Opinion BY Armin

Equal Sign = Exact

Exact Logo, Before and After

Established in 1984 in Delft, the Netherlands, Exact serves over 100,000 customers with business software and solutions, employing over 2,400 employees in 40 countries. (I’m not in the business software and solution software, but isn’t 2,400 people too many? I digress.) To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Exact introduced a new logo designed by Brussels based Duval Guillaume.

Exact also launches a new logo consisting of the Exact word mark preceded by an ‘equal’ sign, expressing the belief that Exact co-exists with its customers and the value that’s being created through this collaboration. The tagline ‘Exact. And it all comes together.’ reflects the spirit of what Exact brings to its customers: the added value that comes with its integrated solutions and cornerstones proposition. It also expresses a feeling of comfort and ease, and that in the end, things will be fine.

Clemens Riedl, Exact’s Marketing Director, says: “With the new visual identity we are getting much closer to the entrepreneurial world we serve and are now able to communicate globally in a consistent way.”
— Press Release

Exact

Brochure cover samples.

It may be a strange way to describe this, but I was quite charmed by the new logo and how unapologetic it is about being Old School Tech. What’s funny is that the old logo, set in Serpentine (which was designed in 1972), looked like it was trying to appear as hardcore, 1980s tech. The new logo feels like it’s trying to appear as hardcore, 1990s tech, lagging almost a decade behind in the aesthetics of today’s logos. And, lo and behold, it’s actually refreshing. The typography isn’t quite sophisticated but its pairing with the equal sign turns it into a very smart, and sophisticated, concept. The weights of all the elements are nicely balanced too, and all the corners are well rounded for safety and friendliness. But perhaps my favorite feature of the new identity is the small range of icons (below) that are as chunky as the logo and help the whole identity feel just slightly more contemporary.

Exact

Icon set.

Thanks to Tako Bruinsma for the tip.

DATE: Nov.23.2009CATEGORY: Technology 46 COMMENTS

Comments › Jump to Most Recent

Koyo’s comment is:

Nothing brilliant, but better than the older one. The align on space of the slogan it's kinda weird too. The objects used on the brochures as design shapes are not WOW things.

I agree with you Armin, the icon set are very well resolved.

Cheers from Argentina.

Koyo

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:24 AM

Michael’s comment is:

Looks a bit like the sky tv font to me.

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:33 AM

ScottyM’s comment is:

"the added value that comes with its integrated solutions and cornerstones proposition."

Ahhh, the ol' "integrated solutions" line ... what would a new tech logo be without its affiliated jargon? By my count, that makes a grand total of 1,236,940 software providers that offer integrated solutions.

Oh, the logo. Nice enough. Seems the lockup with the tagline is bizarre ... if not bad?! The brochure designs, though, reflect a 70s feel that's unique for the industry.

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:36 AM

Alessandro Mingione’s comment is:

I like it, a lot, and I like the icons too, with the matching/unmatching shapes.
The worst part are the brochures...

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:40 AM

Brendan’s comment is:

Guess it's the red and the 'e'.

It's well-executed, but I guess I don't like the style. Is this one of those "you can't argue taste" things?

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:46 AM

cj’s comment is:

like the type and feel, but still don't understand the equals sign. I think it would feel unsettled to use this in a way that didn't tell you *what* exactly "equals exact". also, the tagline beginning with "and" seems like a poor choice. however, this is a huge improvement and the icons rock.

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:55 AM

buruno’s comment is:

The typography alone would stand fine, IMO. Next to the company's name, the equal sign feels awkward reading ("is equal to exact"), as it possesses such a strong idiosyncrasy. But the icons are very nice indeed.

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:55 AM

MSGDS’s comment is:

Good redesign. There's nothing exceptional about it, the logo is clean and simple. What's not working is the awkward placement of the tagline under the logo.

On Nov.23.2009 at 08:15 AM

Joseph Maguire’s comment is:

Not the best mark update I've seen in awhile. It's harsh to look at the edges look rough, and the placement of an equalsign seems weird. Also you really can't protect the IP on a symbol like that, not that anyone else is about to run out and make equal sign symbols in their marks but you get what I mean.

On Nov.23.2009 at 08:24 AM

Manolis Gerasidis’s comment is:

A wasted opportunity to do some great stuff playing with the horizontal lines of the "e" (or "E") and the equal symbol.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:16 AM

Cory ’s comment is:

I really dislike the equals sign. It reads as another letter and it's almost an emoticon when combined with the 'e.' I get tripped up when I read the logo from left to right.

And yes, it also says to me "equals exact," which I find very awkward.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:20 AM

Nicholas’s comment is:

The typography feels very contemporary and I think the icon sets are also strong. The problem I have with the equals sign is that it lacks a visual distinction so it doesn't really work as a standalone mark. Plus, the symbol has already been taken. The yellow equals sign on a blue field is the official symbol of the Equality movement (Human Rights Campaign) to give LBGT people the freedom to marry.

I think his would have worked better if the euals sign was interated to the letter E (maybe knocked out on a red square) to make one character. I'm sure the agency pitched that idea. This feels more like a compromise.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:39 AM

John Mindiola III’s comment is:

The equal sign is confusing. I mean, I get it, but I don't think it's the best design solution.

The little symbols are SO GOOD, and I wish the logo had one of those chubby arrows in it. What's more exact then then an arrow tip? The Results symbol even proves this.

The brochure designs are fair. I'm all for white space, but when your white space is created with a white object, it's not as effective.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:46 AM

Hearing Aids’s comment is:

I like what they were going for but not a fan of the execution. Don't have any idea of how to pull that idea off to be honest, but the equal seems out of place. If it could stand alone a little more I might warm up to the idea but it seems like a dependent clause on an independent statement.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:55 AM

Dre’s comment is:

I'm not sure about the new logo; the equal character feels (paradoxical) a little bit unbalanced. But it's way better than the old one.

On Nov.23.2009 at 09:56 AM

Geoff’s comment is:

Not an exact match, but I think of old maxell cassette tapes when I see this logo.

Maxell Tape

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:01 AM

Ryan’s comment is:

Certainly better, but not amazing.

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:04 AM

Adam’s comment is:

The equal sign and the "e" look like a frowning emoticon with it's tongue sticking out...I'm sure that's not exactly the message the company wants to send.

Reminded me of this symbol.

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:04 AM

Jason’s comment is:

What color is it? It's a really nice red!

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:05 AM

Boston Bankruptcy Lawyer’s comment is:

I think the brochures actually look pretty good. They're a little bit of a throwback and accomplish it quite well.

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:06 AM

Blonde’s comment is:

Let's be honest, how inspiring is the identity for a data software firm going to be?

Typical modern-looking and rounded font, in caps... but then again, it works. I mean, you know exactly what kind of business this company are in and that they just wanted to move forward and 'freshen up'.

And as far as that goes, it works, and works well.

I personally find the red a little over bearing and am always reminded of danger when I see it, but what are the other options for this sector? I blue/navy, a green? Again, it works and is stand out enough,

I think the icons work really well and give the brand a little bit of personality.

@Adam, I agree that it does look like a sick emoticon, but I can also see a cheeky face with its tongue poking out! Unintended I am sure, but fun all the same.

On Nov.23.2009 at 10:40 AM

L8’s comment is:

Here is a software engenire and graphic designer amateur saying:
1) 2400 guys in the same software company is A LOTTA people. In iPhone developing companies, for example, is normal to see less than 10 employes.
2) This design is pretty lame. The typography is common used in this work area, and an "=" sign isn't a logo at all. Looks like a Paint design for me, which is also common used in this work area >_

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:07 AM

valt1’s comment is:

simply and nice, that all.
ho and it remember that :

it isn't Colgate ;)

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:12 AM

Nathan McKinney’s comment is:

"The new logo feels like it’s trying to appear as hardcore, 1990s tech, lagging almost a decade behind in the aesthetics of today’s logos."

Am I the only one confused a bit by this lately?

Isn't a logo generally supposed to be timeless? The so-called logo trends that are posted religiously each year seem to get more and more trendy and complex. Logos should be neither. They should lean more towards timeless and simple.

While I totally agree that logos shouldn't look dated, and it's appropriate to update them when that happens, I don't agree when new designs are getting criticised for attempting to look timeless and aren't following "trends". It seems like a disservice to our clients to try and push logos that are "trendy" and will look dated in a few years.

While this particular logo may not be the grandest I have seen recently, it certainly seems to look a lot more "timeless" and "simple" than "dated" to me.

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:31 AM

João Gomes’s comment is:

I agree with Armin on pretty much everything. However, the icons remind me of those used in the identity system of Portuguese Airports: http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:44 AM

Brad McCall’s comment is:

Much better! I really like the concepts in the icon set you added.

On Nov.23.2009 at 11:53 AM

Chris’s comment is:

I think they dropped the ball with slogan. This could have been a dynamic identity with something that precedes the logo. Something like an interchangeable phrase or word like "Precision" =exact. Or something along those lines (not the best example, but it could be made into something cool).

I think the logo is actually pretty nice. When I first saw it, I was definitely put off, but then I realized I don't think I've ever seen an equal sign as a logo. They could very well own that symbol and make the audience associate it solely with their brand. And that's powerful stuff.

On Nov.23.2009 at 12:03 PM

Robert’s comment is:

I'm feelin' it, I think it flows well. My favorite part would have to be the icons, there's something about icons and other small details that pull a brand together for me.

On Nov.23.2009 at 12:19 PM

Gareth Coxon - Dot Design’s comment is:

I quite like it, simple, clean and works well on supporting material. Its not going to win any awards but good solid design all the same.

On Nov.23.2009 at 12:38 PM

Huntley Brinkley’s comment is:

I agree with Chris... if you're going to use the equals sign in the logo it could have been better integrated. For instance, if they had put the "=" on the end, then it could have been exact=global, exact=synergy, etc.

On Nov.23.2009 at 01:00 PM

Dan’s comment is:

Not digging the equals sign. It's not strong enough to stand on its own relative to the wordmark.

But I freakin' LOVE those icons. Any one of those would be better than the equals sign.

On Nov.23.2009 at 01:55 PM

couchideas’s comment is:

A bit too distant for my taste. Strong font, eye hurting red and photography looking like stock?

A shame that big names in the industry like Duval Guillaume are using textbook wordpress themes as their site. Leave that please to us poor start-ups.

Whatever happened to flash websites suited for the FWA site of the day?

On Nov.23.2009 at 03:07 PM

Trevor Woods’s comment is:

"Synergy"

I'm sorry, that wasn't very constructive.

I think that when you end up working for a client that does boring things, often you end up with boring work. It's always nice to think about the ideal of elevating things, but some people just like boring.

On Nov.23.2009 at 03:45 PM

daniel’s comment is:

agree with what many people have said here, and with Armin's introduction. but it sure is a big improvement...

On Nov.23.2009 at 05:35 PM

Daniel’s comment is:

Does anyone happen to know what font was used for the body text in the icon set? I mean the "Exact Globe opens up..." part.

On Nov.23.2009 at 07:13 PM

Henry’s comment is:

The deliberate use of the style does really do what the Press Release says: Express a feeling of ease and comfort and that everything will turn out exactly the way we want.

Very refreshing amidst dynamic identity we sees nowadays and very grounded in sensibilities.

On Nov.23.2009 at 08:37 PM

Dale Harris’s comment is:

Really nice work on those icons!

On Nov.24.2009 at 07:13 AM

Glenn Sakamoto’s comment is:

A wonderful redesign. The type is a bit much, but overall an improvement!

On Nov.24.2009 at 10:18 AM

Philadelphia birth injury lawyer’s comment is:

I like it, granted I think that it would be better off without the equals sign I don't think that it is an overall failing logo. I agree with Nathan it's better to have a part wrong then have a logo blog posting about it every year because the trends pass it by every six months.

On Nov.24.2009 at 12:29 PM

José Brito’s comment is:

I can tell you that 2400 employees in 40 countries isn't too much. I work in the software development industry, in a company with almost 1000 employees distributed through 10 countries. So...

As for the logo: i like it.

On Nov.25.2009 at 03:23 AM

Ashely Adams : Sticker Printing’s comment is:

The font is obviously better than the previous one....Icons are interesting but not exceptional...But I am not to happy with the "=" sign...Waiting for a better application of the typography and design...

On Nov.28.2009 at 02:42 AM

D_tails_d_tails’s comment is:

Working for a Dutch company, I can say with total honesty that there is a lot the Dutch like about this logo.

Some would consider them conservative but they believe it's beautiful to have order, precision and that the right action always leads to the right result all the time forever and ever and ever.

In my opinion, from a mainstream Dutch cultural standpoint, the logo is such an elegant way of communicating to them "Honey, with you by my side everything will be as predictably perfect as the week starts with Monday and ends with Sunday".

Scores big for understanding it's own roots.