The Starbucks brand has arguably one of the most recognizable logos in the U.S.; why would they want to change? The brand has evolved through some adaptations in the past, but is planning on unveiling their latest to mark their 40th year in business. From the beginning, Seattle designer Terry Heckler developed the image of the siren inspired by an old Norse woodcut, and the green ring was added when the owner of Il Giornale (Howard Schultz) bought Starbucks from the original owners in 1987. Today, most of the redesign (87% according to Terry Davenport) was done in-house.
AdweekMedia asked Terry Davenport some great questions in this interview:
Q: How big was the challenge of modifying an iconic mark, given the negative reaction consumers had with the recent redesign of another well-known logo for the Gap?
A: Obviously with a brand with such a huge profile as Starbucks, we approach this change very sensitively. We actually explored a very wide range of options and when we stood back and looked from afar as well as looked close, we all unanimously gravitated toward the images that freed the siren from the word mark. We really took inspiration from companies like Nike where at one point they separated the word "Nike" from the "swoosh" in their logo. This allows us to bring our identity to life anytime and anywhere. You’ll see it as we apply it to our white cups that will be showing up in stores around the 40th anniversary.
The logo has been simplified with the omission of the wordmark, which is a bold move. Some say that it shows that Starbucks is ready to move up in status with brands such as Nike and Apple, where the logo is recognizable on its own without the name. Others add that the influence of social media and the prevalent use of icons and apps have spurred the change in this new, simplified direction, and that the new logo will allow easier transfer into new media developments.
There are a lot of haters though, and anticipation of a backlash from designers, as there was with the terrible Gap logo last year. A lot of people feel that the 'old' logo embodied more of the feeling of a warm and comfortable coffee shop lounge, rather than this present corporate icon, cold and less approachable.
Personally, it is difficult for me to get used to change, but I'm going to take a breath and trust my beloved Starbucks on this one. I can see the need for the new adaptation in the contemporary market, fast paced and easy, but I hope this doesn't make them appear too corporate. Yes, I know they're about as corporate as you can get with a coffee shop, but my love of their brand overlooks that.
What do you think?
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