Best and Worst of 2008

Brand New’s Best and Worst of 2008

Brand New has a list of the best and worst brand redesigns of 2008. The list is short, and if anything it emphasizes how hard it is to create a logo. The really good ones… well they aren’t too different that the originals. Quite a few times I disagree Brand New on their Bests. I certainly don’t disagree with any of their worsts. The worsts are painful and hurt the eyes.

Below is the before and after for EconoLodge. If you had asked me before seeing the redesign if I thought that EconoLodge had a noteworthy logo, I’d have said “no” or “they have a logo?” But looking at how haphazard the new logo is with its universally warm tones, its ambiguously abstract e, and the liberal use of generic photoshop layer-blending, I realized how the old, straight, red and white sanserifed logo really did convey the straight-forwardness and reliability that EconoLodge seeks to convey. It’s obvious from looking at the new logo that EconoLodge is trying to make itself nicer and more expensive than it really is. I doubt it will work.

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/