Fear Factor: Changing a Brand Mark
Let’s face it, change can be scary.
Especially when it comes to a company’s brand mark. It is the single most visible aspect of a brand. It appears on everything — stationery, signage, marketing collateral, packaging, websites and more.
One of the single biggest concerns about changing a brand mark is the impact the change will have on existing brand equity. Make no mistake about it, changing a company’s brand mark will most definitely have an impact on brand equity. But that’s the point really, because the motivation behind a well thought-out and expertly executed brand mark update or change is to build brand equity.
There are a lot of reasons to consider updating or changing a company’s brand mark, such as a change in name, products or services. Perhaps there is a need for communicating a new message or creating stronger differentiation with the competition. Or perhaps the brand mark just needs to be modernized or made more relevant to the core audience. Whatever the reason, change can be an opportunity to improve brand equity if it is driven by necessity. Below are a variety of examples of what I consider to be successful updates to brand marks. They represent a wide range in terms of the amount of change, yet they all do a good job of building on existing equity.
Change can be big.
Some brand marks need a big change. A good example of this is Memorex, a consumer electronics company. The old brand mark was outdated and lacked relevance to the company, which has evolved into so much more than a CD/DVD manufacturer. The new typography is more contemporary and fresh while maintaining a feeling of “friendliness and approachability.” The Memorex press release also notes that the update aimed to connect with a specific target audience:
… a savvy female shopper, between the ages 25 and 44, who is constantly on-the-go and has an expressive sense of style.
The press release also discusses the importance of the “o” icon:
The new Memorex signature features a circle icon or “o” as the focal point, representing connections between family and friends.
While the only thing that survived this brand mark update was the name, it does a much better job of connecting with the target consumer in a relevant way.
Change can be itty bitty.
Some changes can be extraordinarily subtle. Take the Philips logo for example. To many, the changes may be undetectable, but the result is an improvement. Slight modifications to the height, width and weight of the letterforms enhance readability. In addition, minor adjustments to curves in some of the letterforms soften the logo and make it more relaxed and approachable. The Philips logo had a tremendous of amount of equity attached to it and the improvements retained those equities while making it better overall.
Change can be refreshing.
The update to the logo for the Arts & Entertainment Network is another good example of an enhancement that retains existing equity. The new logo utilizes the recognizable ampersand in a more contemporary way with a change from serif to sans serif. Also, the positive and negative space relationship between the ampersand and the letterforms is much more dynamic and visually interesting. The result is a fresh, well-designed logo that utilizes some of the best characteristics of the old logo in a new and exciting way.
Change can be fun.
The mere sight of the Toys “R” Us logo can make the child inside us come alive with giddy anticipation. It is undeniably recognizable, and this is another great example of an update that builds on existing equity. The new logo features an updated color palette that is still playful but much more current. Also, slight modifications to the letterforms and spacing improve readability and overall balance without sacrificing recognizability. Finally, the most drastic change is probably the most effective. The backwards “R” is one element of the logo with the most equity. By inverting the relationship between the star and the “R”, greater emphasis is placed on this element while improving the overall balance of the logo. The elimination of the quotation marks further simplifies the presentation.
Change can be global.
Another great example of a successful logo update is the Discovery Channel. The highly recognizable globe is retained but reworked for the better. Fewer clouds and better shading result in a more realistic yet simple presentation. The reduced scale of the globe enables better placement and balance with the letterforms. The relationship between “Discovery” and “CHANNEL” is also a much cleaner and effective solution. Finally, the new typeface is much more contemporary, readable and does a better job of visually connecting with the shape of the globe.
Change can be finger lickin’ good.
I can think of few faces in a brand mark that have more equity than good ‘ol Colonel Sanders. The update for KFC is a perfect example of how to improve a brand mark without sacrificing its most recognizable and equitable characteristics. With that trademark white beard and Southern tie, there’s no mistaking the gentleman in the new brand mark. Because of expert attention to line work, shadows and the color palette, he is everything we remember, only better. Improved contrast between shadows and highlights improves visibility, especially on signage. I also like that the dynamic tilt is applied to the frame rather than to the Colonel and the KFC logo, making it resemble a bucket of chicken. The result is a well-balanced, dynamic and highly recognizable solution.
As you can see from the examples above, even brand marks with vast amounts of equity need to be updated. While the amount of change may vary, in the right hands, it can be done in a way that will make it better, and ultimately build brand equity.
Before and after images via Brand New.
