There are still articles coming out about the Gap and how they handled - or mishandled - their rebranding campaign. I just read the following item and while I was bothered by their take on the following issue:
If it ain't broke, don't fix it
I very much disagreed with the concept of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The Gap this week, under much pressure from a) the gaff of choosing to roll out a terribly designed new logo and then b) compounding the issue by flippantly and belatedly throwing it out as a crowdsourcing project, gave in and brought the old logo back. The article referred to above stated that they should never have changed the logo in the first place, since the world in general had no problem with the original logo.
I take issue with this. Where would we be if we never changed or improved anything just because the status quo was not calling for it? We'd be nowhere - not the moon, not the new world, we might even be tearing off chunks of bread instead of making nice tidy slices for our sandwiches.
The article stated that the Gap would have done much better to consult with their online community before rolling out a new logo - and that I agree with. Use the resources you have - include your public. If they had announced they were updating their brand, starting with an overhaul in their product line and then asking for opinions on new logo designs and maybe holding an online poll - now that would have gotten their public behind them. But to not change anything at all because no one was bothered by the old logo seems like scared thinking. And no one gets anywhere by holding back because of fear.
