the
Apple logo. Part of Jobs overhaul included sending the logo back to the shop in 1998.
For further streamlining, the stripes disappeared. Jobs had the sense to keep the apple
silhouette. It had become almost as recognizable as McDonald's Golden Arches after
2000. The millennial apple logo has since been rolled out in a variety of sizes and
colors—most effectively, as a glowing shield on the MacBook laptops. [6]
As a company grows, achieves a different market position, the aim of the company
becomes more clear and it opens itself to new markets. This is the moment changing the
company’s logo to give a new direction. According to the three big changes of Apple
logo, it is clearly showed that changing is the key factor of design a commercially
effective brand logo.
Changing a logo introduces a new direction of a company or a brand. When times
are constantly changing, companies are forced to keep up with new trends, sales and
competition. The decision to alter a logo can come when it no longer fits the business
market, an aspect of the design may no longer represent the company, or when a
company is beginning a new era and looking for a new direction.
Optimum can be a good example. In 2012, Optimum launched a new logo,
intended to align with their change in brand strategy. According to Andrew Deitchman,
co-founder of Mother NY, “So our first campaign is about making Optimum's services as
simple, seamless, and straightforward as they can be." The new logo is clearer, cleaner
and significantly simpler than the old logo. [7] Optimum's logo change matters because it
aligns with the company’s simplistic approach. The change is geared toward a new
direction. Optimum took a somewhat more complicated design and simplified it, which is
something they aim to do with their services. Optimum hosted a commercial activity to
welcome customers to the new logo. It helps customers understand the change and
clarifies that Optimum still offers the same great TV, phone and Internet, just with a new
logo. It also introduces new good-humored brand voice. The commercial ends with a
statement that Optimum wants its consumers to remember. “Those guys are really good
at TV, phone and Internet, now with a better logo.” It works because it has a fresh,
modern feel, giving it appeal to younger consumers. In this case a new logo means a
better, clearer, and simpler direction.
Microsoft also had similar experience. In August 2012, Microsoft also released a
new logo. The new logo represents a new beginning, according to Microsoft’s blog. [8]
Like Optimum, the new Microsoft logo is also effective for the company’s new vision.
The logo is symbolic of and is inspired by all of their different products wrapped into
one, while it remains true to core values and design. The new logo change comes within a
year that Microsoft self-proclaimed as a new era. This year they are preparing to release
new versions of all of their products. Change matters for Microsoft because it symbolizes
growth in a new direction and the re-imaging of its identity. Microsoft’s re-imaging also
represents distinction from its competitor Apple, which is known for its colorless grey
palette. “That’s why the new Microsoft logo takes its inspiration from our product design
principles while drawing upon the heritage of our brand values, fonts and colors.” Said by
Microsoft. [8] The new logo marks the first time a symbol has preceded the mark.
“How do we make the logo better and how do we build our own brand style?” is
what Starbucks also kept asking for.
[9]
Salen Abdulaziz indicated that the change of
logos do not merely show the company’s tendency to change its appearance but also
underlies some other changes are taken or will be taken by the company. Starbucks also
used the logo change to tell the world that the brand direction was changing. Hence,
when Starbucks changed its color from brown to green it wanted its customers to
recognize that it had expanded its products to more types of food. Due to the theories of
colors, Brown in the old logo may not be an appropriate color for food since consumer
may think brown is dirty and lousy while green can make customers feel clean and fresh.
And in 2011, Starbucks abandoned the external ring of it brand name, which turned out to
be simpler. [9] This action implied that Starbucks would extend to more other fields. The
high recognition degree of its logo will unconscientiously impose Starbucks’ brand image
to its new products. Due to consumers’ trust and loyalty, it will lead to success in
popularize its new products.
As the examples of changes of Optimum’s logo, Microsoft’s logo and Starbucks’
logo showed, Changing and revising logo are valuable for a brand to develop a new era
and declare its function and direction. In the world of logos, change matters. It allows a
brand’s unique personality to stand out among the competition. Change is effective when
its visual expression of the brand strategy is used to increase loyalty and mindshare of
target audiences.
Sometimes changing logo is a well-played strategy for achieve more attention and
gain profits. In 2013, there were 22 world-famous companies changed their logo, such as
Facebook, Nivea, Firefox, American Airlines and so on.
[10]
This statistics clearly
showed that changing logo is useful when necessary.
If something continuously changes, that “thing” essentially never leaves the
spotlight. Facebook is a good example for this. The new Facebook logo becomes even
more simplified with the removal of the blue line under the Internet-ubiquitous “F”
symbol people have all become well acquainted with. The letter is still lower case, but
it’s closer to the edge of its confining box.
[11]
It is easily noticed that the logo changed
among many other things. In fact, given Facebook’s attempt to redefine, refocus, and
enhance the social networking experiences, users would have expected the change. The
new logos adopted the Facebook blue background for a cleaner, more standardized
appearance. This design decision seems to be in line with Facebook’s initiative to “declutter” users News Feed and provide users with a more organized interface that will keep
users coming back for more. “The updated logo reflects the simple, clean design we
emphasize across the entire Facebook platform, and hopefully gain more attention.” a
Facebook spokesperson confirmed with Digital Trends.
Starbucks, still a good example, chose to simplify its logo, which was removed the
circle of words around the siren. Even though this logo resulted in many complains,
Starbucks’ spokesman said, “It is just a temporary method to stop the deduction of its
stock price.” [12] This revealed that Starbucks just wanted to use the change of its logo to
draw customers’ attention back so as to stimulate customers’ willingness to go into
Starbucks to find out what’s going on. Similarly, in 2006, Starbucks also took the
advantage of “nostalgia effort”.
[12]
They used the original siren logo on the Pike coffee.
This special offer effectively caught customers’ nostalgic mentality so as to increase sales
and beat the criticisms of Starbucks.
Admittedly, some logo changes are not as effective as others. In 2009, Tropicana
introduced a new package and logo, created by Omnicom’s Arnell Group. Arnell Group
founder Peter Arnell touted the design as “evolving the brand to a more current, modern
state.”
[13]
But consumers were not appreciated the idea. They had identified Tropicana
orange juice by its familiar straw stuck in an orange – and when that symbol was taken
away, sales tanked 20%.
[13]
Two months later, Tropicana returned to the old design. So
for brands that are already well recognized, big changes or signature features are taken
away are not applicable or effective. As the examples showed above and many other
brands’ logos experiences, changes need to be carefully considered and truly important
for a company.
A company's logo is its visual shorthand, and good logos send a direct message they are clear, unique, and memorable. Most importantly, they represent the authentic
story of what a company stands for. As companies change with increasing speed, the
lifespan of a logo has decreased with a greater need to be nurtured to keep up. Sometimes
the need for a logo change is obvious and follows a major business decision like a
merger, acquisition, spinoff, reorganization or a complete industry transformation, as in
the case of categories like health care. Other times, there may be a disconnection between
what a brand stands for and what is resonating with customers. Or it might be a matter of
modernizing a traditional logo that was designed well before the days of Twitter and
Facebook and simply doesn't translate well across these channels. Overall, logo changes
are valuable for introduces a new direction of a company and achieve more attention and
gain profits. Changing and revising the logo overtime are important for a brand.
1.
"There are 2 definitions of logo in English:." logo: definition of logo in Oxford dictionary (British
& World English). N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/logo?q=logo>.
2.
"Don’t Take Your Kids to Arlington Pediatric Center (logo fail twice) | Hooked on Ads: Creative
Advertising for Creative People." Hooked on Ads RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.hookedonads.com/dont-take-your-kids-to-arlington-pediatric-center-logo-fail/>.
3.
"Paul-Rand.com." Paul Rand on the Play Instinct. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.paul- Rand on the Play Instinct rand.com/foundation/ thoughts_playInstinct/#.
U3feT1hdWrI>.
4.
4. "Edible Apple." The Evolution and History of the Apple Logo | . N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.edibleapple.com/2009/04/20/the-evolution-and-history-of-the-apple-logo/>.
5.
5. "The story behind the Apple logo's evolution." AdWeek. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/story-behind-apple-logos-evolution-11672>.
6.
"PerfectlyInTune.com." History of the Apple Logo. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.perfectlyintune.com/page34/>.
7.
"Reviewed." Brand New: Optimum has the Last Word. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014.
<http://www.underconsideration.com/brandn>.
8.
"Microsoft." Logopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2014. <http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/Microsoft>.
9.
"Starbucks 101: What Is the Story behind the Siren Logo?" Examiner.com. Web. 17 May 2014.
10. Stampler, Laura. "Did You Notice These 22 Companies Changed Their Logos In 2013?" Business
Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 20 July 2013. Web. 17 May 2014.
11. "Reviewed." Brand New: Facebook's Radically New "f" Logo. Web. 17 May 2014.
12. "Why Changing Logo? --- Starbucks." Study of Consumer Psychology. Web. 17 May 2014.
13. Nisen, Max. "This Logo Change Caused Tropicana Sales To Plunge." Business Insider. Business
Insider, Inc, 03 Sept. 2013. Web. 17 May 2014.