In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of companies take on a new look and feel for their brand. Common reasons companies rebrand are a change in their brand mission, a shift in target demographic, a course correct from a previous rebrand, or it was just way overdue.
Lately though, it seems that companies are rebranding and sacrificing their uniqueness in order to create simpler, more scalable logos better suited for today’s fast-paced digital environment. The results are bold sans-serif typefaces, all lowercase or all uppercase letters, and an overall lack of diversity. Let’s look at some logos and I’ll show you what I mean.
The Yum: Simplified and more scalable. Color palette is more refined – the bright gold has morphed into a champagne color which is far easier on the eyes in contrast to the gray. Losing the house mark illustrates that they do more than just sell homes.
The Yuck: This could be a logo for a nightclub or the Forever 21 equivalent for the modern senior citizen. Gives off an upscale vibe which may deter younger buyers.
The Yum: Simplified and more scalable (seems to be an emerging trend). This fun and friendly new take definitely appeals to a younger audience. The addition of the elephant pays homage to a previous Animal Planet logo design and acts as a great stand-alone graphic.
The Yuck: Although I appreciate the curve of the legs representing the top of the globe (sorry Flat Earth Society), I wish there was more meaning hidden within the negative space.
The Yum: Simplified and more scalable (trend, ahem). The bold, sans-serif font is easier to read.
The Yuck: The new logo lacks elegance and heritage. When we (at least we Americans) think of Burberry London, the brand manifests a time forgotten of foggy streets with distinguished businessmen. The drop of the serif font cheapens this luxury brand.
The Yum: This logo update is certified fresh. Pays homage to the original, with the quirky baseline shift of the letter ‘e’, while coming off more mature and professional (these movie reviews are to be taken seriously, after all).
The Yuck: No yucks here. I said certified fresh, didn’t I?
The Yum: Slam dunk-in’. Simplified, scalable, and still plays off the original logo with color palette and font treatment.
The Yuck: Dropping ‘Donuts’ from the name means we have to say goodbye to the iconic coffee cup icon with “DD” branding.
In the land of logos, simplicity and scalability are king. But it’s clear that certain brands are willing to go the extra mile to evolve their logo, conforming to this growing trend of simplicity, rather than letting the trend reshape the company itself.
Overall winner: Rotten Tomatoes
We hope you found our cross-section of these logos interesting. If you did, you should take a look at an fascinating angle on putting the end benefits first.