An active step in the right direction? In a time where many businesses are hurting due to the last few years of an economic windfall, many have chosen to redefine and or reinvent themselves in hopes of capturing lost audiences and revenue. On the heels of companies such as Starbucks, The Gap, and countless others, the YMCA appears to be the latest in the trend of “re-branding” themselves. Of which these changes have garnered mixed reviews.
The YMCA has a long and storied history. What started in the mid 1800′s as an association of young men driven by a common purpose of meeting social and community needs has evolved into an “inclusive organization of men, women and children joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility” as stated on their website. For many people the YMCA will just be a place to work out, but for those who are aware of its history will realize it’s so much more. Which leads me to this informal branding discussion.
As most of us know, a brand is not just a logo or trademark etc., but in the same breath these very things are visually top of mind when interacting with the consumer.
So let’s make a brief comparison between old and new.
The old logo is very stoic. Its sharp corners and boldness remind me of a foundation or pillar of strength. The red triangle while stuffy, still conveyed a sense of openness. The old logo represented their philosophy and enhanced their brand well enough, but seems to be a little outdated.
The new logo, now features the bottom of Y at a slant, a filled-in triangle, rounded corners and new colors. My assumption is that they are focusing more on the appeal towards children or a younger audience. The softer look and color pallet certainly caters to that demographic. The left red part of the logo almost looks like an orange chevron, which promotes forward movement but also gives an unbalanced sense of leaning or almost falling.
The YMCA made a good move in implementing SOME of these design choices. However, I feel that the introduction of the words “The” and “YMCA” seems arbitrary. Is it an effort to educate those who aren’t familiar enough with them and who might mistake the changes as too drastic and representative of a different organization, or merely implemented as a design choice to create a sense of balance?
The YMCA has also has also implemented different color pallets as seen on www.ymca.net and www.ymca.org. So what does this mean in establishing a style guide or brand standards? Does this new logo speak in terms of its rich history, its global philosophy or a sense of social responsibility? Does it even need to? Companies such as Apple, NIKE and Coke-A-Cola are good examples of logo/trademarks that speak in a singular, almost minimalistic voice when representing their own brands. So is this the YMCA’s new visual take on that approach or is this a tool to help increase overall membership?
NOTE: These are merely opinions and observations to help stimulate a conversation, as I applaud the efforts of The YMCA in trying to capture a greater audience while reaching for a greater good.
So what do you think? Is it an active step in the right direction or has The YMCA missed the “mark”?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Chris, welcome to bloggerland. You’ll fit right in with the rest of the natives. :~) I really can’t stand the Y’s new logo. Especially giving it so many interpretations. It just screams, “We know we’ll have no control over our image!” Their branding standards are bastardized over and over as it is. If I were them, I would have kept the old logo and used the time to create a style guide. I don’t think their old logo was broken. Keep up the good work!
Claire,
Thanks for the warm welcome and the comments in my inaugural blog post!
We hope to continue to include some design/branding discussions in the future.
Hi Chris, thanks for the good ol’ logo post! While I agree the Y needed a more timeless logo, this certainly isn’t it.
-YMCA. If that little YMCA is really necessary, then maybe the logo should just be YMCA…. or it could have been built in somehow.
-The “the” is pointless. It doesn’t help convey additional information, it doesn’t represent anything, it’s pointless.
-The curves and color panel put it in the web 2.0 / social media category. Can’t wait for the update in a few years…
-The Y (by itself) lacks balance. I DO see movement, but not the good kind. I keep waiting for the “Y” to topple… it’s not balanced!
I think the best solution was to quietly update the logo with the fun curves, and heck maybe keep the same palette. Like Saul Bass’ girl scout logo http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/files/original/GSlogo.jpg
Thanks Chris!
Justin,
I’m in agreement with some of your points especially from a design perspective. I too would have liked to see what a subtle update might look like. Thanks for you comments and feedback.
In a recent followup, I had the opportunity to talk with the Director of Development and Marketing, Jackie Feddersen Matt, whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with previously in my design career. We had a nice conversation on the direction the YMCA is headed and the reasons behind such drastic changes to their logo. Let’s also preface this by saying the YMCA spent two years conducting intensive research, strategic planning and development to get to their current logo. As I mentioned in the previous post, this was merely a “branding discussion” and was not meant to be derogatory to them as an organization. This is simply a forum for discussion.
Jackie pointed out that while over 90 percent of the general public could recognize the old logo, there were around 80 percent who still weren’t sure what the Y actually did. She said that people were often unaware of the activities offered at the Y, such as swimming or child developmental programs. Jackie referred to this new initiative as a “brand revitalization” process, of which one of the main objectives is to “get people talking about the YMCA” and increase the “Y voice”. In terms of brand standards, she assured that they were in place and very stringent. She said that they believed their logo mark was strong enough to accommodate multiple color palettes. Companies like Nike and Adidas employ this approach in their apparel and shoes. I applaud Jackie for taking the time to call and provide some insight and perspective for this discussion. And while we are all entitled to our own opinions, design related or otherwise, there is no denying the influence and importance the YMCA plays in the community. While the verdict is still out on how the new logo will be received… at the very least it has us talking. So be a part of the discussion or contact your local YMCA to learn more about their services, programs and affiliations.