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30 Times Companies Left Many People Disappointed After Changing Their Logo Design
Times change, opinions evolve (or devolve), and businesses need to adapt. Whether they want it or not, modernity creeps up on everyone—and there are plenty of successful examples of such adaptations. Companies change their policies to fit the times, ensure their values match society's, and in general, receive praise for their efforts to pull their business practices into modernity.
However, in some cases, the desire to renew oneself with the times comes with a few steps backwards. A good example would be a change in a company's logo—those are usually easier to redesign than inner workings or policy, but they also display some movement forward, so plenty of businesses jump at the chance to showcase their newfound modern outlook.
However, sometimes eagerness to appear more in with the times and attempts to modernize the look of well-established brands end up creating something that feels flat and without any of the original flair. In some cases, it can be a change of color scheme, going from a bright and vibrant design to a black-and-white and muted logo that doesn't look anything like its source. And sometimes it's the overall simplification of the logo's design that turns it unrecognizable—older companies tended to have detailed logos, which were great to look at, but with the times and automatization, the logo ends becoming more flat (a good example would be Warner Bros' logo).
While the conversation about logos and their usability is nothing new, a comment from a Twitter user Liz Franczak sparked a now-viral discussion if the simplified logos had gone too far. An in this article, we compiled some of these redesign mishaps. Clearly the companies were aiming for the modern feel, but the end result often left the customers disappointed.
This post may include affiliate links.
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#2
Warner Bros.
#3
Gmail
birdie asf 3 years ago
Yea, I realized that. It's hard to differentiate the logos now that they all have the minimalist look and the same color scheme.
#4
Burger King
Average Grizzlies Fan 3 years ago
Honestly I like the older Burger King logo, but then again that is just what I'm used to.
#5
Pringles
#6
Nickelodeon
#7
J.m. Smucker
#8
Petco
Shelp 3 years ago
Because the graphic designer in change is 10 years late and didn't understand that minimalism died out the same year Steve Jobs did.
Load More Replies...
Demon Child 3 years ago
How is a boring logo supposed to be an upgrade??? "Petco" just a statement. not interesting. Petco I am very upset. You are lucky My cat is a huge fan of the turkey liver canned food, or else I would be taking my business elsewhere. (Joking, I love you Petco)
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Where’d the pets go? Hello PETCO! You left the most important part of your name out of your new logo, idiots!!!
Melanie King 3 years ago
BUT THE OLD ONE WAS ADORABLE, when my grandpa and my sis and I used to go get ice cream that was my favorite store to drive by because i loved the cat and dog 😢
Taylor Bentley 3 years ago
old one why would you do this why are you LIKE this the old ones better
WiTchY_WoMaN 3 years ago
I hate this change! I used to love looking at those little animals when we pulled into their parking lot!
Flora Endebez 3 years ago
Wait what? Half of these new logos I didn't know existed! I thought it was the old one!
Christopher Walkies 3 years ago
Old logo. I can imagine many happy children drawing the cute animal duo. New logo. Shareholders' lowest common denominator.
Screeching Cryptid 3 years ago
the new logo doesn't look unique at all. Don't they know logos are supposed to stand out and attract new people?
Theo Nightingale 3 years ago
Why is everyone trying to dumb-down logos? The flavour or the character is lost in over-simplicity (yes, I've worked in advertising in the art dept)
Laura Stenger 3 years ago
Some fin politically correct po 💩💩💩blindly following the corrupt side!
Grumble O'Pug 3 years ago
Petco is selling small animals and dumping them in the trash. Check out TheTrashwalker on instagram, she recently rescued small animals out of dumpsters: a budgie and other small animals. Horrific.
Dan Stiver 3 years ago
They made it look heartless and corporate. I guess they're just trying to be honest?
Liset Vossen 3 years ago
to be honest, i don't know what petco is, but judging from the logo on the right my guess would be "Petroleum Company"
Hypogryff4 3 years ago
I mean the first one tells me: "we're doing this for the animals, and we just want them to find a good home and kids are welcome as long they don't tap on the glass" and then the second one is like "buy something and I don't care if the animal dies just give me moooney"
Demongrrrrl 3 years ago
I thought Petco went out of business years ago. The stores near where I lived in Maryland closed down.
Sarah Bo 3 years ago
They must have been poor performing stores. They have over 1500 stores. I worked at their corporate office for 11 years, which is in San Diego.
Load More Replies...
Nubis Knight 3 years ago
If I hadn't seen the Logo on the left I'd have asumed the Petco on the right to be for an oil firm (PETroleum&CO) @_@ (No Petco in Germany).
Luther von Wolfen 3 years ago
"Can you make our sign look like every other sign at the strip mall?"
#9
Holiday Inn
birdie asf 3 years ago
Didn't this happen a long time ago? I remember back in like 2010 I became familiar with the "now" icon.
#11
General Motors
#12
Staples
#13
Starbucks
#14 Google
#15
Mountain Dew
#16
Wendy's
#17
Pepsi
#18
Best Western
#19
Olive Garden
#20
International House Of Pancakes
#21
Los Angeles Rams
A.M. Pierre 3 years ago
You can argue the new logo is clever if you already know they are the Rams, but no one is going to look at that logo cold and think "Rams". Modern or not, the first one is clearly a ram.
#22
Wawa
Charlene Wilbur 3 years ago
Wawa is in Florida now and it is literally THE BEST convenience store/deli.
#23
Taco Bell
#24
Hellofresh
#25
Yves Saint Laurent
#26
Syfy
Nubis Knight 3 years ago
Syfy sounds a bit to much like Syphilis if you read it without context in my language. ^^'
#27
Blue Point Brewing Company
#28
Procter & Gamble
Zoe's Mom 3 years ago (edited)
It was changed because back in the late 70's some sort of group thought the logo was Satanic because of the 13 stars causing decrease revenues. I remember this because as a kid I was so upset; thinking how stupid these people were because I love pretty much anything celestial.
#29
Yahoo!
white_shadow 3 years ago
tbh I don't liek the letters with lines at the edges. Just like google's old logo
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Shelp 3 years ago (edited)
My personal theory is that all those graphic designers went to art school in the 2000s and were taught that "the simpler the better" — which they implemented very carefully, for they hadn't notice that a new generation had arisen in the mean time, a very nostalgic one who loved nothing more than slightly outdated designs and small things that stay the way they always were.
Gyro Pilot 3 years ago
Decisions to change and update are most likely based on brand positioning research conducted among consumers, i.e. what is the essence of our brand and how can that be communicated instantly with a tiny image? I've worked on the inside of that industry and the dive into the minds and emotions of consumers is fascinating and revealing of who we are.
Load More Replies...
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
A lot of these are just "get rid of the classy, elegant serifed font and replace it with a homogenous sans serif font." Which, as a graphic designer, I dislike. Too many of the logos look alike now.
soni w 3 years ago
I thought that. The font and colours are pretty much all the same.
Load More Replies...
Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
*company needs new logo* Designer: How about bland bold black font on a white background?
Full Name 3 years ago
Be honest: if you grew up with all the ones on the right, and they were changed to the ones on the left, would you feel the new ones are all better?
Load More Replies...
Kyle D 3 years ago
It's odd to call some these 'logos' when they're just text - Balenciaga, Balmain Paris, Burberry. A logo seems to imply some kind of artistic, symbolic element, that would be recognizable even without reading the brand name, like the US Open, the Taco Bell bell, even Black+Decker or a stylized font, Meetup or even Syfy or Yahoo to a degree. But hey ... I'm not in the graphic design game so what do I know.
Joannie Goulet 3 years ago
I've been a graphic designer for almost 20 years now so my perspective may be different. I think many people here prefer the old versions simply for nostalgia. "It was the original / the one from my childhood so it's superior." In my humble opinion many of the originals were dated (or plain bad designs) and the new ones are way better. Serif fonts are not as fashionable now and can be hard to read depending of the style.
Bob Belcher 3 years ago
New ADA regulations require fonts to be Sans Serifs. Serifs are those little lines at the ends of letter. Serif fonts are typically thinner and harder for the blind to read. Hence the reason many logos are becoming thicker and more blocky. It's so the blind can read easier. All ATMs are already required to be Sans Serif with at least 14pt font. Background must also sharply contrast text coloring.
Bob Belcher 3 years ago
If you really want to dive deep into website compliance, look up WCAG 2.1 requirements.
Load More Replies... Heather Williams 3 years ago
As a visually impaired person I like the move to simpler, cleaner logos. It makes it much easier for me to identify the brand without all the fluff.
Bored Little Panda 3 years ago
I never realized, they actually changed some of the logos, I guess I got super used to it and forgot
David F 3 years ago (edited)
These new logos fit on cell phone screens and they look better on apps. They are adapting to the environment but some should have kept the old designs and especially at the restaurant like Wendy's. Jeez my dad drives around and he can't see where Burger King is anymore. Thanks for pulling a fast one on the world and taking our memories away. Companies now care less about the customer and the younger generation is so rude to people and a lot of that has to do with making the world a boring looking place. Why care about a business like Pepsi if they don't bother to spell their name on the can. Best Western signs look so cheap now, they match the new app logo outside on the street. We are going lose our society to bad design.
Barbara Vink 3 years ago
I found that in at least 50% of the examples, I preferred the original version. San serif wording makes new ones all look too similar. I really miss the Smucker's little strawberries as well.
Rob Williams 3 years ago
Not being American I didn't recognise half of them... before or after!
Marilyn Helling 3 years ago
I must say I like the THEN on almost every one, only a couple NOWs
Kimberley Stone 3 years ago
Removed the 3d look. Minimalism. Some are better, some are ... less.
Jolee Koop 3 years ago
My personal pet peeve is the National Instruments logo, it went from being noticeable and different to being something that anyone could accidentally create.
Judy Dunlevy 3 years ago
Some companies have removed their name from the logo using only their symbol leaving people guessing what product they are selling ie Starbucks, Pepsi. Are these products recognized the world over that everyone knows what it is?
Peko 3 years ago
Largely. Also if you're anywhere close to purchasing either it's pretty clear what they are.
Load More Replies...
htbq 3 years ago
I think it also has to do with budget. Less graphic means less money spent on mass products.
Emi A. 3 years ago
I think so too. It must be one of the reason, as well as the "look better on phones" reason.
Load More Replies...
nala simba 3 years ago
I don't like change. In fact, most of the above were much better. Why change? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Sam (He/They) 3 years ago
They got to butcher all them logos and then they think it looks good
sunflower_013 3 years ago
why are so many comments getting downvoted? if you don’t agree with someone’s opinion then leave it alone or engage in a discussion. and why the heck are nostalgic comments getting downvoted?
S. Tor Storm 3 years ago (edited)
I dont know if they mean flat in a bad way or not? I think this is interesting as hell! (might be because I work with design and logos) The trend now is flatter logos with few colors. A logo should be simple, so it's not a bad thing I think. Most of these look more "modern" and better than the old ones in my opinion.
Lis Daglish 3 years ago
Agree. Spent 20 something years managing brands. It’s a lot more complex than people imagine (corporate guidelines, multi media, global vs local presence, diversity, trademark properties yadda yadda)
Load More Replies... Lis Daglish 3 years ago
I don’t think these have ‘lost their charm’ at all, merely a reflection of current aesthetic style; clean, simple, unambiguous.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
I'm glad some graphic designers managed to rip off some big corporations but I don't pay much attention to logos and they sure don't influence my buying decisions.
Gyro Pilot 3 years ago
No question at all that there is solid consumer research behind all of these examples.
marianne eliza 3 years ago
Does changing your logo and/or font really make that much difference in the bottom line? I mean a net difference, after they pay for the changes.
TheHolyFatherOfToast 3 years ago
My guy. Enough. The point of this post is to show people the difference between the original and the new one and get peoples opinion on them. Not to show how the new logos, although that is a part of it.
Load More Replies...
Shelp 3 years ago (edited)
My personal theory is that all those graphic designers went to art school in the 2000s and were taught that "the simpler the better" — which they implemented very carefully, for they hadn't notice that a new generation had arisen in the mean time, a very nostalgic one who loved nothing more than slightly outdated designs and small things that stay the way they always were.
Gyro Pilot 3 years ago
Decisions to change and update are most likely based on brand positioning research conducted among consumers, i.e. what is the essence of our brand and how can that be communicated instantly with a tiny image? I've worked on the inside of that industry and the dive into the minds and emotions of consumers is fascinating and revealing of who we are.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
A lot of these are just "get rid of the classy, elegant serifed font and replace it with a homogenous sans serif font." Which, as a graphic designer, I dislike. Too many of the logos look alike now.
soni w 3 years ago
I thought that. The font and colours are pretty much all the same.
Load More Replies... Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
*company needs new logo* Designer: How about bland bold black font on a white background?
Full Name 3 years ago
Be honest: if you grew up with all the ones on the right, and they were changed to the ones on the left, would you feel the new ones are all better?
Load More Replies... Kyle D 3 years ago
It's odd to call some these 'logos' when they're just text - Balenciaga, Balmain Paris, Burberry. A logo seems to imply some kind of artistic, symbolic element, that would be recognizable even without reading the brand name, like the US Open, the Taco Bell bell, even Black+Decker or a stylized font, Meetup or even Syfy or Yahoo to a degree. But hey ... I'm not in the graphic design game so what do I know.
Joannie Goulet 3 years ago
I've been a graphic designer for almost 20 years now so my perspective may be different. I think many people here prefer the old versions simply for nostalgia. "It was the original / the one from my childhood so it's superior." In my humble opinion many of the originals were dated (or plain bad designs) and the new ones are way better. Serif fonts are not as fashionable now and can be hard to read depending of the style.
Bob Belcher 3 years ago
New ADA regulations require fonts to be Sans Serifs. Serifs are those little lines at the ends of letter. Serif fonts are typically thinner and harder for the blind to read. Hence the reason many logos are becoming thicker and more blocky. It's so the blind can read easier. All ATMs are already required to be Sans Serif with at least 14pt font. Background must also sharply contrast text coloring.
Bob Belcher 3 years ago
If you really want to dive deep into website compliance, look up WCAG 2.1 requirements.
Load More Replies... Heather Williams 3 years ago
As a visually impaired person I like the move to simpler, cleaner logos. It makes it much easier for me to identify the brand without all the fluff.
Bored Little Panda 3 years ago
I never realized, they actually changed some of the logos, I guess I got super used to it and forgot
David F 3 years ago (edited)
These new logos fit on cell phone screens and they look better on apps. They are adapting to the environment but some should have kept the old designs and especially at the restaurant like Wendy's. Jeez my dad drives around and he can't see where Burger King is anymore. Thanks for pulling a fast one on the world and taking our memories away. Companies now care less about the customer and the younger generation is so rude to people and a lot of that has to do with making the world a boring looking place. Why care about a business like Pepsi if they don't bother to spell their name on the can. Best Western signs look so cheap now, they match the new app logo outside on the street. We are going lose our society to bad design.
Barbara Vink 3 years ago
I found that in at least 50% of the examples, I preferred the original version. San serif wording makes new ones all look too similar. I really miss the Smucker's little strawberries as well.
Rob Williams 3 years ago
Not being American I didn't recognise half of them... before or after!
Marilyn Helling 3 years ago
I must say I like the THEN on almost every one, only a couple NOWs
Kimberley Stone 3 years ago
Removed the 3d look. Minimalism. Some are better, some are ... less.
Jolee Koop 3 years ago
My personal pet peeve is the National Instruments logo, it went from being noticeable and different to being something that anyone could accidentally create.
Judy Dunlevy 3 years ago
Some companies have removed their name from the logo using only their symbol leaving people guessing what product they are selling ie Starbucks, Pepsi. Are these products recognized the world over that everyone knows what it is?
Peko 3 years ago
Largely. Also if you're anywhere close to purchasing either it's pretty clear what they are.
Load More Replies... htbq 3 years ago
I think it also has to do with budget. Less graphic means less money spent on mass products.
Emi A. 3 years ago
I think so too. It must be one of the reason, as well as the "look better on phones" reason.
Load More Replies... nala simba 3 years ago
I don't like change. In fact, most of the above were much better. Why change? If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Sam (He/They) 3 years ago
They got to butcher all them logos and then they think it looks good
sunflower_013 3 years ago
why are so many comments getting downvoted? if you don’t agree with someone’s opinion then leave it alone or engage in a discussion. and why the heck are nostalgic comments getting downvoted?
S. Tor Storm 3 years ago (edited)
I dont know if they mean flat in a bad way or not? I think this is interesting as hell! (might be because I work with design and logos) The trend now is flatter logos with few colors. A logo should be simple, so it's not a bad thing I think. Most of these look more "modern" and better than the old ones in my opinion.
Lis Daglish 3 years ago
Agree. Spent 20 something years managing brands. It’s a lot more complex than people imagine (corporate guidelines, multi media, global vs local presence, diversity, trademark properties yadda yadda)
Load More Replies... Lis Daglish 3 years ago
I don’t think these have ‘lost their charm’ at all, merely a reflection of current aesthetic style; clean, simple, unambiguous.
Kenny Kulbiski 3 years ago
I'm glad some graphic designers managed to rip off some big corporations but I don't pay much attention to logos and they sure don't influence my buying decisions.
Gyro Pilot 3 years ago
No question at all that there is solid consumer research behind all of these examples.
marianne eliza 3 years ago
Does changing your logo and/or font really make that much difference in the bottom line? I mean a net difference, after they pay for the changes.
TheHolyFatherOfToast 3 years ago
My guy. Enough. The point of this post is to show people the difference between the original and the new one and get peoples opinion on them. Not to show how the new logos, although that is a part of it.
Load More Replies... You May Like 25 Times People Had Very Creative And Cozy Ideas For Window Seats People Are Sharing Their Decked-Out Bedrooms, And Here Are 30 Of The Most Amazing Ones This Group Celebrates The Most Beautiful Dream Homes And Here Are The 30 Best
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