Whether you’re a fan of Starbucks or not, the brand is a great one to study. As the first big-name coffee mark to explore the idea of offering a “rewarding experience” in addition to a great tasting cup of coffee, Starbucks has single-handedly transformed the category since it first opened its doors 40 years ago.
So what is Starbucks doing to celebrate its 40th anniversary? Changing its logo. Yep, after decades of using the same corporate ID (with a mermaid inspired by Moby Dick – or so the legend goes), Starbucks recently revealed its new logo.
Here, side by side, is the former logo and the newly-released one:
A January 5 post by BrandChannel writer Abe Sauer contends that this move by Starbucks is a “logo no-no.”
Starbucks, of course, has a different point of view. Here’s what Starbucks has to say:
“Our new evolution liberates the Siren from the outer ring, making her the true, welcoming face of Starbucks. For people all over the globe, she is a signal of the world’s finest coffee – and much more. She stands unbound, sharing our stories, inviting all of us in to explore, to find something new and to connect with each other. And as always, she is urging all of us forward to the next thing. After all, who can resist her?”
So, what do you think? Is the Starbucks logo change a good one or not? Let your caffeinated voices be heard!
Its nice that I now can be greeted anywhere by the Siren, I don’t have to go to Starbucks to meet her!
Before, I saw the logo, and was inspired to go to Starbucks!
Will time change my mind? I doubt it!
For today, the answer is clearly that Starbucks is the loser!
Wayne in Japan
As a former ad executive I understand the reasons why Starbucks made the change…Is it good or bad? Change in the global markets is difficult and branding is always in the fore front. This is not an “ego” thing. It’s a company needing to reposition it’s self in a market being fnancially challenged. Their customer base probably won’t get smaller but it will take some time for it to grow to Starbucks expectations. What you have to understand is they are just not about coffee, they compete in the commodies market in many areas. So do I think it’s a good…Yes I do. Others in the past have been very successful at this change and so will Starbucks.