*Updated Below - 9/5/13
It just so happens that today is Day 16 of the '30 Days of Change' campaign that Yahoo! is using to promote the unveiling of its "new logo" on September 5th. I've been attempting to hold my thoughts until the campaign has come to its conclusion however it's become too much to bear.
|
Exhibit A
|
Exhibit B
|
|
Exhibit C
|
Exhibit D
|
It's difficult to describe the exact level of disappointment this campaign has birthed within me, as well I imagine, within the larger design community. The opportunity a company like Yahoo! actually has to source top-notch designers and wonderfully talented brand strategists to create a truly inspiring new identity is largely unmatched across the globe. And in light of their well publicized struggles to chart a path toward future success, it would have made some sense to actually take this initiative seriously. After all, what is the purpose of a new logo, or more accurately in this case, a new type treatment, if not to provide a visual representation of what it is your company embodies.
Why wouldn't Yahoo! allow themselves the ability to fully capitalize on an opportunity of their own making? Why would they insist on throwing out meaningless fun font type treatments day after day when they could actually take a thoughtful and well intentioned look inward and mine for gold? Even if they wanted to play it safe, there are many ways to walk that line using a simple and refined design approach.
Yahoo's Chief Marketing Officer, Kathy Savitt, says in her statement "Kicking off 30 days of change",
Over the past year, there’s been a renewed sense of purpose and progress at Yahoo!, and we want everything we do to reflect this spirit of innovation. While the company is rapidly evolving, our logo — the essence of our brand — should too.
Simply reading that statement at the beggining of this campaign one would likely imagine that Yahoo! was indeed intent on creating a "spirit of innovation" that would be reflected in their new logo. However, nothing thus far through 16 days has shown that they were willing to back up their words with decisive actions, rather I fear, this campaign is nothing more more than a cynical attempt at grabbing headlines while using words like "innovation", "progress", "modern" and "vibrant" to describe their company. It's a big disappointment and a wasted opportunity.
*UPDATE - 9/5/13
Well it looks like the final logo has been released...
And wouldn't you know it, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Meyer contributed to the design herself...
On a personal level, I love brands, logos, color, design, and, most of all, Adobe Illustrator. I think it’s one of the most incredible software packages ever made. I’m not a pro, but I know enough to be dangerous :)
So, one weekend this summer, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the trenches with our logo design team: Bob Stohrer, Marc DeBartolomeis, Russ Khaydarov, and our intern Max Ma. We spent the majority of Saturday and Sunday designing the logo from start to finish, and we had a ton of fun weighing every minute detail.
Well, there it is! They spent the weekend on the design, she's not a design pro and she's definitely dangerous.
« Back