The winner seems very similar to the old logo, sans serifs.
I wonder if the proper conclusion is that this is the best new logo, or that this is simply the most familiar.
I wonder if the proper conclusion is that this is the best new logo, or that this is simply the most familiar.
It would be more effective to ask people what descriptors they'd use to describe the company behind the logo, using a fictional company name.
The rest is millions of dollars of marketing.
Ideally you would have different people use different logos and then you'd survey them after a year or 6 months; once they're more used to "their" new logo.
If recognition was the sole purpose, Yahoo should have kept the logo exactly the same. I think logos (or styles in general) are also an expression of the attributes that a company wants consumers to associate with the brand.
The uneven baseline in Yahoo's logo express playfulness, as do the colors in Google's logo, for example. That's how Google and Yahoo contrast themselves with boring old business-oriented companies like Microsoft, IBM and SAP.
Like potatolicious pointed out, it is dubious how worthwhile it is to ask your existing customers for feedback if you want to change your image. After all, these are people that are already familiar with you, while the purpose of an updated image is, presumably, to attract a different/wider userbase.
[1] http://blog.logodesignguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Pe...
This feels like a huge A/B test, and -- even if not true -- seems like an experiment in releasing the tiller to see where the wind takes the boat. They should make a strategic design decision and execute it consistently -- have a strong opinion. Given the paradox of choice, the fact that people ultimately prefer a logo similar to the current one isn't surprising.
Amen! Generally this disturbs me about a lot of web stuff (probably because it is the one area in which I'm exposed to it) - caring more about what people expect or want, rather what you wish they would want, because you like it yourself. The winning logo is so ugly, I'd use it as an glaring example why you can't poll the masses on style or taste, not as a guideline. Not that I think it matters that much; the world is full of ugly logos, but as long as they stand for something want/need, we tend to accept or even like them. But still. Yech.
Hence the best logo chosen by the people (which i think is not the official word by yahoo inc) also has that "feeling".
All the logos with a fixed baseline, or jagged baseline that goes against how western read the "yahoooo" sound, just feel like you changed the font in MS Word and typed Yahoo!. Which is all most of those are...