ADVERTISEMENT

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.

#3

Gmail

Gmail

Gmail Report

Add photo comments
POST
birdie asf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yea, I realized that. It's hard to differentiate the logos now that they all have the minimalist look and the same color scheme.

Marcin Barczyński
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I actually expected YouTube to change its logo too, and have already opened Google Play instead of it several times on my phone...

Load More Replies...
Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And they don't even go together very well because the shapes just don't work together. Other than in confusing the huck out of me...

Load More Replies...
Kathryn Baylis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The new one looks nothing like an envelope—-which was the point of the old G—-MAIL logo.

your_lesbian_friend
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't like any of the new google app logos.... :(( nostalgic for the og google mail lol

Luther von Wolfen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like the new one. It does look less like an envelope, but the original was designed to make a new thing seem like an old, familiar thing, and we don't really need that anymore.

Tiredpossum
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is this flat?They added more color,their official colors.

Aria Whitaker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One actually looks like the envelope it is meant to represent...the other looks like four colorful lines forming the letter "M"....

Load More Replies...
Fixin'Ta
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hate this one. I was used to the big red M on my phone. Now, even weeks (months?) after they changed it, I can't find it (I know, I should be able to find it by its place on the phone screen, but I have ADHD and some days can barely remember my name, so cut me some slack).

Fan-tastic panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cool! now every single game, email app, and company has only two choices to put in their program, apple or google. "Google is the cheapest so let's go with that"

Pascale Pierloot
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They failed there...it no longer resembles an envelope and there's too much going on in one logo.

AnRi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The old one is just like the freemasonry apron...

Fact Perils
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like it better, the other one was looking a bit outdated. But the new docs logo looks the same

Maddie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They did that pretty recently. I don't mind it though.

UncleRussian
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This infuriates to no end! Old logo was so much better, ugh Google why did you do this to all your logos

rabbitsrabbit
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The new logo definitely looks less generic among other mail apps but then it becomes generic in google's family of pdts which looks like its just gonna increase

Vicky Zar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This improved in the color department, but it does not look like an envelope anymore

Nubis Knight
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like the New one better, but it may be confusing if you have different google Logos side by side on the screen.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

Burger King

Burger King

Burger King Report

Add photo comments
POST
Average Grizzlies Fan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Honestly I like the older Burger King logo, but then again that is just what I'm used to.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn Report

Add photo comments
POST
birdie asf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Didn't this happen a long time ago? I remember back in like 2010 I became familiar with the "now" icon.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

General Motors

General Motors

General Motors Report

Add photo comments
POST
Shelp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Funnily enough the new one looks like its coming straight out of 1999

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Starbucks

Starbucks

Starbucks Report

#15

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#21

Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Rams Report

Add photo comments
POST
A.M. Pierre
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Wawa

Wawa

Wawa Report

Add photo comments
POST
Charlene Wilbur
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wawa is in Florida now and it is literally THE BEST convenience store/deli.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#25

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint Laurent Report

#26

Syfy

Syfy

Syfy Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nubis Knight
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Syfy sounds a bit to much like Syphilis if you read it without context in my language. ^^'

View more commentsArrow down menu
#27

Blue Point Brewing Company

Blue Point Brewing Company

Blue Point Brewing Company Report

Add photo comments
POST
Shelp
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why would they change that logo? The old one was unique and had a distinctive feature. The new one could be anything. Plus, the new font isn't even that good.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#28

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble Report

Add photo comments
POST
Zoe's Mom
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

Yahoo!

Yahoo!

Yahoo! Report

Add photo comments
POST
white_shadow
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

tbh I don't liek the letters with lines at the edges. Just like google's old logo

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#32

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#34

Meetup

Meetup

Meetup Report

Add photo comments
POST
A.M. Pierre
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The first one looks like a name badge with handwriting on it. The second one looks like someone had five seconds to make a logo but couldn't get any fonts to load in Photoshop so they scribbled on a napkin with a red Sharpie.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#37

Berluti

Berluti

Berluti Report

Add photo comments
POST
C.S. E.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The logo on the left looks elegant, while the right looks substantial. Because they make bespoke men's shoes, either works, really. This is an example of a fully lateral change, imo.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

Disney Channel

Disney Channel

Disney Channel Report

#39

Us Open

Us Open

US Open Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#42

Bt Group

Bt Group

BT Group Report

Add photo comments
POST
The Dave
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another logo that I can't believe someone got paid for. There's nothing special about it AT ALL.

View more commentsArrow down menu