Volvo redesigns its identity
Ivan | Mon, 2006-03-13 06:25
Hmm.. I dunno. It's a bold statement to say we are now the macho male brand. I don't mind it, but I don't know if my wife would buy one. I would certainly not buy a car which has a logo of the female symbol, unless I really, really like it.
I don't think this is the right direction for Volvo. I like simplicity and this logo is becoming too complex. It's not elegant. They are trying to cram too many messages into a logo.
• I wonder how it looks when its actually on a car?
• As a illustration example of how the new logo will look, its sucking badly.
• If they wanted to use the iron/strength concept more, I would say that a solid blue metal bar would have been better than a circle...
• new logo reminds me of London Underground
... gotta see it in action to see if it works or not (like with Kodak, seeing it as a graphic here didnt feel anywhere near the same as seeing it in action)
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jammindesigns.co.uk
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Goo
What are they thinking? I would have loved to be in that meeting!
"What can we do to make it seem more masculine?"
"The symbol for 'male'?"
"That's it!"
I'd love to see what they rejected!
it looks more like a spoof or something.... i did some work for volvo not too long ago and the old logo was fine(ish). if they want/need to update their image they could do something with the V similar to Seats logo maybe. this new design is worse than skodas's identity, thats my opinion anyway just from this image of it, but like Jammo says i guess it may look ok on the cars, so i will reserve judgement.
The symbol is actually swedish for Iron... I did some research on this when I bought a volvo a few years ago. This is more or less the same logo they've been using for the last 100 years. They've just, from my understanding, 'cleaned up' the print version. The badge for the car will take some cue's from this. But for the most part it's business as ususal.
Buick has been doing the same thing for the last 50 years... It seems every year the badge for print becomes even more beveled and shiny.
There isn't really anything new about this. It's more of an update than a rebranding. It still is dumb though.
CalvinCarl.com
CalvinRossCarl.com
I wanna be in on their next focus group. What were they thinking?
Terrell Thornhill
e-zign Design Group
I've always liked the volvo brand.
Thats the thing with branding... you can't please everybody. If you are, you're doing something wrong. Lacking personality perhaps.
If you took this to a focus group I PROMISE YOU they would have interlocked the venus (female) symbol on top and called it a day.
Focus Group Rant...
Focus groups should not be brought in on identity projects (or probably any other project). Many of people on this site can't design a logo, let alone people off the street.
Sure they are brought in for their opinions, but sit them down in a room with 12 other people, give them the opportunity to comment on a new brand... suddenly they think they're Saul Bass reincarnated.
They take the color from this... the logotype from that... mix it all together... AND THE CLIENTS LISTENS.
Bullshit.
98% of focus groups are of fickle minded mush heads...
Malcolm Gladwell discusses the importance of expert opinion over that of the average person on the street in Blink! It's a pretty interesting read. The average consumer does not know what the average consumer wants in a product.. it's as simple as that. When you make a focus group full of average consumers, you get a bunch of people who don't know what they want making your design decisions. Not smart.
I agree on this. Focus groups are great to get insights. To get inspiration but NEVER one should test a creative product on focus groups. Regarding a finished creative product one can test it against a bunch of people only to see if there is some major mistake that everybody missed.
Ask someone their opinion and they usually feel obligated to have one.
And you can quote me on that. :)
Terrell Thornhill
e-zign Design Group
No, no, and no.
I would never buy a car with such a logo on it. What were they thinking, for heaven's sake?
As far as I knew, Volvo has always had this symbol as their logo. Google "volvo logo" and see. This is just a refresh of the same logo.
And why wouldn't you buy a car with the female symbol as its logo, Ivan? :-P
Well, I guess it's just so not manly. It's like getting a pink mini. I would not mind driving it, because that is not what makes a man a man, but I would not buy one.