Microsoft Unveils a New Logo After 25 Years
We’ve been staring at the Windows flag for how long???
Microsoft has revealed their new logo after 25 years of the same ‘ol, same ‘ol. This is a testament to branding and how an image or symbol can be burned into the collective conscience of the masses. The Microsoft logo has maintained their Windows image for over two decades and it is immediately identifiable around the world.
What does the yellow square mean?
Blue is Windows, red is Office, and green is XBox. What the heck does the yellow box represent? It amazes me that this went through at least a dozen people before public release and no one thought to address this issue. It would also seem that I am the fourth person to Tweet about this since the logo has been unveiled. (Beaten by @spencerjulien, @pablonete, and @amishjani. Well done guys.)
Here are my guesses on the mysterious meaning of the yellow box:
- Software patches
- Security holes
- Catching up to the competition
- Internet Explorer
- Thinking inside the box
- Surface
New logo incomplete?
We don’t know actually know. I’ve put out a Tweet asking @Microsoft for an explanation but have not yet received a response. But it isn’t the only issue I have with this announcement. According to Jeff Hansen, General Manager, Brand Strategy for Microsoft, “the symbol is important in a world of digital motion”. Okay, I can accept that. But if that’s the case, why did you take a logo that symbolized motion (the waving Windows flag) and make it a flat, static image with no representation of motion whatsoever?
The conflicts and controversy abounds. I hope to get more information about this new Microsoft logo (and the process behind its development) very soon. Could this be as bad as the Tropicana disaster? Probably not, but maybe it will leave people as clueless as the new Pepsi logo. I still don’t think it looks like a smile.