Where's the peacock?

NBC has changed to various logos over the years, starting from their TV logo of the microphone in 1942. John J. Graham (colleague of Herb Lubalin) was responsible for adding the iconic peacock in 1956. Although NBC strayed a few instances from the peacock design, it appeared again in later logos.

The NBC Universal logo has changed again this year and has done away with the peacock. It is now a word mark, using purple as the primary color, and "NBC Universal" in white. Chief Executive, Steve Burke was quoted saying that the old logo "seemed kind of busy." While that may have been true (including the globe shape from universal and the peacock from NBC), the new logo went overboard with ditching everything, in my opinion.

As the digital revolution advances with changes in social media and devices getting smaller and faster, many companies are looking for redesigns to adapt. They are attempting to make logos extremely simple and minimalist in many cases, but some miss the mark altogether and settle for boring. If something is going to be minimalistic or diverting from classic icons, it's got to be good. It must retain excitement or spark by having some twist or at least looking elegant and well-done.

Why must NBC Universal give up to this when they have a company with rich history? They can do better. There's already a community contest inviting redesigns with hundreds of designers hoping to reverse the mistake. Linda Holmes of NPR wrote an entertaining blog about the redesign: NBC Universal Unveils New Logo Built To Thrill You Into Deep Relaxation. The new logo reminds many people of the Fantastic 4. I hope NBC Universal considers changing.