If you opened up your copy of USA TODAY on Friday, or visited the paper's site this weekend, you'd no doubt have been struck by the transformation of both, which corresponded with the publication's 30th anniversary. In a release, the publisher stated that, "USA TODAY's new logo — a large circle in colors corresponding to to the sections — will be an infographic that changes with the news, containing a photo or image that represents key stories of the day. The look and functionality of all digital platforms — the website, tablet app, new Facebook app and new mobile apps — also have been overhauled to facilitate bigger images and graphic-driven stories while presenting them in 'a fun, engaging' way."
Well, that explains the huge circle in the new logo, created by brand consultancy Wolff Olins, with involvement that extended to a full redesign of the newspaper, creation of a flexible brand system, content strategy and launch advertising, as well as a new brand story developed with Co:Collective.
According to Maryam Banikarim, the Chief Marketing Officer of Gannett (which owns USA TODAY), “The decision to remake an iconic brand should not be taken lightly. The re-imagination of the USA Today logo is a great signal to the marketplace. It’s a signal of all the changes that are happening here — of our new digital products, our new re-designed paper and a re-imagination of our content across all platforms.” Can't argue with that but after the recent Microsoft, eBay and Domino's redesigns, is this more evidence of a trend for super-simple logos? The old logo leads off the imagery below.
8 Comments
I think I might try and sell some logos like this on SL ;)
I think it would be great marketing to sell a red circle for $2000 ;)
That's what I'm talking about :)
Kazimir Malevich did it in 1915, way before it was cool...
:)))
I would've loved to be a fly on the wall during that creative meeting. I want to know how the designer sold this to USA Today; he's a genius.
The previous logo includes not only a map of USA, but Canada, Central and South America. Now it's the whole WORLD…
These are the guys that designed the London Olympics Logo, they can sell anything....
I think this is awesome! Y'all do realize that its not just a blue dot but has a concept behind it? I've actually looked at it on the news stands the other day and I think it works.
http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/usa_today_for_tomorrow.php
^ have to agree with you though @waldorf. The London Olympics Logo was super awful (or super awesome if you're still living in 1992).
I find it highly unlikely that no-one in the vast history of logos has ever used a circle before! Also Ivan, would you have approved this logo for Stocklogos?