We say it a lot – and I’m not about to retract one of our most-loved mottos right now. But after the GAP’s latest logo design fiasco, perhaps “Stop doing the same old s***!” needs some further clarification.
It doesn’t mean you should make a change just for change’s sake. And for heaven’s sake, don’t make a tasteless, weak and insipid change to your logo – which is the powerful visual symbol and definition of your brand – just to make a change.
“Stop doing the same old s***!” means make a strategic and bold change. Think creatively, get out of the box (and in this case, literally get out of that faded blue box!) and come up with something that doesn’t resemble an example of horribly stale ’90s design.
There might be people out there who are still rolling their eyes about all of the hub-bub this whole new logo ordeal is creating. Honestly it’s probably creating more chatter than even those fine (but design-challenged) people at GAP thought it would when they quietly unveiled the new logo design. I highly doubt any GAP representative is running @GapLogo. But YES, people, a little logo design is a BIG deal – at least it should be to GAP.
Why? Because it represents the entire story and meaning of a brand. It explains what you stand for, what you believe in, and what your customers can expect to get out of you. A thoughtful logo is just as important as a clean store and courteous employees. So think about it, what does a clipart logo say about your brand?
With that said, I think maybe we have browbeaten GAP enough for this unfortunate design misstep. They did go back to their original logo shortly after creating nothing short of a panic throughout the graphic designer, friends of graphic designers, and think-they’re-graphic designers community. But then again, maybe we should keep on it until they let US help them stop doing the same old s***. Just a thought.