In December 2014 the NBA franchise Toronto Raptors announced a new team identity to begin use in the 2015-16 season. I’ve never been a big fan of the raptor character on the old logo, so I thought it was a good idea to make an update for the Raptors.
Since the Raptors team has been around since 1995 there’s a lot of familiarity with the typography and character icon. Changing the logo into something entirely new is a risk, so I always encourage using the “DNA” from the existing brand. In this case the designers made a small leap in ditching the cartoon character but held onto the clever concept of the “aftermath” of a raptor getting ahold of the basketball. I do think the new typography is too blah and keeping the existing type would have been a better move.
I’m all in favor of a brand update to make your company or organization contemporary. However, the purpose of a brand update is not to just have a cool new logo. There are a few things to consider when doing a brand update to make it successful.
Build on Brand Equity
Like getting a new haircut makes people take notice of you, a successful brand update can garner positive attention if it is recognizable as your company and not someone new on the block. A lot times when folks get psyched up for a change, the temptation is to just go for it and make a big leap. Doing that to your brand could be confusing for your audience and even costly to your bottom line. I’m looking at you Pepsi-Cola.
Stay Relative to Your Market
Another mistake businesses can make with a rebrand is pushing the envelope so far that they no longer imply what their company does by the new brand style. A good designer will help you with typography and creative solutions that still attract the right customers.
Be Sure It’s an Improvement
Nothing is worse than a new brand intro that flops! The point is to build confidence in your company, display your expertise and imply growth. If the visual aspect of your company takes a step backward, you’ve wounded your credibility.
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