Gap is an American worldwide fashion retailer, which has provided its customers with affordable prices and brand consistency for decades. However, its successful journey reached a turning point when Gap decided to change their logo back in 2010. When the logo got published, a wave of criticism crashed the company through social media platforms.
This was an unfortunate change for Gap, costing the brand a total of $100 million. It was supposed to be the Makeover that turned Gap around. According to the marketing expert Craig Smith, marketers think that by changing the visual identity of their company, they will become more modern (Geoghegan, 2010), denying the fact that it’s a fundamental error because customers may not be ready to go with it (as cited in BBC News Magazine,2010). Which was exactly the case for Gap. Not to mention that the new logo was simple and shy and didn’t compare to the original version. Therefore, Gap ditched its new logo after only one week returning to its original.
This major mistake highlights the fact that building a brand identity especially with its logo is a huge task. Therefore, whether you’re a start-up, or you’re rebranding, know your target and note that your customers should relate to your logo so make sure you do reach their expectations.
If you want to rebrand or create a logo that will represent your company image in the best ways and meet your customer’s expectations, we are ready to help you and guide you, contact us.
Reference
Geoghegan, T. (2010, October 12). Lessons to be learnt from the Gap logo debacle. Retrieved from: BBC