Commentary on Google's New Logo

/

When Google changes its logo, everyone seems to weigh in. Some criticism has been harsh. The author of a New Yorker article, "Why You Hate Google's New Logo," writes, "Whenever a brand wants to freshen itself up, you start hearing talk about 'clean lines,' as if a few gorgeous, old-fashioned letters were keeping us in the Dark Ages." 

The new logo is sleeker, looking as though it dropped a few pounds and got a tummy tuck. 

Google logo

The author's disappointment continues: 

The new logo retains the rainbow of colors but sheds the grownup curlicues: it now evokes children's refrigerator magnets, McDonald's French fries, Comic Sans. Google took something we trusted and filed off its dignity. Now, in its place, we have an insipid "G," an owl-eyed "oo," a schoolroom "g," a ho-hum "l," and a demented, showboating "e."

In a blog post, the company describes the logo as "simple, uncluttered, colorful, friendly" and touts its visibility on "even the tiniest screens." 

Discussion Starters: 

  • What's your view of the new logo? Love it, hate it, indifferent to it? 
  • The New Yorker article describes more of Google's evolution. Do you agree with the author's perspective?