Earlier this week, Gap quietly rolled out a new logo — set in the generic typeface Helvetica — that design critics and branding experts have denounced as "lazy" and "dumb." The company responded on Facebook, saying "we're thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding" and announcing that fans would soon have the opportunity to share their own design ideas. Just what is all the fuss about, and what will it mean for a retailer that's struggled to remain relevant in recent years?
The old logo was a classic — the new one looks cheap: Like Gap's preppy basics, "the old logo didn’t call attention to itself and it was elegant without being pretentious," says Armin at Brand New. Over the years, Gap "established a cool, breezy, and sophisticated brand visual language." Now, the new logo, and its font — the ubiquitous Helvetica, which "I hate" — make "Old Navy, Gap’s low-end retail sister, look like a luxury brand by comparison."
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