1. Slack<\/h2>\n
Slack kicked off the year with a major logo update, courtesy of Pentagram<\/a>. The company scrapped its hashtag symbol for a distinctive \u201coctothorpe\u201d shape that features four colors instead of the previous 11. The new design also features a bolder typeface in black.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> An original symbol and pared-down color palette means Slack\u2019s logo is more versatile at different sizes. Part of the octothorpe is made up of tiny speech bubbles, a subtle nod to what the company is all about.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> The octothorpe shape took a bit of getting used to because the Slack hashtag was so<\/strong> recognizable. But there\u2019s really nothing bad we can say here!<\/p>\n Zara unveiled a significant logo redesign in January, spearheaded by the French design firm Baron & Baron. The fast-fashion company went from a spaced-out wordmark logo<\/a> to one with tightly kerned, overlapped letters \u2014 a redesign that drew plenty of criticism in the design community.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> The elongated typeface is more elegant than what appeared in the previous logo, making the brand feel more upscale. It\u2019s also nice to see Zara veer away from the status quo by not<\/strong> changing to a sans-serif font.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> While the tighter kerning is sophisticated, the new logo is hard to read, especially at small sizes like the website favicon. Some skinnier elements of the typeface (especially on the over-extended As) make the company name difficult to digest and view in print.<\/p>\n After more than 20 years with a light-blue wedding industry logo, the website moved to a more modern design<\/a>. The new typeface is a more casual cursive style, and the new color \u2014 a vibrant, deep coral \u2014 feels contemporary and gender-neutral.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> That color! The brand is still recognizable, but looks fresher and friendlier than before, and aligns with the company\u2019s mission to \u201csupport all couples and their wedding, regardless of style, culture, sexual orientation, scale, or budget.\u201d While the old logo had a childish vibe, the new one appeals to a broader audience.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> The monogram version of the logo used in the favicon and on social media looks sparse, making it hard to tie back to the brand. But that could change over time as the new logo gains recognition.<\/p>\n Moving away from its slanted handwritten logo, Lord & Taylor went for a dramatic redesign \u2014 a sans-serif wordmark stacked in a yellow square. While there\u2019s nothing particularly offensive about the new look, it feels disconnected from the brand\u2019s history.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> The new logo is more compact and readable, while the \u201cL+T\u201d monogram provides flexibility across channels. The yellow gives the company a chance to use a distinct brand color across its marketing assets.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> As mentioned, this redesign is too dramatic a departure from the previous logo. The brand recognition that came with the black script logo (as seen on bags, signs, and more) has disappeared with this iteration. The new logo also wastes space, as there\u2019s no value in the gaps above and below the company name.<\/p>\n The management consulting firm\u2019s wordmark logo redesign wasn\u2019t a dramatic one. But it\u2019s a prime example of a tasteful update, with more attention paid to the custom typeface and kerning.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> The stacked-text design works better for the length of the company name, taking up less horizontal space. The bolder custom typeface is more memorable, and many of the characters have quirky features (like the little notches on the ends of the lowercase \u201ca\u201d and \u201cc\u201d).<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> Nothing to criticize here!<\/p>\n Following in the footsteps of Century21\u2019s major rebrand last year, Coldwell Banker eschewed its old look for a modern, overlapped monogram logo<\/a>. The rebrand received angry criticism on social media, signalling it was perhaps too dramatic of a change.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> We appreciate the effort to modernize the logo while keeping the traditional deep-blue color.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> The redesign feels like it loses the good parts of the old logo: history and name recognition. And the star symbol feels both generic and confusing \u2014 what does it mean? Luckily, the company said the logo would be tested before being finalized<\/a> on signage and other marketing materials in 2020.<\/p>\n The vacation-rental company VRBO is another brand that falls into the \u201cdramatic new look\u201d category. The logo went from a tame green wordmark to a line-drawn design with shades of blue and splashes of orange and green.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> It\u2019s hard not to appreciate the punchiness of this redesign. The style and colors of the new logo says \u201cvacation!\u201d in a much clearer way. The monogram stands out on its own because of the multi-colored lines and negative space in the \u201cV.\u201d<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> While the new typeface is splashy, the line composition makes it harder to read at small sizes. When the monogram is used on its own (as seen on the company\u2019s social platforms), it doesn\u2019t have enough contrast on a dark background.<\/p>\n The embattled department store updated its skinny, sans-serif wordmark logo (launched in 2010) by adding a bright green loop symbol. The new logo irked many designers (what does the symbol mean?!) and drew comparisons to Airbnb\u2019s logo.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> We’ve gotta say it: nothing.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> This redesign seems misguided \u2014 why add a symbol and what does it mean? The gradient in the symbol also feels like a poorly thought-out choice. While gradients have become trendy<\/a> because of companies like Tinder and Instagram, this logo shows it doesn\u2019t work for every company.<\/p>\n Just as Audi removed the 3D chrome effect in its logo redesign last year, Toyota said goodbye to its shiny symbol. The flatter design introduces a black typeface and a bold red square around the brand\u2019s sized-down symbol.<\/p>\n What we like:<\/strong> The symbol-in-container layout is a welcome update, working both on its own and in the full logo. The redesign has better visual hierarchy than the previous logo because the eye is drawn to the company name first and then the symbol.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t:<\/strong> We\u2019re all for simple car logos<\/a>, but the new design feels a little bland. It\u2019s helpful to see it in the context of ads, paired with the slogan \u201cLet\u2019s go places\u201d for more excitement.<\/p>\n In another move toward logo simplification, Scotiabank removed the globe symbol from its logo and made subtle wordmark updates. While the globe still exists as a flat symbol in marketing materials, it\u2019s a departure from the classic look.<\/p>\n![\"Slack](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180554\/slack-600x248.png\")
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\n2. Zara<\/h2>\n
![\"Zara](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180601\/zara-600x247.png\")
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\n3. The Knot<\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180556\/the-knot-600x245.png\")
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\n4. Lord & Taylor<\/h2>\n
![\"Lord](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180544\/lord-and-taylor-600x246.png\")
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\n5. McKinsey & Company<\/h2>\n
![\"McKinsey](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180546\/mckinsey-600x248.png\")
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\n6. Coldwell Banker<\/h2>\n
![\"Coldwell](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180542\/Coldwell-Banker-600x246.png\")
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\n7. VRBO<\/h2>\n
![\"VRBO](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180600\/VRBO-600x248.png\")
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\n8. Sears<\/h2>\n
![\"Sears](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180552\/sears-600x246.png\")
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\n9. Toyota<\/h2>\n
![\"Toyota](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180558\/Toyota-600x249.png\")
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\n10. Scotiabank<\/h2>\n
![\"Scotiabank](\"https:\/\/cdn.logojoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20190729180550\/Scotiabank-600x246.png\")
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