So, did you hear the clothes retailer Gap scrapped its new logo just one week after its introduction?
Yup, that's right. And Gap's customers were the direct cause for the rebranding retraction. Most customers/critics made their voice heard through the many social networks and online forums. More than 2,000 comments were posted on Gap's Facebook fan page, criticizing the new logo and demanding the old logo back. That's just amazing! Gap's original logo (a blue box with white "GAP" letters inside) has been used for more than 20 years. Talk about brand awareness! A statement released on the Gap website says the company's customers always come first. "We've been listening to and watching all of the comments this past week. We heard them say over and over again they are passionate about our blue box logo, and they want it back. So we've made the decision to do just that - we will bring it back across all channels."
This incident shows just how important your brand is to current and potential customers and, thus, to your business. If you think that the general public doesn't really care about your logo or graphics, think again. Especially if you're a new business starting out, your branding shouldn't be an afterthought or something that you put together quickly just to have a logo on your business card. Chances are you will have this identity for a long time and when you realize it needs a re-design, your customers may already have a strong connection with your brand - good or bad. Think about it!