We’ve recently finished up a logo redesign project for a client here in Greenville, NC, and it got me thinking about logos in a different way: how we use graphic design to solve problems, while also maintaining a certain aesthetic. Logo design is more than just “what looks good.” Logos bring brands to life - by making them stand out from the competition while also relating to their own particular audience. For example, look at companies like Nike, Target, and McDonalds, whose logos are so distinctive that you don’t even have to mention their name for them to be recognized. That is some serious BRAND POWER! Although logos are an important part of a brand’s image, they are not always done right the first time. Or perhaps a long-standing business moves forward with new management and ideas and wants to find a fresh look to represent them. Whatever the case may be, it is evident around us that it happens often! And that rebranding, as well as logo redesigning, is extremely popular. In this blog, we will break down three of our favorite logo redesigns of all time.

Top 3 Logo Redesigns

Large scale corporate rebranding can cost anywhere from the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars. When making an investment in your business with a well-rounded, impactful logo, it is important to know what you are looking for so that it can be done right the first time. Take a look at the approach used by these companies and their logos.

Netflix

The original Netflix logo could be seen on their iconic mail-order DVD sleeve from back in the day. While these white letters with bold black outlines worked well on the red print of the sleeve, as the company shifted its focus to streaming, they needed simplicity. The most recent redesign of this logo keeps a bit of its old “shadow” while also focusing on the red color, which is the brand’s identity.

Olive Garden

Famous for its unlimited soups, salads, and breadsticks, ironically neither design for the Olive Garden logo highlights this detail. OG’s OG logo was everything a logo should not be. It was a street sign at best, which gave off the feeling that this family restaurant had been bought by a corporation and never bothered to change the identity. Their newest rendition is classic, yet modern and embraces Olive Gardens’ new healthier menu. The original grapes were replaced with an olive branch to signify the maturity of this new logo.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut’s original logo was a four-color process! Although the cartoon character is unique, overall it was just too busy. By the next stage, the colors had been reduced to one: RED. Not only is this the brand’s color, but it is also commonly associated with Italian food - and evokes hunger! From this version on out until now, we can see the addition of the iconic slanted roof that Pizza Hut is known for.

Get inspired by these designs! One major thing to take away from each of these logo redesigns is that the companies, for the most part, stayed true to their brand’s image and personality by taking existing logos core elements and reworking them into a fresh, modern feel.