Starbucks - A rebrand?

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This morning on my way to the office, I decided to treat myself to a drink at Starbucks. I read a little while ago about the Starbucks rebranding and how the rebranding would be launched in central London this week, so I was not surprised to see the new logo on cups this morning.

The new logo is not a far cry from the old branding. In fact, the new logo is simply a cropped version of their "siren" character, which has been an intergral part of the brand since the company was formed in Seattle. (The "siren" was inspired from the shipbuilding history of Seattle, and the character was inspired from a Norse woodcut.) The company name and "coffee" (and dark brown colouring) have been removed from the logo as well, creating a minimalist design. According to the article by Simon Manchipp, Starbucks did not want to limit their product range to "coffee" only, but as anyone who has ever been to Starbucks knows, Starbucks sell alternatives to coffee (1). Perhaps in this move, they wish to let potential customers know that Starbucks does not only sell coffee.

According to the comapny's US webiste, Starbucks is celebrating 40 years of existance, and in tune with this, the company have revisited their brand and have launched new products. The image below displays various Starbucks incarnations, since the early days.

starbucksrebrand.jpg

There have been some negative criticisim about the new branding, but I like it. It refreshes the brand, and it is not a major rebranding. I feel that the rebranding has been modernised and is still recognisable as the Starbucks brand.


(1) Manchipp, Simon. Caffeinated rebrand or misplaced froth? http://www.designweek.co.uk/home/blog/caffeinated-rebrand-or-misplaced-froth?/3022311.article [13 January, 2011].

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