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The importance of a logo redesign

Is the Detroit Lions logo change appropriate?

President Obama said it was time for a change. And apparently the embattled Detroit Lions got the message. At a press conference on April 20, 2009, the Lions announced that they changed their logo from the one they’d had since 1961. And it’s a good thing they told us they changed it, because if they hadn’t, it’s doubtful anyone would. you noticed. Of course, Lions president Tom Lewand also conceded to the obvious saying that this won’t change the team’s image unless the team gets better on the football field. That being said, a change in visual identity could serve as a powerful signal for change on the field and can motivate and encourage fan support. It is an important clue. No other initiative offers more promise to enable business transformation than effective branding. However, the key word is “effective”. By precisely defining the company’s new position, expressing it consistently throughout all marketing materials, and forming close alignment throughout the organization, the following will be achieved:

– Make visible the business strategy.

– Create a universal understanding of the direction of the organization.

– Making the new address “real” to employees and fans.

– Accelerate the achievement of the desired results.

Perhaps the Lions hope to follow the path of the Rays, formerly the Devil Rays, after their last berth in 2007. After changing their name and getting new uniforms, the Rays went from worst to first and made their first playoff appearance/ World Series. in 2008.

Let’s play Monday morning quarterback:

At the press conference, the franchise revealed very subtle changes to a couple of key visual representations of the brand, the logo, and the font of the word “Lions.” Under close examination, the leaping lion appears a bit more ferocious, and had teeth (but no claws) added. However, it is important to note that with a successful logo redesign, close examination will not be required; instead, the changes would be immediately noticeable.

The team name appears in italics, which is likely intended to express the spirit of moving forward, perhaps even speeding up. The block lettering style has discreet curved serifs on the left side in the upper and lower curved corners of each letter, which can add to the sense of action and movement. But the graceful shape of the wave connotes a gentle Caribbean summer breeze more than a speeding locomotive (or charging lion). The question is: which is more appropriate for an NFL football team, a soothing breeze or a searing blast?

Minor changes have also been made to the team’s uniforms. New decorative lines have been added and the logo is above the numbers on the jerseys. But the team’s Honolulu blue and silver colors remain unchanged. One wonders if this moment is not an opportunity to introduce a color more associated with lions. Like gold, maybe? It is close to the color of a lion and the gold is majestic, like the king of the jungle. What does the blue and silver of Honolulu have to do with lions? However, Honolulu blue could represent the Caribbean quite well. But then again, what does that have to do with lions?

Do you need a change?

So management apparently believed there was no need for a radical overhaul, just microscopic adjustments. Stealthy changes, so to speak. One wonders if that’s an accurate representation of how they feel about the team itself. The question is, is that the best plan? Many would argue, and many have, that a major change is needed for the Lions to succeed. By adjusting, rather than changing, the logo suggests that no major change is coming. Evolutionary adjustments, not revolutionary. But what does an 0-16 team need: small, imperceptible tweaks or a revolutionary overhaul?

Here’s the rub: Can an NFL team with the dubious distinction of being the only team in NFL history to go an entire season without a win convince fans to proudly buy and wear their gear? If ever there was a challenge for a sports team brand, this must be it. There is a significant amount of negative baggage associated with the Lions brand and such a situation is very difficult to overcome. In the short term, negative feelings will probably be more powerful than anything positive you can do. However, something positive must be started if there is to be any hope of redemption for the brand. The good news is that they have a fan base that WANTS to believe. All Lions need to do is back up that belief with a few leads that resonate.

What do the fans think?

Fan reaction to the new Lions logo? Not surprisingly, a big yawn. A Bleacher Report poll indicated that 43% of respondents were indifferent towards the new logo. 13% hated it. Many preferred the old logo. That’s not good. If you’re adopting a new logo, it should generate some interest and excitement on its own. Up close, of course, the Lion is a bit more dramatic, and the numbers are slightly off. But from a distance, which is how you normally see it, it’s virtually impossible to tell any difference. If the goal is to signal a dramatic team overhaul, management blew the opportunity.

“What they did was put lipstick on a pig,” a fan said at the press conference. Another complained that the logo and uniform “change” didn’t have enough CHANGE. Instead, in 1997 the Buccaneers and Broncos changed everything.

This is not a bold move on the part of the organization. It’s similar to the more recent stealth logo changes made by the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, and Minnesota Vikings. While it allows the organization to speak broadly about the brand and have a mission, it falls a long way from effectively representing that discourse and encouraging fan loyalty. In fact, it represents the complete opposite. And as such it does not support the affirmation. And that damages the loyalty of the fans.

In his statement, team president Tom Lewand said: “The new identity retains many important aspects of our history in terms of our core brand and colours. However, the evolution allows us to present our brand and visual identity to the Lions in new, versatile and distinctive ways.”

The team also said the changes are consistent with its “sense of mission and direction.” And, “This is not just about a transformed lion. This is about transforming our brand.” “We have made several significant changes this offseason in keeping with that commitment. The introduction of this new brand identity is another element of that process.”

Consider several key descriptive phrases from the above statements:

1. “The new identity retains many important aspects of our history in terms of our core brand and our colors,”

But really, it is the meaning behind the “primary brand” and “colors” that is important to retain, rather than necessarily the brand and colors themselves. A return to historical roots might be a good idea, but the current branding and colors no longer represent that on the market. And in branding, management cannot simply tell the market what to believe and expect it to dutifully reassign the meaning of symbols to suit management.

2. “clear sense of mission and direction…”

But a modified rather than a redesigned logo suggests a mission and direction that’s not much different than before.

3. “We’ve made several significant changes this offseason…”

But a logo that was simply modified and not redesigned suggests very small changes, rather than significant changes.

4. “evolution…”

The definition of the word “evolution” is: “a process of gradual, peaceful and progressive change or development…”

However, it seems obvious that what Lions need is a TRANSFORMATION, not an evolution. The Lions need to completely change course. To do at 180°. Go from losing and look towards winning. The definition of the word “Transformation” implies “a major change in form, nature or function, – transforming a small business into a corporate giant, or transforming a losing team into a winning team. A new logo and visual identity could point out and represent a change, a new dawn, a Transformation for the fans.

The task of the brand manager.

In any case, Lion brand representatives should do more than try to marginally modify their logo; they should try to make it represent something that stands out. They must also shed years of mediocrity and shame. But is it possible that a change in the design of a logo represents a major change? Yes. And while a major team change can happen without a logo change, a logo change can signal a team change and that can buoy fans before any changes are made on the field. So the question is: How important is fan support right now? And if a logo is to represent or signal that change, as it very well might, it requires major change, not subtle adjustments.

It is expensive to miss an opportunity like this.

The opportunity for the Lions is that this is the time for a message about the Lions that positions the team as new and different. Not just different from his past but different from other teams. Creating or discovering a differentiating idea in a competitive market is very difficult to do, whether it’s on the soccer field or on the store shelf. But every Lions fan is on the edge of their seats wanting to hear that message. Buyers are eager to buy. Management is responsible for doing something that effectively takes advantage of that desire.

With this announcement, León management has chosen not to determine an appropriate new cohesive message and fund its promotion. They have chosen not to create and execute a coordinated game plan that transforms their brand like it could and should have. And they will carry on with less enthusiastic fan support than they might have had. This is characteristic of management with a naive and unsophisticated understanding of brand power. Something that does not go unnoticed by people like, for example, the Dallas Cowboys or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Some may say that the logo design is a small thing. But the little things we do are more important than the big things we can say. Visual clues are essential. For example, New York City’s makeover during the 1990s was successful, largely because then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani made a successful effort to remove graffiti and fix broken windows in run-down areas of the city. , indicating a real change for all viewers. And this influenced opinions that made people willing to give the city another chance to impress them.

So while team management says, “We’re firmly committed to making the team better on the field. That success is always the single most determining factor of any NFL brand,” they’re right, but they’ve also missed a very important opportunity for signal to their fans that they feel their pain and actually intend to replace it with joy. The bottom line is that one fan said that in this bad economy, with this imperceptible logo tweak, he won’t need to go shopping for a new jersey. The $100 jersey you bought last year basically looks like the new one.