Case Studies: Successful Logo Redesigns and Rebrands

In the dynamism of the branding and advertising world, organizations find themselves in a situation where they need to rebrand for the target market to continue being appealed to. Logo redesign and rebrand are effective interventions in the management of brand strategies and it’s always important to note that these processes should be tackled with great care and strictly planned, as well as it’s important to understand the needs of a market in order to implement these processes. In this article we will look at some of the experiences of companies that have done logo redesigns and rebrands so as to be able to point out some of the lessons that business can take as they draw up their redesigns and rebrands.

Introduction

Logo revisions and repositioning are not merely esthetic tweaks but deliberate stipulations to revitalize a brand’s identity and associate a new value communicating proposition with the consumers. Emphasis has been placed on the fact that the factor of logo redesign is effective since it reinvents the brand, offers a method of drawing attention where there is massive competition, and living up to the expectation of business growth. Here are several examples of brands which decided to update their logos and change their image, identifying the key approaches and its consequences in the given article.

The Essential Criteria for Logo Redesigning.

However, to better analyze individual examples, it is necessary to outline criteria that define effective redesign of logos. It enables one to go a notch higher than just changing its appearance, a successful logo redesign strategy must capture the true spirit of the brand, appeal to the audience, and correlate with the business’ vision and goals. Some of the aspects observed to determine the effectiveness of the logos redesign are communication, the message that it carries regarding the brand’s values, flexibility in the use of the brand logo across the media, and response from the stakeholders and consumers. The most crucial aspect is that a proper redesigning of the logo must retain the consistency of the brand value and introduce the new and the contemporary attribute to its emblem.

Case Study 1: Starbucks

Among all the global coffeehouse chains, Starbucks changed its logo in 2011 for the first time in its history and the change was rather a major one concerning the legendary mermaid symbol. The earlier logo returned with very detailed twin-tailed symbol of mermaid embraced by the company’s name and the circle of stars. The process of redesigning distinguished the logo by eradicating the outer circle and the Company’s name hence sticking only with the emblem – the mermaid. This process of simplification was supposed to eliminate unnecessary elements that could confuse the reader and make the brand’s recognition more effective on an international level. It also clearly depicted the changing perception of the Starbucks from just a coffee selling company to a company that offers a range of drinks and much more. Although some of the traditional customers expressed their disagreement bus in general, the new logo was received highly actively, which proved Starbucks was a progressive and perspective brand.

Case Study 2: Mastercard

Mastercard company is an international financial corporation that started the process of rebranding in 2016, which included the indicator of a new logo and brand image. In this case, it can be seen that Mastercard has been making a conscious effort to ensure that its logo remains pertinent in the ever growing global society n,text-sensitive society that is today’s world. The most recent change in the design had less complex typeset and more contrasted color schemes in order to improve the effectiveness of the brand recognition on various types of devices. When the company decided to delete the wordmark in the logo and set focus only on the intersecting circles, the company wanted to step beyond the language, which relates to its key mission, connecting people. The makeover was applauded by everyone and strengthened the Mastercard’s image of a financial industry pioneer and a reliable brand for the consumers all over the world.

Case Study 3: Airbnb

Due to this, Airbnb, the online service provider that arranges lodging and other accommodation-related services, was in dire need of a branding refresh and achieved a radical change in the logo and brand image in 2014. The earlier logo used was the ‘below’, a figure of an ‘A’ imbedded in a geometrical form representing the notions of inclusion. The company refreshed its brand image in a bid to give the company a contemporary and more pertinent look to capture the new path the firm was taking from a small company that rented out rooms and apartments to people on vacation to a global hospitality company. The wordmark based on the lowered, meeting in the middle of the letter ‘a’ and ‘r’ Airbnb logotype, written in a specially developed type of fonts, as has been discussed earlier, was developed to become a universal and multi-functional logo which would look good just as effectively in the small format ages as to keep its identity and distinctive features when applied to the large format images. Although it was criticized and causing confusion and misunderstanding among the users in first instance, the rebranding became significant for affirmation of Airbnb’s brand image and building the trust among hosts and guests.

Case Study 4: The company in the case is Burger King.

The latest fast food giant to alter its logo is Burger King, the fast food restaurant multinational which is constantly on the change its brand image. The past logo design was established in 1999, and it inked a stylized ‘burger’ symbol with the brand name in huge and capital letters bold. The most recent update to the design occurred in 2021 and keeps the famous burger symbol but updates the font and style. The changes that consumer can see in the new logo are the brighter colours, smoother shapes and modern type of the script. The redesign also reflects Burger King’s long-term endeavour to improve the fast-food experience for customers: other known plans include biodegradable packaging and plant-based food products. The reception of the new logo among consumers has been commenting positively, appreciating the fact that the logo is new and fits into the modernity of the world but still has an old school feel to it.

Top Logo Redesign Mistakes and What Can be Learned From Them

While each of these case studies represents a unique journey of transformation, several common themes and strategies emerge:While each of these case studies represents a unique journey of transformation, several common themes and strategies emerge:

Stay true to your brand identity: Essentials of logo redesign is always calling for a change that honors the consistencies of the brand identity with the contemporary world.

Simplify and streamline: It has also been observed that simple designs usually leave a long-lasting image on the minds of users and can easily be transferred to different media as well as platforms in the various forms of communication technologies.

Embrace flexibility: Ideally, a logo should be flexible to fit a vast array of applications without losing its theme and is one of the reasons why good logo design is crucial.

Listen to feedback: Involve the stakeholders and consumers during the redesign process so that they can contribute their views and also their grievances addressed.

Evolve with the times: Every brand that does not adapt and change over time essentially becomes a dinosaur and is essentially all washed up. Always be ready for change and innovations as they assist in staying relevant in the market.

Conclusion

Therefore, the acts of doing logo redesigns and rebrands may help in changing the image of a brand, reviving consumer interest within a company and brightening the image of a brand. Looking at the experience of companies like Starbucks, Mastercard, Airbnb, and Burger King we are able to use their experience and to understand the best practices and principles used in different logo redesign projects. Whether decisions were made to reorganize the layout, adopt the flexibility, or maintain brand identity, these examples should benefit organizations who plan on embarking on the path of change.

FAQs

What is the duration of the logo redesign?
Logos go through redesign at different times depending on the project challenges, size of the organization, and involvement of different stakeholders. As for the average time for completion of the whole process, it may take several months to a year and a half, starting from the conceptual stage to its final application.

Is their any way I can be certain that logo redesigning is going to be relevant to my target group?
To ensure that the new logo is acceptable for the firm’s logos and appealing to customers, the firms should collect data from the market, asking focus group or survey results of consumers’ preferences and the trends in the market. Besides the demographic factors of the target market, there are other attributes such as psychographic and behavioral attributes that should be understood adequately to inform the redesign process.

Here are some frequent mistakes that anyone involved in the redesigning of a logo should strive to avoid?
Some mistakes that should be avoided when creating a new logo include; drift away from brand’s essence, low or no consideration of adaptability, and low or no testing done on samples with various stakeholders and consumers. This is also important to support the understanding that it is necessary not to change things only to make them different from before and using the results of these changes as a basis for developing the overall strategy of brand recognition and value.

The following are ways through which the level of success in logo redesign can be determined?
When redesigning a logo, key markers for success could be the visibility and recognition levels in the market as well as overall consumer response, particularly consumers’ perception about the brand and its sales outcome. Measuring KPIs pre- and post-rebranding enables business establishments to establish the level of change in brand metrics and hence consummate the effectiveness of the rebranding initiative.

Is it really necessary to use the services of a design agency if one wants to redesign a logo, or can it be done internally?
Although there is also capability and experience in doing a logo redesign for some companies, most of these turn to outsourcing to an experienced design agency or branding consulting firm. A well-known design agency offers professional experience, prompt imagination, and vast experience to guarantee the most effective result as well as a painless swap to the new identification.