The New GAP Logo

I immediately thought of American Apparel too and had to go to their site to check the logo.

Why oh why use stock Helvetica? Not even changing the character shapes for individuality. Maybe that's it - wear Gap, look like everyone else.
 
I'm with everyone else on the 'why?' front. It's quite a night and day difference isn't it. Maybe the clothes will change to be more 'Super Dry' camo and stuff.....

Makes me think back to when BA decided to drop the Union Jack and Virgin said, thanks very much we'll use that. Classic bit of opportunism.
 
leelovesbikestoo said:
Why oh why use stock Helvetica? Not even changing the character shapes for individuality. Maybe that's it - wear Gap, look like everyone else.

Maybe thats exactly it.

If you look at gaps style it doesnt aim to lead the market in terms of cutting edge, fashionable, on-trend clothing. Each season they roll out the same as the year before but with slight changes in patterns or colours. The clothes always conform to the same cut, the same sizes and styles, the shirts have a particular 'gap' look about them and the majority of their clothes are used by people as base layers or to accessories exisiting outfits. Gap customers do want to look like everyone else, if they didnt they would shop elsewhere.

So taking all this into consideration, do Gap want to communicate this through their new logo? Using Helvetica is safe, dependable, recognisable, modern and trendy. It doesnt offend, it doesnt age and its definitely mainstream.

(Or am I giving gap too much credit here?)
________
SexyKarmen
 
davewill said:
safe, dependable, recognisable, modern and trendy

For me, a simple update to their typography would have delivered all of these things, they would have continued to be safe, dependable and recognisable from the familiarity and trust that's been built up over the years (the blue square) and fresh type could have brought them up-to-date and in-trend?

I think you're giving them too much credit Dave! :D

It does make you wonder who had the controlling influence on the new design, was it an agency, was it a director of the company, was it someone in the finance department? Did they test it with focus groups and existing customers? Was it in the brief to create a controversial logo to create a stir and get people talking about GAP again? Am I asking too many questions? (probably).

Perhaps its a complete step away from their known logo as a result of various sweatshop stories and lawsuits over the last 5-10 years? The iconic logo could infact be a negative association nowadays?
 
Cat amongst the pigeons time....I like it.

I'm not 100% on the gradient square but I do like the feel of it.
 
Thats exactly what I was thinking Greg. Would they have tested this before it was released? Surely they would have researched the opinions of their target market, produced some kind of reasoning and theory behind the change etc I would love to read their reasoning!

Im not sure how many of you have seen this, but the Arnell Group did a fair bit of research when producing the new Pepsi Cola logo. You can see it all here...

In Brief: The Wrong Kind of Breathtaking - Brand New

And when I say a fair bit, that is the understatement of the year.
________
Hyde Park Residence 2
 
Quick comparison to the worlds most successful and growing fashion brand at the moment...

new-gap-logo.jpg


72_american-apparel-logo.jpg


Lets not touch on business model of AA or their recent problems. Yes they have some odd things in their shops, but there biggest money maker remains their basics.
 
No, just simply no.

It just doesn't work whatsoever. I look at that and just think, fook me I'd rather go to Peacocks.

The old logo did look very up-market "unobtainable to most", don't get me wrong, but what they have done here is just disasterous. I would look at that logo on a shopfront and just keep on walking. It doesn't even look brand-worthy (if you get what i mean). I can't see it withstanding the same test of time that the last logo did, atleast it was iconic and a definitive identity.

Revitalizing the brand is one thing, nuking it back to Word 97 just aint the way to go!
 
Greg said:
Was it in the brief to create a controversial logo to create a stir and get people talking about GAP again?

Interesting point. I hope it is all a stunt and I hope they change it back!
 
Side by side, on their own, I MUCH prefer the original logo.

I have managed to think of ONE positive for the new one though. It's more readable than original at very small sizes. Compare the logos at the very top of the UK and US Gap websites and you'll see what I mean.

Other than that it's quite nasty. I'd expect to see it on a box containing business software. Not jeans.
 
Are GAP about to backpeddle & crowdsource their new logo?!

Thanks for everyone’s input on the new logo! We’ve had the same logo for 20+ years, and this is just one of the things we’re changing. We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to... see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project.
Quoted from the GAP Facebook page
Was this the plan all along? Design a logo that will cause a stir and get lots of designers talking, then open it up to a crowdsourced option?
 
The more I read/see about it, the more suspect it seems to look. As mentioned earlier in this thread, a simple typography update of the existing blue square logo would have been my choice, so it makes me wonder if that will be the end result of the crowdsourcing?

Imagine if they simply updated their logo in that way, it would have got a small amount of attention, but nowhere near all the PR the redesign has got, followed by crowdsourcing it.
 
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