CR Blog
A gap in the thinking?
Digital, Graphic Design, Type / Typography
Posted by Mark Sinclair, 7 October 2010, 11:48 Permalink Comments (51)
As Gap ditched its condensed serif and preppy blue square for something more default modern, design blogs lit up with comment yesterday. But in a strange social media-infused reaction to the various 'reinterpretations' of the logo that surfaced, Gap has implied there's some crowd sourcing coming your way, based on those very designs...
Having unveiled the new identity with no fanfare whatsover, Gap's 'wall' on Facebook seems to be the only place where the company has actually acknowledged its new Helvetian look. This, despite still proudly displaying its old logo as its profile image.
The reaction in the design community (see Armin's write up on Brand New, and Mat Dolphin's reasoned take on their blog) has largely been one of bewilderment; and this has also crossed over into more mainstream sites, like Facebook.
In gauging the reaction of those irked enough to comment on Gap's Facebook page, it appears that while hundreds of Gap-fans are clearly venting some spleen, the brand itself just seems to be muddying the waters.
"We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding!" chirps the Gap's wall statement, which sits rather ungainly above a very long list of comments ranging from "terrible" and "tragedy" to "LOL" and the occasional, pertinent "dislike".
Nevertheless, any user-generated visual 'tributes' to the new (or indeed old) Gap logo are, the company believes, all part of the plan. Here's the post from Gap's Facebook page:
Thanks for everyone's input on the new logo! We've had the same logo for 20+ years, and this is just one of the things we're changing. We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we're thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we're asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we'd like to see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project.
Of course, this being the interweb, there will be plenty of willing contributors to any potential crowd sourcing campaign. But by optimistically claiming that "we're asking you to share your designs" – it's as if they're not only suggesting a response of "I could do better than that" was to be expected, but that it should be (in the way of social media) actively encouraged.
Laird + Partners in New York are apparently behind the new logo (we've contacted them for a comment about the design and are yet to hear back) but whether it's all part of a larger participatory campaign is anyone's guess.
In the meantime, the blogosphere rages on; design fans debate an identity campaign based on a tiny jpeg; 'friends' of Gap denounce the work hysterically on Facebook, and the brand itself resorts to the reckon-you-can-do-better? kind of line.
The end result seems to be a decidedly confused message. Which is surely the opposite of a great identity.
51 Comments
http://www.qbn.com/topics/642743/
2010-10-07 13:19:42
The "old" logo was dated... The "new" look lacks any real character. I get the "outside the box" message (like a flying hammer, it is hard to dodge)... The font is dull and rather 1990's... My first response was that it looked like a chemical company, and reminded me of GAF, the company that makes roofing shingles and building materials... I don't see anything about it that speaks of fashion, or engages much of an emotional response... Very clinical, left-brain, rational, and, well, boring... I don't think this is their "final" selection, or at least I hope not...
2010-10-07 13:27:34
I posted this over at idsgn, but I'll post it here again.
We (the design community) must learn to respond in a more sophisticated and professional manner. What example are we setting if we continue to vomit out 'better' in response to 'crap'. This sort of hasty consideration will only serve to destroy what we stand for.
Design is a thoughtful and analytical process, let's give it the respect it and it's designers deserve.
2010-10-07 13:28:26
Don Draper would not like the interwebs.
-Anthony
http://anthonyvo.com/
2010-10-07 13:33:00
Thanks for sharing our post. This is our response to the posting on Gaps Facebook page...
http://www.matdolphin.com/blog/2010/10/07/an-open-letter-to-gap/
2010-10-07 13:33:26
'A literary or artistic composition so inferior in quality as to be merely a grotesque imitation of its model.'
2010-10-07 13:35:17
Once you spot the hidden Pacman in the logo, you can never look at it the same way again.
(This is a phenomenon known as "Lisa Simpson Syndrome").
2010-10-07 13:35:47
http://www.yayhooray.com/thread/208559/Anyone-shop-at-the-gap-recently
2010-10-07 13:36:00
Undecided.
As long as the GAP (should this now be written in sentence case?) 'brand' experience/ethos remains, then it does not matter about the logo (wether good or bad). GAP's concerns should be more how they fit now in to the market against the likes of Zara, H&M and more competitively Uni qlo.
Why change the logo now now? What's the bigger objective?
I guess we wait for comment from Laird + Partners.
2010-10-07 13:38:28
It's a shockingly poor attempt at a rebrand that takes a solid brand-mark and muddies it with generic fonts, generic gradients and standard design that would be thrown out of most classrooms as first grade dull thinking.
EIther that or it's clever PR.
Let's hope it's the latter.
2010-10-07 13:45:15
I prefer the old GAp logo as do most designers, however I'm holding judgement until the full picture of the redesign has been shown. I would like to see the brief, I want to understand the strategy and would like to see how its going to be implemented. We've only seen the logo in its most basic iteration so far (hopefully..).
Iits kind of ironic that most logo designers are constantly trying to develop brands and not just logos and yet haven't even given GAP the time to implement wide spread changes. Instead world class designers of high caliber have jumped on the wagon and criticised the logo from the get go with no serious thought as to how the new logo will play out in the long run.
The logo at this stage might be uninspired, unimaginative, unintuitive and shows no ability to hold its own against any other logo on the highstreet but we shouldn't as a design community be so quick off the mark to criticise, especially when its not constructive (the majority).
2010-10-07 13:45:29
Crowd-sourcing for a companies identity is absolutely crazy. A company should tell their customers who they are, what they stand for, not the other way around. I can see why GAP have given themselves a refresh but its obviously been a poorly executed and considered one. A logo is a small part of a big picture which is not achievable by crowd-sourcing. It may have word for Pepperami but pork and pants are two separate things.
With the decline of American Apparel and the rise of Uniqlo, GAP have to compete so its understandable that they're trying to reach out to a more contemporary market. Whether changing the logo was a bad move I'm still undecided on. A tweak or a re-refresh rather than a complete alien move. Either way, the inter-webs have spoken, lets just see what their financial reports look like in a years time.
2010-10-07 13:45:35
I wrote about this earlier today and firmly believe that it has been a very successful stunt. They've learned from the misfortunes of Arnell's disastrous Tropicana debacle: http://bit.ly/DesignWeak_Gap
2010-10-07 13:55:43
it does seem that gap has been trying to win back a youth market for some time now. Its sexed up billboards with heavy vetica font very american apparel. No matter how much you dress it up its still over priced, cheap labour clothing in beige.
2010-10-07 14:18:52
I think this logo did what it was meant to do. Get people talking about GAP.
I really doubt the logo is for real or is here to stay. I would be very surprised if it was.
2010-10-07 14:21:23
They're playing us.
Look at the banter, good or bad - people are talking Gap. No way they're going to stop the roulette on the Helvetica number.
2010-10-07 14:25:23
I totally agree with Steve Price and Jeffrey Oley, there is no way in this corporate image conscious world that a brand the size of GAP would simply plonk a new logo on their website and leave it at that. A rebrand, whether well designed or not, would be rolled out across all their channels, their Facebook page still uses the 'old' logo for example.
It has to be ploy, one worthy of a chess grandmaster (maybe I'm giving Laird + Partners too much credit), but I'm interested to see how it'll unfold.
It's also fun to see how upset people get about a logo, not just designers but GAP evangelists. There's some comment to be made about the power a recognisable brand holds over us; somehow the clothes just aren't the same with a different typeface.
2010-10-07 14:59:31
I just don't like it. Simple as that. But... when the new BMW 5 Series was released I couldn't stand it - but now it's my favourite car.
Funny thing design is so I'm thinking I should give it a bit more time.
2010-10-07 15:01:18
I think it suits the brand well.
Dull and boring with no real thought. Just like their dull and boring shit clothes!!!
2010-10-07 16:00:34
Who gives a rat's a**?
2010-10-07 16:34:35
I've been musing over whether or not this is an elaborate PR ruse to the extent that I posted the thinking at our blog. At least it's the sort of thing that will keep conspiracy theorists happy, hence -> :-)
2010-10-07 17:02:15
I wouldn't be too concerned with this logo. Although it looks like Silicon Valley decided to design, real designers are predicting this will go to the scraps. http://gnomeflash.com/ gives some good analysis through the eyes of a designer. I have to agree with them that this is the Tropicana logo change all over again.
2010-10-07 18:01:01
The new logo is definitely different. Not terribly creative though. The old logo was classic and recognizable. This new one will probably leave people a bit confused.
2010-10-07 18:44:40
I would have updated type in the blue box. You keep your recognisable logo 'shape' and 'elements' but bring it into the 21st century with a more modern font.
But please, please do not effing 'crowd source'... total rubbish. Either have the courage of your convictions or don't bother. 500 random designs does not help create a cohesive brand identity.
2010-10-08 12:41:48
It's a gag.
They got someone with 'desktop experience' to knock up a logo that would incense. Then say "We love our version, but we'd like to see other ideas".
They are cutting out the hired designer and getting a job done for free. Cheeky beggars.
2010-10-08 12:43:56
Mind the gap.
2010-10-08 12:59:44
I find it hard to believe that this is a planned PR stunt, but if they can take the passionate uproar and turn that into some sort of crown-sourced logo design, whilst being honest and without claiming that was the plan all the way, then perhaps Gap could emerge with a stronger brand on the other side.
2010-10-08 13:24:43
Just like GAP's clothing. Dull, Boring, uninspiring. Perfect brand identity re-design then in my book.
2010-10-08 13:29:46
it's a shame they changed their logo, i liked it very much, they could have just updated the font and that would have done the most of it!
the new one looks like a logo for insurance company you can look its called le Gan in french!
so im not keen sorry.
Olivia K
2010-10-08 13:43:13
Besides the generally poor execution i think logo's just going to get lost because they use helvetica for their all advertising, the logo needs something distinctive and different to make it special which this doesn't have.
2010-10-08 13:48:46
I find this logo hard to look at as the design has no focus point that draws you in. I have no problem with GAP changing their identity but this i think is a step in the wrong direction. The original design has a presence about it with a visual impact, the new design however looses this because of the blue faded square. There is no confidence. I understand that it is trying to be fresh, and fit in with 'up to date' design, but this fits in to much.
2010-10-08 13:49:09
Do you think it was a mistake to release only the logo on the website first?
The logo cant be fairly judged without it being surrounded by the rest of the brand.
Uniqlo ius a good example of how the logo is only part of so much more. The strength of that Uniqlos logo+design is all the secondary elements that give it personality, interaction and charm.
It will be interesting to see how Gap plays out.
2010-10-08 13:53:08
Besides the generally poor execution i think logo's just going to get lost because they use helvetica for their all advertising, the logo needs something distinctive and different to make it special which this doesn't have.
2010-10-08 14:06:08
All the people knocking GAP's clothing should go back to Marks and Spencer or thinking their designer suits make them "hip".
It' a classic brand and the old (current) logo suits it, maybe rebrand if they want a change, but stay with serif.
It's obviously a stunt to get everybody talking and I agree with Rick Pulito that it looks like a chemical company, if it's true nobody will want to carry a paper bag with that awful logo on the side or go into a store with that above it.
2010-10-08 14:18:40
They could have at least used Dalton Maag’s Helvetica killer, Aktiv...
2010-10-08 14:19:31
Pick your favs…
http://blog.iso50.com/2010/10/06/gap-redesign-contest/
2010-10-08 14:39:54
crowd source = gutless copout
2010-10-08 14:55:53
Besides the generally poor execution i think logo's just going to get lost because they use helvetica for their all advertising, the logo needs something distinctive and different to make it special which this doesn't have.
2010-10-08 14:57:21
I agree with Youssef Sarhan's comment.
I'm really disappointed by the number of naive designers making comments (note: not on here) to effect of, "the designer spent 2 minutes on it". And people doing their own versions? They are almost all at least as shit as the official logo. So pointless.
The logo positively reeks of compromise between stakeholders and creatives – critics should bear this in mind before slagging off the designers.
I really don't believe in this crowd-sourcing story. Just sounds like Gap are backtracking because they're freaked-out by the negative reaction and devised a clever cover story by pretending its all on purpose. I imagine the team at Laird must be going spare reading all these stories.
2010-10-08 15:10:33
It's a very sad day - both for the design industry and the clothing industry. Shows the state of mind of GAPS boardroom - dull, lifeless, boring and scared in todays climate - its shocking that a professional design agency would even or could come up with such a dull lifeless marque.
Looks like a company on the way out.... the Design Agency or GAP - lets wait and see.
2010-10-08 15:11:16
Where's the creativity? The new logo looks like a boring computer company logo.
2010-10-08 19:19:15
Ha, was literally on the bus the other day and thought 'that Gap logo needs a definite update' anywho- yer this isn't great, looks like some awful budget brand to me, however, I would like to see how the whole brand will be implemented first.
A
2010-10-09 13:52:55
agree with others that the old look was dated, (although easily identified w/ a major brand and thus successful) but the new look/logo fails miserably.
2010-10-10 02:29:52
I've got some old London 2012 logo designs that might do the job.
2010-10-10 07:37:42
I really believe this is it for the Gap, the "blue square" is lookiing like a wall between the past and the future.
2010-10-10 22:24:02
Thats horrible! Should have stuck with the old logo. Poor Design.
2010-10-11 01:06:57
Thats a joke, i'd love to have been paid big $$$ for doing that in 2 mins.
2010-10-11 01:11:16
Crowdsourcing = Free pitching
No designer with any pride, sense, credibility or talent should participate.
2010-10-12 12:48:58
According to Advertising Age they're dropping this and returning to the (hardly replaced) original logo. Who knew?...
http://adage.com/article?article_id=146417
2010-10-12 13:22:07
Backtrack alert...
http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2010/10/11/Gap-Scraps-New-Logo.aspx
2010-10-12 13:22:44
My version of the GAP logo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7YIKkdeL4s
2011-02-09 01:54:47
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