A run down of a collection of my favourite redesigns in recent years
A redesign can be worth its
weight in gold if you get it right. There is a thin line between
freshening up your design, and taking a step backwards with a redesign.
Sometimes a redesign can be subtle and simple, and other times it can
be a huge re-vamp of a company and it’s goals. Here’s a look at some of
my favourite
re-designs in no particular order.
01. AT&T Inc.
This is an ideal example of how a subtle upgrade can make a huge difference.
02. BP Garage
A completely different direction and modern feel. A huge improvement!
03. Sprint
Looking at the old sprint logo it’s obvious a re-design was needed.
04. Mindshare
A great find via
Brand New. Great use of colours & typography.
05. Mustang 2010
The current 2009 Logo, compared to 2010. Subtle improvements, but wow so much more aggression! Source:
AutoBlog.
06. Adobe Photoshop CS4
Adobe has come a long way in a short time, I like the way things are going.
07. Discovery Channel
Probably one of my favourites. Really love the placement of elements.
08. Fanta
The old can really does look dated compared to the new look.
09. Johnsons Baby
Not one of the obvious choices, but I love the softer approach.
10. Fiat Bravo
Yeah that’s right, a car made it into the list. A great example of a
successful redesign, and Fiat’s recent sales figures prove it. Plus I
drive this car, so a very biased choice!
11. Steinlager
I hate lager, but if you presented me with this… It’d be rude to say no.
12. Applebee’s
Great example of a redesign where the concept stays similar but the execution is on a completely different level.
13. Firefox / Firebird
A name change, and a great leap forward. Time really is a healer.
14. QVC
A huge Brand, and a major revamp. And a much needed one.
15. Vauxhall
A UK car maker with a new, more prominent identity. I like the old
one, its clean and not much is wrong with it. But the new logo reflects
more on a new company direction and style of their cars.
16. MSNBC
A fresher look, more open and less in your face. Works well I’d say!
17. Ford
Yep, more cars related stuff. But a much deserved mention here.
18. Ford Fiesta
Sticking with Ford, their new style Fiesta really is a beauty.
19. The BBC
One of the most recognizable UK brands, good job it looks great then.
20. Direct TV
The same concept, shape and fonts. Just better.
21. Barack Obama
What a difference a year makes. The 2007 site compared to the ’08. Probably one of the best website re-designs around right now.
22. Grooveshark
David Pache, this guy knows how to redesign a brand identity.
23. BusinessWeek
Simpler, Bolder, Cleaner. A successful redesign in my book.
24. Viget Labs
It is amazing how far we’ve all come in terms of web design in just a few years,
Viget is a great example of this.
25. Toys”R”Us
A much more playful typeface and colour scheme. I found this via a great article on Logo Design Love:
10 Sucessful Logo redesigns.
26. Seat Leon
The old model wasn’t hideous, it’s only after you see the new model
you start to believe it is. A truly amazing revamp, hats off to Seat
design team!
27. N Design Studio
How to flip your website into an iconic design, courtesy of
Nick La.
28. The BBC website
Words cannot describe how much I hated the old design. The new site really is something for the BBC to be proud of.
29. WordPress.org
A much more engaging and approachable design from WordPress.
30. Microsoft
Making something out of nothing, and doing it well. Microsoft.
31. MailChimp
I dare you to find a better looking mascot. A huge improvement, but a
much needed one I must say, the new chimp really does have that
“cute-factor”
32. CNET
A subtle update, and you know I love subtle. Beautiful end result.
33. Wembley Stadium
When updating something so Iconic, you need to make something just as iconic. I’d say a job well done on this one.
34. Apple iPod
Advanced technologies and production methods sure do look good.
35. The Simpsons
Right? Now you’re including cartoons… This list is crazy! Maybe so, but this has to go down as the redesign I’m most glad of.
36. XBOX
A new direction with the XBOX design, colours shapes etc are a huge leap in the right direction.
37. Design Shard
With a growing blog it’s important to design for the needs of your visitors. Max does a great job here on
Design Shard.
38. KFC
Colonel Sanders is looking better in his old age. A cleaner look.
39. Walmart
A more modern feel to a logo which was showing its age.
40. Envato
A sleeker looking logo really can help kick off your re-branding.
41. Best Buy
A logo which is more fitting to the company & its products.
42. Macmillan
A great bold move by MacMillan Cancer care charity, but one that works really well and a very recognizable brand now.
43. Holiday Inn
Quite possibly my favourite, something about this is just so welcoming. Which is good for a Hotel company right!
44. British Telecom
I have no idea what that guy is blowing into, and I don’t want to
know. Needless to say the new logo represents a more dynamic company,
with more to offer than just horn blowing.
45. Vicks
The old logo very possibly was made in MS Word. You’d struggle to make the new one in Word, so I like it!
46. Fuel Your Creativity
Adelle really has put a lot of thought into her new logo, and it really has paid off. The new logo has a much more lasting impact.
47. Amazon
For an online store like Amazon the old logo didn’t really fit. The updated version looks better in both web and print.
48. Virgin Media
Not really a redesign, more of a buy-out and brand build. Never-the less it was a refreshing moment for customers like myself!
49. Macbook Pro
Top to bottom glass front, one solid aluminium base and you’ve got yourself a pretty Macbook Pro.
50. HP
I’ve not actually seen this used anywhere but adverts. But I really like it!
Sources of Information
Below is some of the sites and blogs I used for research on this
post, along the way I found some great resources and inspirations.
Brand New
Without doubt a lot of these have already been covered by
Brand New, a wonderful project by
UnderConsideration which I urge you all to add to your
RSS feed and start to follow. The content really is amazing, and if you love the logo’s I’ve featured above you’ll love it for sure.
Logo Design Love
As I’ve already mentioned there is a fantastic post on Logo Design Love which you might also find interesting
“10 Sucessful Logo redesigns“. The logo design Love website is well worth checking out for various posts on Logos and Brands on a regular basis.
Identity Works
Another great resource which documents the process of various redesigns and their goals from 1998 onwards was
Identity Works. A really great site to explore and find out about the history of the brand identities.
Further Reading
After all of these great examples of a successful redesign you may be
feeling in the mood to give your website, blog or logo etc a redesign.
But it is important you think carefully before rushing into a redesign,
this wonderful article by Steven Snell looks over
21 Factors to Consider Before a Redesign and really does give some sensible advice and tips for anyone looking to freshen up their design.