Sunday post #13
Fashion brand Massimo Dutti recently changed their logo as part of their rebrand and it’s being met with mixed feelings.
Changing a logo always comes with an element of risk. Not everyone is ready for change. The comments on their announcement posts on Instagram hold insights into ways that the brand could have got more alignment and support for the change.
Before
After
Some customers appear to understand the need for the design change but not the business case for the change. It appears the change happened overnight. They don’t feel part of the story.
It makes me wonder if the team at Massimo Dutti was taken on the rebrand journey or if the change was simply announced to them too.
Mixed comments on Massimo Dutti’s Instagram post to announce the rebrand and new logo
When working on brand design, I understand how important it is to communicate the brand story to align customers and teams. I obsess over how to tell the story of the brand and design vision to explain the changes, align with the brand values, and reassure those who need it.
Strong feelings about the new logo design over on Instagram
Without knowing the business goals and the brief it is hard to judge whether the new Massimo Dutti logo is a success, in this case, all I can go on is how I feel about it. If the brief was to reflect a change in business direction I feel the new logo, while boring, works. It reflects the brand’s values of elegance, quality, and sobriety. It will attract new customers and annoy a few old ones who were perhaps not that brand-loyal in the first place. And the change will generate PR.
If however, the brief was to evolve the brand and the logo, which is suggested in their posts, I feel the designers missed an opportunity to do something different. Approaching the rebrand as an evolution, rather than a complete change could have been more successful. The handwritten typography of the original is unique and memorable, especially in the fashion sector. Modernising it while keeping the feeling of its personality, while a design challenge, would have kept the authenticity and heritage of the brand while still allowing them to move forward.
Customers making comments on Massimo Dutti’s Instagram post in reaction to the new logo
I feel the new logo design has less personality and fits in too much with its competitors, but who cares about feelings? Feelings are key in business and brand design as buying decisions are emotional, perfectly illustrated by some of the comments on the Instagram announcements. Customers are making assumptions about the business based on something as deceptively simple as a change in logo design. Taking the customers on the journey of the change with clear communications would have created alignment and given more opportunities for them to embrace and celebrate the change.
In the studio this week…
A short week, due to Easter, Vicki and I worked on a rebrand that will be anything but bland. Lots of fun and focus. Excited to share the process in the coming weeks.
Researching traditional fonts for a logo design
Yoshan update
Met with Shan to jam ideas, playtest our games, and plan our next steps for the business. It’s always an inspiring day, next step is to launch our first game ALAN. More on this soon.
Is Shan taking the minutes or experimenting for a new game?
Go outside challenge
I didn’t have a theme to focus on this week and forgot to take evidence photos on some days. I made it outside every day, in the spring sunshine, rain, and hail. Going on holiday in April so going outside is about to get more fun.
Day 85 - Spotted taking photos in Lancaster
Day 86 - Botanics
Day 87 - Spring colours popping
Day 88 - Googly eyes
Day 89 - Night lights
Day 90 - Snails pace
Day 91 - Building stats
