Evolution of a Brand

If you do not have your home page set to Google search like I do, you might have missed that Google changed their logo yesterday. It isn't the first update to Google's logo since their inception, but it does represent an evolution in the company. If you want to read the official Google news about it, they have it all here on this blog post.

Their statements represent their recognition of a changing marketplace and an adaptation to tie their brand to the different methods by which their customers utilize their services. Most will ignore it as a blip on the radar screen, but underneath that lies the brilliance in this marketing scheme.

• It's familiar - Anyone that doesn't pay attention to fonts might not even notice the logo has changed. The color scheme appears to be the same since 1998. What has changed, though, is the use of the single G and the colored microphone to indicate people are interacting with Google. The preservation of the color scheme means to most people they will recognize this intuitively, without even realizing the little blue "g" was replaced by a four-color "G."
• It's adaptable - The intent, according to Google, was creating a unified experience across the multitude of devices that people utilize to access Google and their services. Cross-platform universal recognition allows Google to expand the brand and still create an expectation with their customers of a standard of quality and service.
• It's different - Even though it may appear the same to many or only slightly changed, the new logo represents enough of a change that it creates buzz and free earned media. See, I'm even blogging about it.

What other rebranding efforts can you name that redefined the company from a philosophical perspective but had such subtlety in the change? I'd love to hear more examples.

Tweet me or leave a comment below (or on the Facebook page) and let me know if you have any ideas.