TOP 10

For the past 20 years, GAP has been universally recognized by its trademark GAP logo inscribed inside a blue square. The logo developed into a fashion icon. But a week back, GAP decided to risk its longstanding brand image by rolling out a new “contemporary” logo design. It is speculated that Laird & Partners is behind the rebrand. (Interestingly, they haven’t included the new logo in their portfolio so far).

The ‘Gaps’ in GAP logo:

The new GAP logo has faced enormous amount of censure and disapproval from the people. According to the reviews, the new logo has several discrepancies or what I would like to say “gaps”. Choice of type apart, slapping on the blue box in the corner is just plain lazy on the part of the designer.

• For starters, the blue gradient box outside the GAP has been viewed as amateur and naïve. The brand fans have strongly retaliated saying it seems to be a PowerPoint job.
• Secondly, using Helvetica fonts was a surprising move for a fashion label of GAP’s stature. Helvetica fonts are considered to be formal and don’t really go for a casual and trendy fashion brand like GAP. It looks as though the font is pixilated.
• Last but not least, the decision to use lower case has seriously dented to 20 year brand heritage of GAP.

The “GAP”ing resemblance:

I’m sure many of you might have already asked yourselves, “This GAP logo resembles another logo”. And why wouldn’t you? After all there is no evident freshness in the redesign and seems to be very generic. Recall PwC’s (Price WaterHouse Coopers) new look last month that displayed the beauty of autumn. Notice the “GAP”ing resemblance of PwX logo with GAP logo:

GAP is Crowdsourcing…NOT YET!

Although there are several logo parodies, redesign logos and logo contests going on all over the net, none of them are officially sponsored by GAP. Big crowd-sourcing sites like 99Designs and other blogs are holding fake contests to redesign the GAP logo.

GAP has taken the negative feedbacks very positively and informed its customers via its facebook fan page that it is “planning” to crowd-source. Excerpts from the page:

Amusing reactions to the Gap Rebranding:

Filling the GAP:

Amid all the controversy and media hype created against GAP, we should pause for a moment and think the motive behind this drastic change. As Marka Hansen, the President of GAP, said and I quote,

Your say:

The general hype is that GAP is taking yet another disaster by opting for crowd-sourcing. Well, I don’t think so. Taking feedbacks and opinions from their customers is exactly what is needed to ‘fill the gaps’ created by their new logo blunder. In my opinion this "crowdsourcing project" might strengthen their brand identity.

Do you think that GAP’s latest step of opting for crowd-sourcing will turn out to be yet another logo disaster? What other options do they have?

Update:

But the President of Gap Inc. Marka Hansen cited to the public that although this wasn’t the ideal time to crowd-source, they would consider it in the future evolution when the time is right.