Big Brands
// August 4th, 2009 // Brands and Logos, Retail
When logo and identity design come to mind, I always think of immediately recognizable and enduring logos. The Nike swoosh. The Golden Arches of McDonald’s. Coca-Cola. Apple. Honda. GE. But does an enduring brand always spell for a successful company? The world’s biggest companies may have enduring marks that typically don’t change much over time, but what happens when a giant changes it’s identity and logo?
Over the last year I’ve noticed retail superstore WalMart has been quietly re-branding. Next time you walk into your WalMart, look around. What’s missing? The ubiquitous smiley face. Replaced by a simple sunburst logo reminiscent of the asterisk. Perhaps they felt the need to update to a cleaner, more generic icon for representation thanks to stiff competition from retailer Target. Unlike WalMart, Target understands the idea of a complete brand. The stores, employees, and ad campaigns are young and hip. Target has successfully marketed famous designers working exclusively for them. The red bullseye is enticing and instantly recognizable. WalMart is clearly working to dust off it’s folksy image, but still remains less chic in the world of retail branding. Keep your eyes on them, though. WalMart may move slowly when it comes to an identity makeover, but in the end the tortoise won…
