Blog Post By: Anna Shircel, BPM Marketing Intern
Think back to the days when Yahoo was a bigwig on the Internet. It seemed like everyone had a Yahoo email account, and it wasn’t out of the question to choose Yahoo as one’s main search engine. In recent years, however, Yahoo has been increasingly overshadowed by its competitors. Google and relative newcomer Bing have charged past Yahoo and staked out favorable positions in the minds of computer users. Why reach for Yahoo! Search when one can “Google” a question? That certainly sounds more fun than searching anyway!
In an attempt to revitalize the Yahoo brand, the company has made a number of major changes, one being the purchase of Tumblr, a microblogging platform. With this acquisition, a new logo also needed to be developed. Let’s be honest; Yahoo’s old logo was out of date. Yes, it was full of character and whimsy, with wide, off-kilter, cartoon-like letters. However, it lacked the sleek design associated with modern brands. It especially did not work for a company that had gained a hugely popular social media platform.
The new logo looks to integrate the recent changes with the classic Yahoo brand. The letters are streamlined but feature a subtle 3D aspect, adding complexity and dimension. The color and exclamation point were retained but received minor adjustments. The purple features a bluish hue rather than pink, hinting at a more mature Yahoo brand. In addition, the exclamation point was given a slight tilt, paying tribute to the whimsical nature of the old logo.
From afar, the new Yahoo logo appears more basic, but when thoroughly examined, its slight details add interest. Yahoo has held onto the youthful energy represented in its old logo but created a sleek and fresh design appropriate for a modern company.
The question that remains is what are the benefits of a brand renovation, apart from the aesthetic appeal?
1. Brand renovation can increase brand awareness.
Yahoo’s logo change has put them back in the public eye. People may differ in their opinions of the new design, but the logo has them talking about Yahoo once again.
2. It allows for a company to present a consistent message and image.
Yahoo’s old logo was not matching with the adjustments it was making, such as a redesigned homepage. The new logo mirrors the clean layout of the new homepage and communicates a coherent message.
3. Brand renovation provides an opportunity for a brand to reflect its current customer or market focus.
Yahoo doesn’t want to be the old-fashioned search engine, and this new logo signifies the changes that are occurring and still to come. This logo tries to appeal to the modern computer user, the individual that Yahoo needs to attract back to their brand.
