A Redesign That No One Noticed: How and Why Minor Changes Are Made to Logos

Contents:

• "Gazeta.Ru"
• BBC
• Canon
• Opel
• Visa
• Alfa-Bank

The modern logo maintains a connection to its history, but a closer look reveals many changes. Over the course of a century and a half, the lettering has undergone significant evolution. In 1896, for example, the hyphen was removed and the article was added. The proportions of the letters also changed: they became slightly wider. The decorative elements of the letter N were removed, and the connecting stroke was made straight instead of curved. A small upward-pointing arrow was also added to the right of the letter T. These changes highlight the brand's dynamic development and its adaptation to modern visual identity requirements.

By the mid-19th century, font design had undergone changes. The letters retained their basic design and ascenders, but became somewhat narrower. In some places, the line thickness has increased, as seen, for example, in the horizontal stroke of the T. These changes reflect the evolution of typography and the desire for a more harmonious and modern appearance of fonts.

This version of the logo is as close to modern trends as possible. The current version removes the period at the end, and the arrow after the letter "T" has been replaced with a diamond. The design was developed by Edward Benguiat. In addition to the text version, the company also introduced a symbolic logo in the form of the letter "T," which is used as an icon on digital platforms. This helps improve brand identification in the online environment and promotes brand awareness.

Over the course of a century and a half, various designers worked on the logo, each of whom made their own adjustments. It was important for the publication to maintain its recognition, but a redesign was inevitable - design trends are constantly changing. Comparing the first and latest versions of the logo, you can see that it has become more concise and modern. Decorative elements from thin lines were gradually removed, and very few remain in the current design. The font has become more legible, and the letters have acquired a bolder weight, allowing them to attract attention and successfully compete with the grotesque headlines of other publications. This approach to logo redesign helps maintain relevance and meet modern visual perception requirements.

Over the years, the design of The New York Times has undergone changes, but the logo has remained unchanged. Over the years, the font has changed, becoming less contrasting and wider, but today the contrast and proportions of the logo are close to the original version from the mid-19th century. These stable elements emphasize the traditions of the publication and its commitment to quality journalism.

Gazeta.Ru

The publication began its history in the late 1990s, and since then its design has undergone several changes. One of the significant milestones was the creation of the brand logo, designed by Art. Lebedev Studio. This logo became the subject of online discussion, as the letter G, depicted as a feather, sparked debate among readers. Many of them noted that this element is too reminiscent of the old logo of The Guardian.

Since then, the Russian publication has adopted a laconic logo as its main version, featuring a simple lettering with an oval instead of a dot. This minimalist approach emphasizes the modernity and recognition of the brand.

This summer, the company unveiled an updated website design, which became more modern and easier to read on mobile devices. The logo was also updated, now featuring a round red dot, bringing freshness to the brand's visual style. The new website design not only improves user experience but also helps improve search engine visibility.

The company probably doesn't need a radical identity redesign. Most likely, the site update was used as an excuse to remove the oval dot, which many users had previously overlooked. Rambler&Co, the owner of Gazeta.Ru, is taking this change with a grain of salt. A website design update can signal a desire for a modern, cleaner visual experience, which in turn can enhance user experience and improve navigation.

BBC

Since the 1950s, the British Broadcasting Company has used a simple logo consisting of three letters placed within quadrangles. Over the course of half a century, minor changes have been made to this symbol, such as rounding the corners of the background and transforming the squares into diamonds. Since 1997, the company logo has taken the following form:

In 2021, the logo was redesigned, which caused a significant amount of criticism and discontent among users on the Internet. The updated version of the logo did not meet the expectations of many brand fans, leading to heated discussions and debates on social media. The reception of the new design has been a topic of heated debate, highlighting the importance of maintaining a company's identity in the face of changing visual style.

Most viewers likely didn't notice the change. The space between squares has been increased, the letters have been made slightly smaller, and the grotesque has been replaced with a new, higher-contrast BBC corporate typeface. However, a scandal has erupted over the alleged cost of the redesign. According to the major British publication The Sun, the work cost tens of thousands of pounds, which raises questions, since the company is state-owned and uses taxpayers' money.

A BBC representative, in a comment to the tabloid, noted that the redesign costs are not significant, but a specific amount was not announced. In defense of the new design, the paid license for the Gill Sans typeface, which was previously used and required regular royalties, is mentioned. The transition to the BBC's own Reith typeface could lead to savings for taxpayers in the long run.

Canon

The Japanese camera brand with the current name has been successfully operating on the market for 86 years. The company's first logo had a distinctive lettering style that is somewhat reminiscent of the modern version, particularly due to the unique shape of the lowercase "A". This long history highlights not only the brand's stability but also its commitment to innovation in photography.

In 1953, the font concept was refined, retaining the slanted letter "a" and serifs, but at the same time increased the line contrast. The result was a font that was already significantly reminiscent of modern versions.

The letter A with its characteristic sharp serifs and high-contrast font creates a recognizable visual image of the Canon brand. This design element not only reflects the company's identity but also contributes to its memorability among consumers.

The current logo for the Japanese camera manufacturer Canon was designed in 1971. It features lettering executed in a custom font, Canon Font, created by Italian designer Gio Fuga. While working on the font, details were taken into account, which made it more harmonious: the width of the letter "C" was reduced, and the letter "O" was given a slant, which creates a visual connection with the diagonal in the letter "A". The designer also emphasized the characteristic features of the previous logo by enlarging the serifs and increasing the contrast. This is how Canon became recognizable in 1956 and maintains its identity to this day.

The mid-20th century was a landmark period for the Japanese brand Canon. During this time, the company began to actively enter the US and European markets, expanding its product range to include amateur cameras rather than focusing solely on professional equipment. The logo, created in 1953, was refined and adapted for the international market, strengthening brand recognition. These design changes proved successful, and Canon still retains its original logo, which looks relevant and modern. This allowed the company to establish a strong market position while maintaining its identity and appealing to both professional and amateur photographers.

Opel

Over the past five years, many automotive brands have undergone subtle but significant redesigns of their logos. Skeuomorphic elements have given way to flat designs, making them more relevant and digitally friendly. A prime example of this change is the Opel logo redesign, which was unveiled in 2017. This move allowed the brand to look more modern and in line with contemporary visual trends.

The flat black and white sign did not last long. In 2020, the company radically reimagined its design, offering an unexpected approach to the automotive industry, especially in its choice of color scheme. The new style emphasizes the innovation and modernity of the brand, which attracts the attention of consumers and distinguishes the company from competitors.

The choice of bright neon yellow for the updated Opel logo is not accidental. This color symbolizes the company's commitment to modernity and reflects its plans to expand its electric vehicle production. It's difficult to find a major brand in the automotive industry that uses such bright and expressive colors as its primary colors. Now Opel stands out from the competition. The new logo also features a thinner circle and a slightly longer lightning bolt, adding dynamism to the design. Furthermore, the lettering is in Opel's new signature font, Opel Next, emphasizing the company's innovative approach. These changes not only refresh the visual style but also create associations with the future of automotive technology. Yellow is not new to the brand, which has a history spanning a century and a half. It has appeared in logos throughout history, but has most often been used as small accents. The active use of neon lends Opel's redesign significant expressiveness, despite the minimal changes to the logo itself. This vibrant color not only attracts attention but also highlights the company's modern approach to design and innovation.

Visa

The payment system demonstrates design conservatism, maintaining its logo with minimal changes since 1977. The name has always remained recognizable, sometimes supplemented with graphic elements or color variations. In 2021, the company completed another redesign, which brought back some elements from earlier versions of the logo. The evolution of the corporate symbols was clearly demonstrated in a special case, demonstrating how tradition and modern trends combine in design.

The identity update was implemented by the Mucho design bureau. The company name remained the same, but the color palette became significantly brighter, reflecting the transition to the digital age, where the limitations of the CMYK color gamut no longer apply. The three stripes, which had been removed from the company's visual communications back in 2004, returned as the brand symbol. This return highlights continuity and a modern approach to design, allowing the company to effectively engage with its audience and stand out from the competition.

Visa has developed a new design to coincide with the expansion of its range of services. The payment system aims to develop consumer payments, increase the reliability of its network, and establish cooperation with fintech companies. These changes are aimed at improving the user experience and strengthening Visa's position in the financial technology market.

Alfa-Bank

Since 2005, the company used a logo in its signature red color, which included the brand name and a symbolic detail—an underlined letter "A." This design remained until 2019, when changes were made to reflect new directions in the brand's development. The logo became a symbol of reliability and quality, and its bright color attracted attention and contributed to recognition in the market.

Three years ago, changes took place in visual communications. In the main version of the logo, only the symbol in the form of the letter "A" remained. Its shape has been slightly modified: the bases of the strokes now form a horizontal line instead of diagonal cuts. The corners of the elements have also been sharpened, as opposed to the soft curves of the old version. These changes made the logo more modern and memorable, which had a positive impact on brand perception.

There are two main reasons for the changes in visual identity. The first is that visual communications have already begun to shift to the digital realm, necessitating the creation of a more streamlined logo. The bank's press release noted that the rounded corners were incorrectly rasterized, leading to their removal. The second reason is related to the need to update the corporate font, as a result of which the sign had to be harmoniously combined with the new typography.

The brand updated its font to Styrene A. In addition, a new version of the logo was presented, which includes the full spelling of the name.

In this version of the logo, the symbol is integrated into the wordmark, giving it a more modern and streamlined look. The font is cleaner and more concise, with an emphasis on straight lines and minimal curves. The full logo is used less frequently, as only the symbol with the letter "A" is often featured on the website, app, and social media. This demonstrates that the brand has already earned trust in the market and is recognizable even without the full name.

The bank carried out a minor update to its identity without the involvement of a branding agency. The design was handled by in-house specialists, and Ilya Ruderman provided consulting services. This solution allowed us to preserve the brand's uniqueness and use internal resources to implement updates.