Modern, concise, innocent: Professor Dr Peter Zec on the new Google logo
In early September 2015, Google has given itself a new face: For the seventh time since 1998, the logo of the influential internet search engine has been adjusted. Google has justified this step with a better presentability on smaller screens. But when a global brand changes its appearance, a wide space for interpretation opens. Consequently, the social networks and comment columns were, in addition to a lot of praise and criticism, filled with speculation about the real reasons for this step.
Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot, was interviewed by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) on the logo. "Quite successful", he responds to the critics and names possible motives behind the redesign.
The new logo appears "less outdated and ornate" to the design expert. The Red Dot founder recognises also a possible reason for this change: Google wants to "modernise and also be better noticeable". Because "everyone had an idea of the old Google logo in mind - but no one could have drawn it." The integration of all corporate colours in the short "G" was also a consistent step and lead to a corporate identity hitherto unmatched.
The new version has a fresh appeal and is "also naive, somewhat childish". This new lightness leads the president of the Red Dot Design Award to the following conclusion: "The new emblem looks innocuous, less hierarchical. In any case, the concern wants to give a more innocent face. "
Behind this new harmlessness is a "group with a monopoly claims to the whole future" notes Andrian Kreye on süddeutsche.de. And the new logo could now “put on products every size and shape”.
