Starbucks unveiled its new identity. In addition to bumping into all the chatter about this online, I rec'd three emails from friends outside the marketing industry asking what I thought of the change. That alone is some testament to the strength of the SB brand.
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz explained that the new look reflected an ongoing evolution for the company beyond coffee, as part of their overall business strategy.
So my quick take? Bully for Starbucks. The new look is built on two attributes that should inform any identity change:
1: Sound strategy - as Schultz said "This is not just, let's wake up one day and change our logo." There is a compelling market reason for this change, it is not a 'refresh' exercise for the identity or brand.
2. Sound design: No surprise here. The design team at SB has won an armful of awards over the years, deservedly so, and the new logo reflects their skill and talent. It works as a fresh, clean mark but takes nothing away from the visual equity of the old identity. Home run.
What is the next question - How far can a brand built on coffee get beyond coffee? I get that the strategy has always been to have Starbucks be about an experience rather than "just" a good cup of coffee, will be watching closely to see this vision manifest.
Jeff Caporizzo is Vice President/Creative Director at ZilYen. To find out more visit zilyen.com
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