A few months ago, Instagram changed its logo. The familiar icon was replaced by something less defined and more minimalist. There was a lot of hue and cry initially but all that seems to have settled down. Instagram is still being used, and people are still sharing pictures. Most people have also forgotten what Instagram’s older logo looked like.
Well, not really, but nobody seems to be paying attention to Instagram’s new design anymore. This is a luxury that very popular brands enjoy. If Nike redesigned its logo today, it will still be the same popular that it is today. Of course, people are going to get mad and investors may start selling their shares en masse. Yet, Nike will continue to make the great shoes it already makes, and will continue to appeal to a newer generation.
Similarly, Instagram is now releasing Snapchat-like features, with 24-hour validity for some pictures. It is also enabling its users to disable hateful comments. And life goes on. Nothing really has changed for Instagram in the last few months, after it changed its logo.
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There are a few things that we can learn from Instagram’s logo change and what it teaches us about rebranding.
Changing logo is not a catastrophe
A lot of companies believe that a logo must never be changed and that if it is, the unthinkable might happen. This is not true. Changing logo does not lead to a catastrophe. It does not alienate your users or customers, though they may not receive it well initially. Changing a logo is also not a threat to your company that should always be avoided unless necessary. On the other hand, a logo change could be an opportunity in the right direction.
If your current logo is kind of boring you already, there is no reason why you should not get a new one designed, or at least make changes in the existing one. Changing a logo may bring a lot of benefits, such as new followers, new customers and the ability to appeal to a different demographic. For example, Instagram’s new logo is very youthful, and is likely targeted at Generation Z, the upcoming generation.
People’s memory is often short-lived
People may complain and dislike the logo change initially. Yet, after a while, they tend to forget how the first logo looked. A survey that was recently conducted revealed that most people were unable to describe what a logo looked like, after it was changed 2-3 months previously. This indicates that people’s memory is short lived.
They do not remember design very well, and they get used to the changes. It is similar to people complaining when furniture is moved in the drawing room. Yet, after a while, they forget where the chair was initially kept or the couch was previously placed. They begin to accept and even start liking the new position. Similarly, people may dislike changes made to an existing logo. However, after a while, they will embrace it and forget the previous one.
Adding new features will compensate for unpleasant changes
If your new logo is not accepted by a large section of your target audience, there is no need to worry about it. This very large section will soon forget what they were angry about. However, you should ensure that while they are displeased about the logo change, they do not jump ship and go toward your competitor.
For that, you will need to compensate the changes made to your brand with some new features that are appealing. This is easy to do, as evidenced by Instagram. Soon after making changes to its logo, Instagram added several new features, with the most memorable one being a Snapchat-like feature, where photos can be set to vanish after 24 hours.
Rebranding may sometimes be necessary
The very reason we change logo is because the current one may not be representative of your brands. The current logo may also not be fetching you the results you need. This means, you will need to rebrand your products and services and use a new logo.
Studies show that a logo change usually brings in new customers. If you are truly looking for new customers to approach you, a rebranding strategy may work very well in your favor. All you need to do is to make changes to the existing logo or get a completely different one.
As stated before, it is not going to matter whether your new logo is liked initially or not. Sooner or later, people will embrace the new version and forget the older one. This is just how the human mind works. Just to be sure, get your logo designed by professionals and do not make attempts to change them yourself.
Take home message
As you can see, changing one’s logo is not a big deal. If you do not like your existing logo, you can always change it. It does not matter how long it has been used, and how popular the logo is with your fans. In other words, changing one’s logo is not such a big deal. Moreover, with time, people forget what the previous logo looked like. They will begin to relate to the newer logo the same way they embraced the previous one.
This has got something to do with people’s memory patterns. If your new logo is not well received, you still have a right to go ahead with it. After all, you probably have a wonderful mission behind the logo change. Nevertheless, adding new features may help to compensate negative feelings about logo change. People are more likely to ignore what they don’t like, and embrace what they like.
Finally, rebranding in the way of changing a logo or design is important. Sometimes it is eve necessary. This means, your company may not do well if the current logo isn’t doing what it should. Get expert opinions and decide if you want to change the logo or stick with it. The answer usually will be, there is always room for improving the design somehow.
