If you are an avid viewer of Food Network like myself, you may have noticed after the New Year the network didn't quite look the same as it did in 2012. Yes, the second season of Rachel vs. Guy: Celebrity Cookoff premiered. However, there was not only a change in programming, but a change in the Food Network logo.
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| Before (2003-2012) |
Why do companies redesign their logos?
Companies often revise their logos to reflect the evolution of their vision and refresh their brand it in the eyes of consumers. However, logo revision is a tricky process. If the design is too "refreshed" or too much of a departure from the original it can result in consumer back lash (i.e. when Gap stores decided to unveil a new logo in 2010). Imagine if McDonald's decided to change their trademark golden arches to a hamburger-faced chef? Although McDonald's did have such a character on its products in the late 1940s, to return to it would be such departure from the current brand customers would be flat-out confused. With this in mind, more often than not logo designs are subtle in order to maintain brand recognition.
Food Network's logo redesign comes as the network is gearing up to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. It is the first logo change the network has done since 2003. Unveiled on January 7th, the network said this in their press release:
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| After (2013-) |
Food Network has grown and we wanted to freshen up our look and energy to better reflect our evolution into a broader, multiplatform entertainment brand.”The new logo changes the matte red to a glossier gradient, opts out the serif font for a sans-serif font and wraps it up in a silver ring. While the change isn't mind-blowing, the logo does feel more web 2.0ish than it's predecessor. The sans-serif font is slab in nature which is currently trending in design.
My Evaluation:
As much as I love Food Network, I prefer the predecessor. While this new design has grown on me and presents itself well on television, there was something classy and finessed about the modern serif font. Combined with the gradient and ring, overall the logo feels dated. Despite these cons, it does reflect the network's departure from "in the kitchen" programming to entertainment.What do you think about the new logo? Let me know in the comments!
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