The new Yahoo! logo has been revealed and it’s fair to say opinions have been mixed.
The new Yahoo! logo and expert opinion
Some design experts have said that retaining the same colour and general look of the old Yahoo! logo is a master stroke. There is, after all, 18 years of brand awareness behind it. Other design experts have said the design is poor, with one saying that it could have been created by anyone, using a random font generator.
You can read more expert opinions here.
The new Yahoo! logo and a lesson in design
As any good marketing professional will confirm, not only is it impossible to keep everyone happy with a design — we shouldn’t even try. You see, design professionals may think the new Yahoo! logo sucks or is amazing, but it doesn’t really matter.
Why?
Because the purpose of the new logo is not to appeal to professional designers!
The purpose of the logo is to be relevant to Yahoo!’s users and future users. Their response is what matters. Only then will we find out if the new logo is helping or hindering the ongoing rejuvenation of Yahoo!, under Marissa Mayer. Then, and only then, will we know for sure if the new design is effective or not.
You can read Marissa’s thoughts on the new design and how it was developed, here on her blog.