Logo Design Showdown: Famous Logos and Their Controversies

Branding is a wide realm and a company’s logo serves more than just a visual identifier, it’s a root of controversy! But hey, exposure is always good! I’m sure big brands wouldn’t mind hilarious misconceptions about their brand logo so long as the people are talking! Even though they’re probably in hushed whispers saying “What were these logo makers thinking?” 

Let’s get into learning about how logo generating is a lot more challenging than it seems! With all the design principles to keep in mind, there’s always something to learn on top of all that. There are various logo maker apps and logo generator sites you can utilize, it’s always better to be ahead, know more, so keep reading!

F1 Legalities!

The race was totally on for the freshest logo look, but as soon as W+K passed through that distinctive checkered flag, their logo designers were completely blindsided with their compression tights twin! That’s right! The fans were so surprised with their branding shift and made them compare the company’s new logo look with 3M’s product. Legwear and racing, those are two very different backgrounds colliding into one which makes this rebranding all the more humorous to the crowd. It surely became a spectacle worth watching. 

Leeds United Played Themselves

Leeds United truly appreciated their audience and ended up with a badge that scored his own goal. Of course, the company claimed to have done an extensive background, the new logo was perceived to be anything but fan appreciation. Rebranded with a flimsy looking vector instead of the iconic fist across the chest. One might even go as far as saying that Leeds played themselves with this redesign fail! This goes to show that in logo redesigning, real extensive research is key!

The Premier League, When The Lion Roars Back

Not everything you see online is true. Take it from this famous brand logo refresh from Premier League. The internet has a way of spreading false information and one of which is the ditching of the iconic lion emblem on their logo. Expectedly, fans caused a digital uproar demanding for the lion to stay. Needless to say, the lion stayed. The reveal was highly-anticipated and totally did not disappoint. But learning from this rebranding ordeal, announcing major brand refresh must be done right or the public would have their two cents out and about.

Uber’s “New phone who dis?” moment

Uber has always been the iconic ‘U’ across all digital spaces and other mediums. But in a world where the quote “if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it” exists, the company decided to turn their heads and lead the other way. Users were left squinting through their phone screens just to find the app as it loses its well-known visual identifier. It really made their patrons wander back confused through the app store all while contemplating that they should’ve got to where they are headed with the time they allotted into finding the cab hailing app. 

Instagram’s Pinkification

Although the brand stood their ground and kept their colorful logo to this day, it used to sport an iconic retro camera that was a staple for every ‘it girl’s’ phone screen. The redesign caused public outrage that turned everyone into critics, stating that the rebrand turned the photo app logo flat and completely lost its character. Nevertheless, the app developed itself over time with this new look that seemed to have a lot of haters and has been iconic since then. Proving that sometimes, it wouldn’t hurt to close your ears!

Met’s Problem with Typography

The logo for Metropolitan Museum of Art was expertly redesigned by Wolff Olins. This of course would not be on the list if it didn’t cause a little bit of a stir within its scene. Although the redesign was impressive, there’s always something the public has to say! Others would call the fresh new look “forward-thinking” but most tagged it as borderline cluttered. The Met's logo is a total looker though, successfully inviting onlookers to jump between the lines of innovation and irritation.

Gap’s Extensive Identity Crisis Background

Gap is a crowd favorite when it comes to rebranding controversies and this is rooted with their attempt to step out of their blue square into a logo that totally fills in the gaps on any crowd's forehead (Get it, they’re scrunched!) The brand took its short time outside of the blue square and hopped back right to it after a few not so hushed words from their critics. This proves that sometimes, the best new look is one that’s familiar.

Starbucks’ Logo Shift Boldness

The coffee giant’s logo evolution is not just a tale of change but a tale of adaptation too! Ditching the brand name is a bold move for the company, you gotta hand it to Starbucks to have that much trust in their iconic siren to carry on their company name even without spelling it out. Sometimes, your hope for your brand is your strongest tool! This logo change proves that less is more, and brand identity can thrive on the strength of a single symbol.

Branding and design indeed is indeed joint to the hip with art. Being able to mix the virtues of a brand while creating an effective visual identifier is no walk in the park! Having people spark talks about these logo refresh sure is nice for the brand’s publicity! From legal disputes over tights to questioning a coffee brand’s audacity, each controversy serves as a colorful stroke in the broader picture of our cultural and corporate landscape. These stories teach us quite a few lessons to take note of when creating or redesigning your logo.

You don’t have to wander around in the dark when you’re looking for logo inspiration for your logo rebranding or logo creating journey! There are several tools you can utilize that can help you get the job done swiftly and efficiently. Take logo generating apps for instance. There are infinite resources you can find online, digitally all for free! Head on over to Ailogomakerr.com to start your effortless logo-making journey.