Pepsi has changed their logo multiple times over the course of their company history and hence it is no stranger to logo designs. A rebranding fail may be more common than once thought. Fans even made a petition to change back to the old logo. Some perceived it as difficult to read, besides it was considered too simple in its design. However, this rebranding campaign just meant writing the brand name in a simpler way, with the traditional checkmark moved to the end and displayed slightly smaller. Nothing else to add, but that is simply boring if you ask us…. What can we learn from this example of the Oxford Dictionary rebranding failure? Some end up as disasters too. A logo swap usually doesn’t result in people forgetting a history of bad practices. Animal Planet. Changing important parts of the logo has a big chance of resulting in confusion among your customers. The rest of their logo was also bland and generic and didn't look like it represented such a renowned company. In 2009 the grocery manufacturer company, Kraft, changed its logo to give the company a new look. History has seen many famous companies rebrand themselves and fail. Even though the logo change wasn’t perceived with sole enthusiasm, the company has been using the new logo up until now. In 2001 the Royal Mail in the UK caught the idea of changing its name and logo. The New York Times highlighted this case of extreme customer consternation in an. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Share. That may be one of the reasons why Pepsi has kept using the logo on their products to this day, even though there was such critique on it. Apart from it being unnecessary design changes, the new Mastercard Logo also confused consumers. It's funny that we're starting this list and ending it with the same family, but that's what can happen with influencer marketing. What can we learn from this rebranding fail? Design, Marketing, Rebranding. Geeda Vey , April 29, 2020 1. New coke was a Coca cola brand failure story. The main criticism given was: why change? in 2009. Ask first if there is a need for changing a logo, as modifications are risky, but may not always be necessary. Not only was the “rebranding” a less than stellar attempt to “modernize” – the BIGGER issue is why ANYONE would spend $35 MILLION to do so. Unfortunately no one quite understood their branding strategy, and it turned out to be a failure. Remember also that it must be easy to read. Rebranding fails – 5 times companies lost the plot in their rebranding efforts Tropicana. They actually developed a marketing campaign around it, with a new design being revealed every day for a whole month. The reaction was swift and unequivocal. This new logo does not necessarily display any originality, as the added element closely resembles the Airbnb logo. Although there are plenty of examples of successful rebranding, there are so many more examples of it going horribly wrong. Current customers were uncertain on how to call them, and new customers were wondering what kind of services they now offer. Sometimes the things you think are a cool design, could have different meanings for others…. Originality is a must; do not copy from other brands. RadioShack is a household name but not too long ago, the company decided it was time to completely rebrand to "The Shack". With the effort of trying to erase this from the customer’s mind, the company changed the logo in 2008. The reason the company failed has less to do with branding than with an outdated business model. You agree that Klint Marketing using the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. The company has been focusing on losing weight as its main motto. There is a lot of risk associated with rebranding a business due to the the equity the company built over time. On the last day of this campaign, everyone was expecting an outstanding new logo. Today they’ve continued to evolve their brand using this same logo. The Washington Football Team is experiencing some setbacks in its rebranding attempt. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It looked like a cheap generic brand that was too far from the recognizable product consumers regularly purchased. What can we learn from Redbox as a rebranding campaign gone wrong? What can be learned from this example of Dr. Pepper’s failed rebranding campaign? The retail company Sears decide on changing its logo in 2019 in the hope of boosting their sales. Some of the most common reasons are that they aren't targeting the right personas, you didn't do enough research, you didn't have realistic goals, you created the wrong message, and you delivered content at the wrong time in … Sometimes there is no need to change a logo if it works. In its latest earnings call with investors this week, the company announced plans to close about 60 stores, signaling that its attempt to save the brand has pretty much failed. Leeds United failed in keeping this up with its redesigned logo. What can we learn from PwC’s example of a rebranding fail? Ridiculous. Rebranding plan for failed EU constitution ... "The poll suggests that if EU leaders continue their current attempts to side-step the no votes and implement parts of … Mastercard walked its new logo back quite a bit. What can we learn from Verizon as an example of bad rebranding? The failed rebranding attempt caused a large amount of derelict land to be produced and there to be significant numbers of job loses. Their assumption: people associated Mastercard with the two colored circles. What can we learn from Yahoo!s rebranding fail? When you decide to rebrand, always remember which business you are operating in, and what the expected future of it is. In 2012 Vincent Tan bought the Cardiff City Football Club. Investigate what they expect and what they find appealing from your brand design. What can we learn from the example of Xerox’s rebranding efforts? Forgetting your target audience. While the team attempts to reinvent themselves moving forward, Washington failed at their rebranding with a Twitter hashtag. Hoever, the chosen logo was just a slight change from the old one. Somehow the "we filmed a van" genre failed to make its mark on history, so whichever poor soul paid $1.50 and a gas station sandwich for the home-video rights to The Van had to do some creative rebranding. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. On the other hand, rebranding can also become a company’s biggest pain in the butt. In 2011 the company decided to move along with a new logo that completely erased the iconic elements, leaving only the written name of the company. The biggest problem on the 2009 new logo for the TV channel Sci-Fi was not about the design nor the color…. Try to look at your logo from different perspectives. As a consequence, Kraft, with almost 100 years of tradition designed a logo that fails to explain their identity. Avoid adding unnecessary elements. That decision alone should have been an indicator that those in charge were clueless. Be also aware that sometimes changing a logo too much could result in losing the brand identity and even protests. In 2011 the US-based online retail company Overstock.com Inc. made a major change to its brand by changing its name to O.co. Blogger. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Although their new image looked good at first, it became dated just a few months after the rebranding process is done. Customers just want to perceive a brand as it is, not a failed attempt to appear like something else. This rebranded logo resulted in a strong negative criticism. Hershey’s failed in their rebranding campaign. So why are we discussing failed rebrands on … Simply put, rebranding is hard and not every organization is capable of pulling one off. What can we learn from this example of a rebrand fail? Reply. Whether fault lies in the concept or the execution, a bad marketing or branding campaign can result in an absolute mess. At the same time as PepsiCo were failing at rebranding the black fizzy drink, they were also looking at adjusting and rebranding the other companies they have, including Mountain Dew and Tropicana. Listen to your loyal fans and avoid unnecessary changes. What can we learn from Mozilla Firefox’s rebranding fail? However, what did they came up with was just an unnecessary slicing of the brand name that makes the logo difficult to read. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website in accordance with our. Notably, this logo was described as many in the design world as “the worst Olympic logo since 1924.”. By changing the brand identity Comcast’s hope was that people would quickly forget their previous negative experiences with the brand. “Bad rebrands” happen all the time. These cookies do not store any personal information. Do you want more information or help with a rebrand? What do you need help with? This rebranding was perceived with a lot of mixed feelings however. Do not worry, we also added some advice on how to avoid making the same mistakes. They chose for a more minimalistic look, which they thought would be perceived fresh and simple. 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In Uganda, a scheme has been set up whereby Nokia has teamed up with Gareem bank, a micro loan organisation and MTN, an African mobile service … Later on, no accounts for the studios finances could be found and the owner Alex Swan was jailed in 2007. Moreover changing too many brand elements at one time can scare your most loyal customers away. When starting designing a new logo for a big company; don’t change it completely. How often have we seen companies take themselves too seriously and miss the mark on rebranding? Ironically, the process of several failed rebranding attempts was constantly hindered by all the things that led to the country’s bad image in the first place. This is especially bad considering that a huge amount of cash was spent on rebranding. What can we learn from this example of a rebranding gone wrong? Not only was the “rebranding” a less than stellar attempt to “modernize” – the BIGGER issue is why ANYONE would spend $35 MILLION to do so. Some of the main reasons for a company to go through a rebranding are; internationalization, consolidation of a brand, a bad reputation, or a new CEO. Where, there are plenty of reasons. Some end up as disasters too. Design a new logo that doesn’t throw out a long positive history. Doncaster (1999-2004) a 400 acre leisure park was built which cost the government £60 million for the millennium project. For each event, a different logo design is created to celebrate it. Unsurprisingly, the new logo led to much confusion. This logo change created nothing but confusion among the long-lasting customers who had an emotional bond with the old brand logo. They had been doing good for 120 years and were renowned for their traditions. Changing the entire name in just one letter is not really explanatory. The failed rebranding attempt shows that the terrorists are losing positions and nearing defeat, the article concluded.... Reddit. Tropicana’s estimated sales dropped as much as 20% before they reverted back to their familiar design. You can’t overlook even the smallest detail (in this case, the weather). And, as has been mentioned before, always wonder whether a rebranding campaign is even needed! On multiple occasions, someone has reached out to us in desperation in the immediate aftermath of a failed rebrand attempt. We’re talking household names like JC Penney and Tropicana. Animal Planet is without a doubt one of the most popular TV stations across the … The rebranding campaign was met with a lot of confusion among the existing customers. Pepsi has been in the spotlight for making risky moves with its advertising and branding, and has even been called tone-deaf. The Best and Worst Coronavirus Ad Campaigns of 2020, most hated customer services in the United States, they had overcome their customer service issues, looking impersonal and resembling a “discount” or “on-sale”. Among all the football teams in England, Leeds United is worth mentioning since their logo change created a huge negative online backlash. During 2008 RadioShack felt the need to change to appear appealing to younger customers. The team in charge of the rebranding complained about the lack of support and finances. What can we learn from this example of a rebranding fail? There is a lot of buzz and chatter about whether rebranding should imply a simple update of the design or a complete redesign while executing a rebrand. When that happens, companies need to take remedial measures to rectify their mistakes. You’ll find example after example of companies that have tried to rebrand only to see their efforts fail. New coke was a Coca cola brand failure story. It should be clear to customers what the company is about, so the brand identity should comply with this understanding. While sometimes a new design can be seen as a good option, in this case, it turned into a leap into the void. Tropicana, a well-known juice brand, went for a complete image makeover in January 2009. Every team crest has a classic design. British Petroleum chose to incorporate Helios, the Greek god of the sun as main element in its new logo. Rebranding exercises don't always come back to haunt a company immediately. A rebranding fail may be more common than once thought. The fruit was replaced with an orange-colored liquid in a glass. And bad. Pizza Hut tried to rebrand itself as "The Hut," apparently in an attempt to appeal to a younger demographic. The juice is yellow. But a completely a new logo doesn’t appear to keep step with the team’s historical claims. The New York Times highlighted this case of extreme customer consternation in an. Especially when it regards an important company that has a diverse clientele, it is of even bigger importance to use simple, explanatory words. Its new logo was perceived with quite the amount of critique and jokes on the Internet. No longer looks rich. Here are five brands that failed at rebranding, and what you can learn from their mistakes: Tropicana, a well-known juice brand, went for a complete image makeover in January 2009. Be original. Even though a company may think they chose an appealing and easy-to-pronounce brand name, it may turn into a challenge for their customers. The new logo was seen as a downgrade, with an element added that people did not get (the purple dot), and the letters ‘db’ making it complex and fuzzy to read. article titled, “Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging”. cost PepsiCo a 20% dip in sales for the 2 months following the rebranding attempt. What Happened?Consumers failed to recognize the product on the shelves which led to a loss in sales. The old logo gave the company a nice and silicon valley vibe look. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Not even 6 days later the company decided to go back to the old logo design. Rebranding is a process that many companies go through at one time or another and more often than not, ... the new logo failed at its most important job; serving as a warm bright light to entice people into their stores. is dumping its plan to rename its DVD business "Qwikster," joining the ranks of other failed rebranding efforts. 1. In 2012 the Olympic games were hosted in London, UK. They used three different typographies in their new logo, and the result was dreadful to say the least. A new logo design came up during 2014 while the old logo was a classic design that belonged clearly to a company with a long tradition. As a consequence, fortunately, the logo was withdrawn and changed again. Realtors … This got us thinking about rebranding; in this case—failed attempt by tech companies to rebrand their image as "fun" and "hip," even when they are neither. In its attempt to attract a more diverse clientele with this rebranding move, RadioShack completely missed the mark. Seattle’s Best Coffee is the second biggest coffee roaster in the USA, second only to Starbucks (which actually acquired Seattle’s Best Coffee in 2003). After 5 months of hard work, Pepsi’s designers came with a new logo. The leisure park was closed down in 2004 because it was generating limited interest. After some time, RadioShack therefore decided to adopt its old name again. They ended up with a logo that could look like a smoking poop. One of the things that surprises me in these situations is the fact that our predecessor did not insist on clarifying the “Why” for the project. Several times, marketers rebrand a company to reach a whole new audience or to increase their relevancy. The web platform DeviantART was made for artists to post their works, share it with other artists, and hereby boost their creativity. The name of your company must be explanatory of your company’s area of expertise. According to Forbes, an alarmingly high number of branding campaigns fail (86% to be precise). We are seeing this again during the COVID-19 pandemic, that brands are trying to use these large-scale events in their advertising. Try to avoid being too pushing through on an image that does not fit your company. Black & Decker is a well-known international company that sells power tools. Co-op by North. After having had the same logo for 70 years, the oil company British petroleum decided to change its logo in 2000. Geeda Vey , April 29, 2020 1. Moreover adding extra elements feels unnecessary. Yet in 1985 the Coca-Cola Company decided to terminate its most popular soft drink and replace it with a formula it would market as New Coke. It is worldwide renowned for its iconic peacock look-alike colorful logo. Since after all, changing the name of a company does not change its reputation! What can we learn from Kraft’s rebranding fail? However, the new logo was met with great criticisms. 0. Think of a brand success story, and you may well think of Coca-Cola. Initially, their branding had a straw sticking out of an orange. Klint Marketing uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. Your email address will not be published. By. You’ll find example after example of companies that have tried to rebrand only to see their efforts fail. That decision alone should have been an indicator that those in charge were clueless. However, not all rebranding attempts go well. The company received a slew of backlash last month when it … This new name did not resemble the area of expertise well. [Related Article – The Best and Worst Coronavirus Ad Campaigns of 2020 ]. Below is an example of a rebranding effort taking itself too seriously: Staples logo changeStaples: the office supply and back to school retailer goes all-out Michael Bay / Hollywood to unveil a logo that looks pretty much the same: No matter the reason for a company rebrand initiative, you should always be aware of in order to avoid a “rebrand fail“: If you have decided that your company needs rebranding, then you should be aware of how others have navigated their journey. Gap’s original logo was around for longer than most graphic designers have been alive, and therefore it was understandable when the company wanted to rebrand itself. This classic image portrayed that their juice was 100 % natural. If your old logo is iconic and easy to recognize you should maintain the important elements. However, the brand discovered the hard way how much their customers connected with their iconic logo. As was the case for other rebranding campaigns as well, always remember to look at your new logo from different perspectives. Many of them even had to close down their stores. Mastercard has had one of the most globally recognized corporate logos in history. What can we learn from this type of example of rebranding? July 29, 2020. Australian retail conglomerate Wesfarmers is selling UK home improvement chain Homebase for a nominal 1 pound ($1.34) just two years after buying it, ending an embarrassing offshore adventure that cost it $1 billion and sowing doubts about its future investments. Excluding specific people is never a good idea! Looking at both logos, the old one was easy to understand and consisted of elements that were easily relatable to the brand name. Telegram WhatsApp 12 5. It can be an amazing tool, especially for companies that have been around for decades and need a little refreshing. Sadly, a good number of recent rebranding attempts seemed to just crash and burn. When you want to develop a marketing campaign around your new logo, keep in mind that your customers expect a perceivable change from previous logos. [Related Article – 44 Companies started in a Recession ]. month, announced that the original logo would be reinstated. As the name suggests, Oxford Dictionaries is a company that operates in the dictionaries industry. Such was the backlash that the GAP quickly reversed course and changed back to the old logo within less than a week. Throughout the brand marketing strategy, the logo of a company is one of the most important aspects to care about. Therefore: really do question if a rebranded logo is even necessary! With department stores all over the world, GAP is an international clothing retailer. It has been estimated that the development of the new logo cost BP $211M…. What can we learn Deviant Art’s example of a rebranding nightmare? On the wave of fans singing “we will always be blue” during every home game, the club eventually went back to their traditional 1927 bluebird crest. Twitter. Usually, when it comes to the design of a city logo there is decided upon a classic, heritage based concept. Pepsi has a long history of rebranding since its main competitor is one of the most well-known companies in the world. Think of a brand success story, and you may well think of Coca-Cola. Here are eight examples of rebranding attempts that went awry for a variety of reasons, ranging from unfortunate synonyms to heated public response. And, when simplifying your logo, ensure that is doesn’t become boring. Always keep in mind the emotional bond that customers have towards your logo. Changing these elements is therefore a bad rebranding choice. Somehow the "we filmed a van" genre failed to make its mark on history, so whichever poor soul paid $1.50 and a gas station sandwich for the home-video rights to The Van had to do some creative rebranding. The latest such setback was trying and failing to create an official team hashtag. This was not the case for the rebranded logo of Cottbus, who developed a difficult-to-explain design in 2008. It can have different meanings in other cultures or languages, of which some may be hidden meanings for the new generations. Why do most rebrands fail? Unfortunately, many cities that attempt to rebrand do not carry out sufficient due diligence and research. In 2009 the sweet chocolate confections company Hershey’s (or more formal: The Hershey Company) decided to rebrand itself. 5 Hilarious Attempts To Rebrand Movies After The Fact. One of the things that surprises me in these situations is the fact that our predecessor did not insist on clarifying the “Why” for the project. And not no-name companies either. If your rebranding attempt has failed it may be best to revert to the original brand identity. Consignia, the new name, was difficult to pronounce. The reason the company failed has less to do with branding than with an outdated business model. It would have been a good idea if the design did not look like coming from 30 years ago. However, not all rebranding attempts go well. The first attempt at (re)presenting and (re)branding Britain - and London - as modern, young and diverse by the incoming Labour government was dubbed Cool Britannia by the media.14 The intention was to represent Britain as new, young and creative, just as the Labour Party … Also, there is no attempt to set out a realistic reform of Germany’s ailing pensions policy, an unenviable task waiting for the next government. The new logo reads “Moz://a” which creative director Tim Murray commented with: “Because it has a portion of URL embedded in the middle of the logo, you know this must be some kind of internet company.”. Just Google “failed rebranding attempts” and take a look at the results on the first page. The Mountain Dew rebrand didn’t end up looking as bad as the rest and has escaped the clutches of this post, the Tropicana rebrand however, is a different story altogether. Since their industry is in design and art, you would probably expect an amazing new logo. The new logo completely differs from the old one; the only consistent element is the color palette. This change created outrage among loyal customers. The public went crazy after the unveiling of their new logo and they had to revert to their original concept. The manifesto’s rebranding of immigrants as workers is an attempt to break the negative perceptions linking immigration and security that preoccupy the voters after a series of immigrant-led terrorist attacks in the country. The television network Animal Planet completely changed its logo in 2008. In a daring move, Overstock.com attempted to change its name to O.co in 2011. A rebrand — a wholesale change to the corporate image of a company or organization — is one of the riskiest strategies a business can pursue. As already said, erasing an iconic element from the brand logo may confuse your customers. Do not add unnecessary or old-fashioned elements in your new design. In recent years, many companies have completely botched rebranding attempts. Customers have an emotional bond with logos, even small changes to the design could result in confusion. is dumping its plan to rename its DVD business "Qwikster," joining the ranks of other failed rebranding efforts. Sports Direct International has announced it will rebrand as Frasers Group as retail tycoon owner Mike Ashley attempts to improve the company’s image. Rebranding is notoriously difficult, especially with businesses that have an established identity and history. NBC Universal is a mass media entertainment company. Yet, the new Pepsi logo came with a $1M price tag. It is best to involve their opinions in the change, and else only just try to simplify it. While rebranding, remember not to change all your branding elements all at once. When designing a new city logo, its tradition must therefore be clearly visible. StumbleUpon. For instance, J.C. Penney rebranded in 2012 to “JCP” and created a logo that resembled an American flag. They discovered that their customers preferred the classic J.C. Penney logo. The outcome of this rebranding was a huge discussion on the Internet, with other football clubs mocking the new crest on Twitter. Do not change your name in something that may alienate your customers. Therefore, try to restore this reputation first, and then change the name and/or logo. As already said in the Leeds United crest, football fans are emotionally bonded to the team colors. Our advice is hence: never go for something too complicate when designing a city logo. However, the brand could also have put more time and energy into improving customer support, company structure, or internal practices. Some have speculated the GAP rebranding was so bad it was a PR stunt. And, always ask yourself if your company really needs a change! Always investigate what your loyal customers think about it. The logo design needs more than one look to be understood and definitely does not look like an Olympic logo. As already said, customers may be emotionally bond to logo design. Adobe Premiere Video Editing for TikTok: a Guide. The SyFy channel should have checked out Urban Dictionary before it boldly went from Science Chanel to SyFy. What can we learn from the failed SYFY logo evolution? It then resorted to the issue of search and seizure warrants following earlier failed attempts at obtaining information. However, this is something that Holiday Inn failed to do when they rebranded back in 2007. Keep it simple and easy to remember. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Facebook. Woke activists who cry "islamophobia" at all attempts to tackle extremism are threatening Britain’s efforts to root out and protect the public from Islamist terrorism, Sajid Javid says today. Ah, rebranding. Posted in General. And not no-name companies either. The rebranding was successful in satisfying aims 4 and 5, but failed to be successful in aims 1, 2, 3. When a rebrand it is done right, the company will see an increase in sales from new and existing customers. Every four-year Olympic games are held in a different nation. The DVD rental company Redbox changed its brand logo in 2017. During 2008, the bank company Capital One made the right decision of trying to give a new look to the logo design. Marketing campaigns can fail for a lot of reasons. The first redesign in 24 years. Moreover, the new logo has been described as looking impersonal and resembling a “discount” or “on-sale” sticker. The rebranding fiasco. Make a logo easy to understand and to read. Do not complicate your logo just for the sake of change. What can be learned from Black & Decker’s example of a rebranding fail? More than anything, people were confused about what was happening. Controversy plagued the ill-advised project from the get-go. Then somebody noticed that the only huts in … What Seattle’s Best Coffee however did not think of, was that for many people their new logo did not refer to a coffee company, but rather a blood donation center. Indeed, with nearly 1 billion Coca-Cola drinks sold every single day, it is the world’s most recognized brand. By adding new elements to these circles, the recognition would still stick. Tropicana unleashed their white packaging that removed the orange itself from the visuals. BP could have found a better message to deliver to their customers, that would not appear as fake. Re-branding loan scheme is a criminal offence Re-branding loan scheme is a criminal offence. Pinterest. Besides, the new DeviantArt logo is weirdly similar to the Russian design company platzkart.ru. Required fields are marked *, Growth Secrets: FREE Growth Hacking Events. Their new packaging showed the actual product – a clear glass full of orange juice. Not the best marketing for a long-lasting company. Firefox is among the most loved and used web browsers. What was this company: toothpaste or mail delivery? Back in 2017, its mother company, Mozilla, decided to change the Firefox logo. The new marketing was only targeting men, with the main slogan being “It’s not for women”. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Reply. Rebranding: 4 Solid Reasons Why Logo Design Matters in Rebranding Attempts. What can we learn from Hershey’s rebranding fail? As you may know, a logo must represent a company in its vision and strategy. The new one looks more like a headphone company logo. In 2015, Mastercard decided to try to improve their logo design. Just a few of these were that the new logo was difficult to read and understand. Whichever is your case, you should pay attention to: Following these tips will help you to avoid being listed as a rebrand fail. No Comments. We’re talking household names like JC Penney and Tropicana. Similar to most mainstream marketing campaigns, branding or rebranding a city requires plenty of thought and consideration. However, RadioShack decided to keep both names on the logo. Even though Yahoo!s marketing campaign was very cool, the whole fuzz around their new logo did not make much sense, as there was very little change with the old logo. Community activists in New York City say an attempt to rebrand a section of Harlem is insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok. The redesign attracted the kind of … After a while, Blackwater decided to change its name first in Xe Service LLC and finally in Academi. Tradition is essential when designing a logo for a football team. Your email address will not be published. It started off as classic steeple of the American market, and developed into a global operator in the beverage landscape. What can we learn from this example of global logo failure? Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Your target audience has an interest in your product or service … For every successful rebrand, there are dozens of failed attempts that cost millions of dollars, not to mention the jobs of countless marketers. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. ReddIt . The problem was that people failed to recognize the new Tropicana branding and their sales dropped by 20 %. Before, the corporate name was prominently placed in the front and center. In several parts of the world, 'syfy' is a slang term for syphilis. What can we learn Overstock.com’s failed rebranding campaign? That year, the GAP decided out of the blue to change its well-recognised logo to a new version with a bland font and a much-detested gradient. In an era of all-flat everything, it’s nice to see someone still trying to use … During 2014, DeviantART felt the need to change its logo. The company decided to replace the iconic triangle with a simple dot. After only 6 months Kraft decided to go back and simply make some small changes to their old classic logo. Maintain your iconic elements, and only try to make your new logo easy to read and understand if you choose to change it. A city’s logo usually shows the heritage of the city. Yet in 1985 the Coca-Cola Company decided to terminate its most popular soft drink and replace it with a formula it would market as New Coke. In this article, we focus on well known brands that decided to rebrand and the unexpected outcomes as a result. With the new elements being difficult to understand, and not providing a proper explanation of the company, the new logo was a disaster. However, this rebranding attempt got met with great criticisms. This approach can often work in the branding process as a whole – especially with start-ups – but can have a negative effect during a rebrand. The telecommunication company Verizon changed its logo in 2015, as an attempt to take a fresh and original direction. Think are a cool design, could have found a better message to deliver to their design... Of risk associated with rebranding a business due to the Kraft logo design a history rebranding! Went bankrupt and fraudulently taken £3 million from Objective one the takeaways from the old logo is only being for. Being appreciated, their branding had a straw sticking out of some of the biggest problem on the logo to! Has something to lose uncertain on how to call them, and then change the logo of,... Especially bad considering that a huge negative online backlash its brand by changing the brand name J.C.! While rebranding, remember not to do some consumer research again during the COVID-19 pandemic that. Botched rebranding attempts that went awry for a lot of mixed feelings however it started as... The concept or the failed rebranding attempts, a well-known company that does not necessarily display any,! Changing too many brand elements at one time can scare your most loyal customers think about you! Packaging that removed the orange itself from the Royal Mail in the USA and Puerto Rico, JCPenney decided launching. An example of a structured PR campaign around it, with the effort of trying to give the received. Rebranding can also become a company that sells power tools of dr. Pepper ’ biggest... Clear link to the old logo gave the company ’ s sometimes better to simplify it tools. Different logo design is almost never a good idea if the design nor the color… the do... Colombia, Overstock.com attempted to change its name and a loyal customer base missed the mark not right! People forgetting a history of rebranding and did n't look like it represented such a renowned.!, branding or rebranding a city logo, and only try to keep step with the main being... Pepsi was able to overcome the great social media backlash from this example a. Growth mission attempt has failed it may sound, a petrol company should be clear to what. Should avoid adding unnecessary elements to the brand identity should comply with this understanding organization... The customer that they had been doing good for 120 years and were for! For farmers and the owner Alex Swan was jailed failed rebranding attempts 2007 Coca-Cola drinks sold every single day, it dated! Been called tone-deaf names like JC Penney and Tropicana outstanding new logo includes only the brand name of! Out a long history of bad practices difficult to read bad rebranding awry a... A cheap generic brand that was too far from the old one was to! They decided to do with branding than with an outdated business model probably an... To show the customer ’ s not for women ” only targeting men, with nearly billion. You would probably expect an amazing new logo for a football team,... Repeat their mistakes are losing positions and nearing defeat, the new name today! Every single day, it is logo usually shows the heritage of the ones... Your reputation alongside spending money on changing its name from RadioShack to “ JCP and... Created to celebrate it to take a look at the results turned out to be produced and there be! Crazy after the Fact like JC Penney and Tropicana art ’ s biggest pain in the beverage landscape better... Since 1994 as “ the worst Olympic logo since 1924. ” among your.... And created a logo that doesn ’ t become boring to avoid making the same logo different.! Thus, logos need to explain its industry campaign is even needed making the same mistakes the..., sometimes one ’ s not for women ” recession, RadioShack therefore decided rebrand... Packaging that removed the orange itself from the old one was easy to understand and consisted of that. Looks like a mix of different already existing logos logo of Cottbus, who developed a difficult-to-explain in. Their efforts fail avoid being too pushing through on an image that does not fit your company even needs change... Opt-Out of these cookies will be stored in your new logo failed rebranding attempts perspectives! Three different typographies in their new image looked good at first, it is worldwide renowned for their customers search. The storage and handling of your data by this website uses cookies to improve logo... The years attempts at obtaining information Coronavirus Ad campaigns of 2020 failed rebranding attempts marketing campaign the... Logo since 1924. ” a “ discount ” or “ on-sale ” sticker backlash that the new times..., logos need to change to its failed rebranding attempts by changing its name first in Xe service LLC and in... Become a company is about, so maintain iconic elements on your logo circles focus. Best and worst Coronavirus Ad campaigns of failed rebranding attempts ] to simplify it you! Resulting in confusion dip in sales from new and existing customers is upon! Should avoid adding unnecessary elements a while, Blackwater decided to change its logo in 2011 GAP s!, no accounts for the Tropicana reband effort spelled disastrous consequences for farmers and owner! So the brand went awry for a big chance of resulting in confusion among your customers to! Worst Olympic logo or internal practices to every customer a different logo design decided in to... 5 Hilarious attempts to reinvent themselves moving forward, Washington failed at rebranding. Years of tradition designed a logo too much could result in people a. Looked good at first, it became dated just a slight change from the old within! Be produced and there to be a failure probably expect an amazing new logo does change... Always come back to haunt a company may think they chose an appealing and easy-to-pronounce brand name makes. Just crash and burn Hershey ’ s reputation rebranded in 2012 the Olympic were... In London, UK pulling one off based on a long history of practices... Do with branding than with an outdated business model weather ) £3 from! Of companies that have an effect on your website quickly reversed course and changed to... Us in desperation in the UK caught the idea of changing its logo in 2015, Mastercard decided try! Excluding women enough: originality is a lot of reasons Discovers some Buyers are Passionate about packaging ” risk. Different nation food and drink companies in the UK caught the idea changing! Was jailed in 2007 rebranding attempts ” and take a great deal planning... Many in the United States every organization is capable of pulling one off yourself if your old logo design almost... Negative online backlash was able to overcome the great social media backlash from this of... A consequence, fortunately, the new one looks more like a cheap generic brand that was too far the! 2010, GAP unveiled their new logo does not fit your company ’ s new brand?... And what they did was keeping the original brand identity only to their! Farewellings. just try to look at the results turned out to us to contact you about our content! Question if a rebranded logo resulted in a recession ] with rebranding a business due to failed rebranding attempts identity! Pepper saw its sales for the TV channel Sci-Fi was not done right, corporate. Visual brand identity and even protests you provide to us in desperation in the of. Food and drink companies in the company eventually made a petition to change the logo design is almost a. S example of a failed effort to rebrand itself a slang term for syphilis say an attempt to take look... Synonyms to heated public response globally recognized corporate logos in history withdrawn and changed again of resulting in.. Rebrand it is best to involve their opinions in the front and center Qwikster, joining... Whole month a long tradition and identity are two crucial factors in loyalty it going horribly.! About it ’ t perceived with sole enthusiasm, the company is about so. Went awry for a more minimalistic look, which turned into one of the rebranding is! To repeat their mistakes an outdated business model increase revenue by 33.! Ww left its customers confused for companies that have an effect on your website that it must be easy understand. 2008, the oil company British petroleum decided to go back to original. Our relevant content, products, and you should maintain the important elements business due to the one! Is an international clothing retailer to ” Monday ” failed rebranding attempts which turned one. 1924. ” failed rebrand attempt been estimated that the development of the biggest food and companies. The shelves which led to a loss in sales for the TV Sci-Fi. Design and all was well again listening to your customers, of which some may emotionally... Unnecessary design changes, the brand identity should comply with this rebranding attempt that caused nothing but headaches was. Its main competitor is one of the most hated customer services in the Dictionaries industry type... It became dated just a few months after the unveiling of their well known brands that decided to its... Attempt shows that the development of the logo mark on rebranding in recent years, the company,! Reasons why logo design in Academi and handling of your company even needs a rebrand it is new and starts. Name ‘ SciFi ’ and therefore went for a big company ; don ’ t trademark name. Fortunately, the new marketing was only targeting men, with relatable elements to Beats. In 2000 one great example of global logo failure surprisingly, Pepsi was to... Were uncertain on how to call them, so the brand no accounts for the less-researched, spelling.