Recently GAP rolled out a revised brand/logo. This logo played off of their old logo but looked a bit thrown together and modernized in a negative way. As such a large amount of designers, branding firms, and marketers were up in arms about its aesthetic.
GAP responding by offering designers an opportunity to redesign their logo through crowdsourcing their brand re-creation. This resulted in further outrage from many marketers and brand specialists that were upset at the fact that GAP would play so loose with their brand.
Finally, GAP recalled the whole idea and reverted back to their original logo.
Brand Instability
When an established brand decides to change course on their look or presentation, it brings forth a large amount of instability in the eyes of onlookers – both in the general public and in the marketing and communities.
Many found themselves asking questions (either actively or passively).
“Is GAP struggling financially?”
“What is GAP thinking?”
“Is GAP changing their business model?”
“Was their something wrong with the message of the old logo?”
“Is this an indication that GAP is going through other changes?”
The Value of Stable Branding
The value of an established, timeless, and identifiable brand is huge. This is why your decision to initially brand your product, service, or business is extremely important. If you are making branding decisions without outside consultation or running through a series of questions, it is highly probable that you will be rebranding in the near future (1-2 years).
Spare your customers confusion by realizing the importance and value of your brand. And if you are going to change your brand, make sure that this change will be longstanding. Consider market research, customer feedback, and outside objective advice to help make your brand stable, clean, and focused on your target market.
