Opinion: Google's logo redesign is a success because we trust in their brand

Date
25 September 2013

This week assistant editor James Cartwright suggests that the reason for Google’s logo redesign success is that people trust them as a brand and respect the service they provide. But is he wrong? As ever we welcome your comments below…

Last week the world’s most visited website unveiled a logo refresh of no small significance that dragged them aesthetically into the here and now and aligned the brand’s core identity more closely with that of its products. Response so far has been incredibly positive and, unlike many of its competitors, the company in question has avoided any of the usual backlash that we’ve come to associate with the overhaul, refinement or just plain change of an identity.

Where previously there was skeumorphism aplenty, drop shadows on each letterform and a slightly ungainly balance of primary colours (plus one secondary) the update has flattened the logo completely, redrawn the typeface to appear more contemporary and refreshed the colour palette to be slightly easier on the eye. It looks good.

Just to be clear though, we’re talking about Google here, not Yahoo, and that’s undoubtedly the reason for the almost unanimous support of their redesign.

Google is a brand that we believe in – the collective we; more or less everyone on earth – who dedicate time and money into refining and developing their service, who produce products that constantly attempt to push boundaries and who generally seem to have made our lives that much easier in their 15 years, to the point that we’re prepared to forgive their lapses in tax payment and shifting attitudes towards data protection.

As a result we can get on board with a redesign of their logo. The changes feel considered, balanced and motivated by a strong set of brand values and guidelines. The change wasn’t necessary per se, but they’ve invested in it anyway to give their users a more cohesive experience overall; and you can’t really fault that. Compared to Yahoo’s desperate attempt to seem relevant in an online world they seem not to understand, Google’s redesign seems honest, humble (they’ve not even put out a press release) and well-timed. Marissa Mayer must be seething. Nice one, Google!

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About the Author

James Cartwright

James started out as an intern in 2011 and came back in summer of 2012 to work online and latterly as Print Editor, before leaving in May 2015.

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