Today were discussing ‘n brand revamp that has had very mixed reactions by the design community, some love it – some hate it, so we thought we would jump in with the big discussion and give our 2cents of thought.
Woodland Park Zoo was established in 1899 in Seattle, WA which makes it a Zoo with a lot of heritage. The Zoo has nearly 300 different species and is famous for the exhibits that are very true to nature and the animals’ habitats.
When I look at this old logo, I really get that feeling of nostalgia that one get’s when you think of a Zoo, the icon is a timeless classic, well designed and to the point. I agree as some has said that at a very small size the logo would become a blur and that the text is very outdated and lacks the power that the icon has, but overall I think it’s a really great logo that could be slightly tweaked and simplified to become something really awesome.
And after that long introduction, here is the new logo design, created by Phinney Bischoff Design House. The new logo is a complete redesign that has completely pushed the boundaries of the original brand.
Sadly, I don’t think it is a very successful redesign.
Firstly, when I saw the old logo next to the new one, I thought the old one was the redesign (and many have said the same!).
They have modernized the logo to a point where it no longer has any character or personality, it doesn’t tug at your heart strings at all, in fact it seems very lifeless to me. This icon could perhaps work better for an edgy handbag or shoe label, but certainly not a Zoo!
Although the icon seems to form a strong symbol the text has been handled very poorly, not only does it read incorrectly, ie Woodland – Park Zoo, Instead of Woodland Park – Zoo, the font choice also seems dull and over used.
I must say however the application across media, especially these brochures doesn’t look bad and feels slightly more refreshing with the great photography of the animals, but on it’s own it seems to lack life, as you can see on the business card.
After seeing this new design, I started to wonder why on earth they took such a drastic turn away from the original logo and I found this quote:
“Both the new logo and campaign theme are the culmination of extensive research and a collaborative creative process. Working closely with the Zoo’s executive team and in-house creative leaders, PBDH solicited feedback at various stages from the public, staff, volunteers, donors and others to gather critical insights and inform the design process. An extensive review of zoo logos from around the world revealed a variety of overused design approaches, and a survey of the general public (with nearly 700 responses) helped outline key areas for design exploration. The research revealed two essential insights: 1) the new logo would need to successfully communicate that the Zoo is both a conservation leader and wonder-inspiring educator, and 2) the new logo would need to represent the Zoo’s new model of experiencing the wonder of wild animals up close. These insights fundamentally guided the creative process, and are evident in both the new logo and campaign theme.
“The bold, new identity captures the Zoo’s mission as an organization that makes a difference globally and inspires wonder locally. This is the face of Woodland Park Zoo’s future as a leading conservation and education organization,” says Dr. Deborah Jensen, President and CEO of Woodland Park Zoo. “
After reading that quote I looked at the logo again and I kind of understand where they were going with the new design, the style does remind of the famous WWF logo with it’s stylized Panda icon, but still that logo has much more personality than this new logo will ever have.
We would love to hear your response on this brand revamp, so comment away!
