Why logo redesigns matter so much

May 11, 2018

Building a brand begins with an idea, which is then developed and brought to life. In bringing that idea to life, it needs to take on an identity to set it apart and help consumers understand why the brand now exists. Your brand identity is what makes you unique, it is your vision, mission, values and brand essence. Since these things are all intangible and invisible, the company logo becomes the most recognizable point of reference for your brand. It is your idea, in visual form.

People buy ideas, and if they like how you present yours, they are likely to become your loyal consumers.

Logos and company names are easy to change and so, people start with them without even realizing the impacts that will follow. Logos play an important role in securing your place in the market and helping you keep your consumers, which is why bigger companies usually unveil their new logos after they have researched the new direction they will be taking.

Once you have introduced your brand (and thus your logo) to the market, it becomes associated with certain topics, ideas, lifestyles and social standings, and that is what you become to the consumer. People buy ideas, and if they like how you present yours, they are likely to become your loyal consumers. These are all things to consider when changing your logo. It’s not just an image, it’s the personality of your company.

Here are three notable logo redesigns to learn from:

Yahoo

Under CEO Marissa Mayer, Yahoo underwent a logo redesign for the first time in 18 years in 2013. As part of the 30 days of change initiative, the company displayed different variations of the logo on its homepage in the U.S. for 30 days. Despite this, the final logo redesign chosen was not one of the 30 shown in that one-month period. Instead, the company went with a redesign completed by the CEO and design team over one weekend. When unveiled, the new logo was received widely as a let-down by internet users who hoped for a more exciting unveiling after the 30 days of teasers as the logo remained pretty much the same.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics unveiled a new logo following plagiarism accusations on its initial design. The Olympic committee called for a redesign after evidence surfaced that the design was based on the logo for the 2013 Théâtre de Liège in Belgium. The new logo design was chosen after it was shortlisted in the design competition. A new logo was launched seven months after the incident and was described as expressing “a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan”.

GAP

When GAP launched its new logo, it came out of nowhere. In response, Internet users and customers took to social media to express their dislike for the new logo, an act that would encourage the company to go back to its original logo (which had served them for over two decades) just six days after the launch of the new logo. It was one of the fastest rebranding turnarounds of all time and it was a mistake that cost GAP a reported $100 million.

This is the third article in our rebranding series – look out for follow up articles in the coming weeks.