Opinion BY Armin

New Seattle’s Best: Best-er or Worse?

Seattle’s Best Coffee began roasting in 1970 in what was yet to be the northwestern cornerstone of U.S. coffee culture, Seattle. The company has expanded to a modest and respectable 500 stores across twenty states and being the official coffee shop at Borders bookstores, giving it an additional 500 or so outposts. It is also the second largest coffee roaster in the U.S. behind Starbucks, who ironically (or not), owns Seattle’s Best, purchased in 2003 by the giant. Today, Seattle’s Best is announcing a major push in its distribution: By partnering with other retailers like Burger King, Subway and AMC Entertainment (one of the largest movie theater chains in the U.S.), to add Seattle’s Best coffee to their menus, bumping its distribution by about 30,000 points of sale. Additionally, Seattle’s Best will be dispensing coffee via vending machines, although I’m not clear how or where. Along with this announcement, a radically new logo has been introduced, designed by Seattle ad agency Creature.

Forty years later, we decided it was time to take everything great from our past and turn it into something bigger to share with the world. […] While our dedication to making premium coffee isn’t going to change, we needed a new look to match our optimistic outlook and simplified approach to great coffee experiences.
— Promo web site

The overall approach seems to be to make Seattle’s Best more approachable, affordable and accessible with the same visual simplicity of the new competitors its trying to overtake, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts makes perfect sense. In that regard, the move away from the fuzzy, detailed, vintage label logo. However, by going to the other extreme of simplicity they have achieved the popular generic look of contemporary consumer products, making no difference whether this company sold coffee or house cleaning products, or if you stepped into what will surely be snazzy, metallic decor stores whether you are going to buy coffee or frozen yogurt. I’ll admit that, visually, the logo is striking and makes an impact, I like the thick gray border and the complementary thick white space between the border and the simplified red coffee cup. The typography becomes a little small but I assume that there might be a separate approach for small applications. The Gotham Rounded font is safe, expected and inoffensive, so it works. The color combination is unexpected for a coffee house and perhaps that’s what will make it stand out in the coming years.

This is one of the most radical changes — not in terms of the solution, but the difference between before and after — we’ve seen here in a while and it will be interesting to see it evolve.

Thanks to Peter Morris for the tip.

peter’s comment is:

makes me want to donate blood

On May.12.2010 at 07:30 AM

anna’s comment is:

My thoughts exactly. It looks so sterile, and that drop inside the red just screams blood more than coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 07:42 AM

Anatoly Vyalikh’s comment is:

Quite strange change.
I agree with Peter, I also thought about donating blood.
Maybe it is hidden social advertiding))

On May.12.2010 at 07:44 AM

ScottyM’s comment is:

Looks funky and unfinished. I don’t mind the starkness, but I do mind the left-justified “Coffee” … just hanging there. Also definitely mind the loss of the “1970” legacy.

I like the smiley face with a tongue it creates, though. As I said, it needs another round of tweaks.

On May.12.2010 at 07:45 AM

Will S’s comment is:

Seattle’s Best Blood Bank

On May.12.2010 at 07:46 AM

Alexandre’s comment is:

liked, but maybe better a darker red.

On May.12.2010 at 07:48 AM

Paul’s comment is:

The words premium coffee and ‘vending machines, subway, burger king’ do not belong in the same sentence.

Another generic logo for a seller of no doubt generic coffee (although I cannot speak from first hand experience). At least the new logo doesn’t look like an ale brand though.

On May.12.2010 at 07:51 AM

Dale Campbell’s comment is:

Wow,

What a terribly annoying site Creature has.

In any event I agree with Armin for the most part but like Peter mentioned, there is something about the color red and drips/drops that reminds me of blood donation as well.

And seeing how this identity does have a sense of being a little generic, I can see how someone simply glancing at it might have to double-take it.

I will be interested to see how this reflects a change in their packaging and how that packaging looks on the shelf with competitor packaging.

Thanks for the post, Armin.

Dale

On May.12.2010 at 07:55 AM

Milos’s comment is:

It’s like it’s not called Seattle’s but Transilvania’s Best - since 1470

On May.12.2010 at 07:57 AM

Enon’s comment is:

Phew, I second that thought, Will S.

“Seattle’s Best Blood Bank,” it is indeed.

No more will Seattle’s Worst be able to invoke that warm fuzzy feeling of a morning’s first sip of coffee, and the great “aaaah” that follows and starts off my day.

Also, as a person who judges the coffee by it’s cover (when making a random coffee purchases), I’ll be likely to NOT choose this one, very much the same way I haven’t purchased Illy brand coffee yet.

On May.12.2010 at 07:58 AM

Greg Scraper’s comment is:

I don’t mind the mark, I read it as a coffee cup from the top. But what hits me upside the head is the left justification; it just doesn’t make sense. I mean, I get the neo-modernist style they’re going for but inside that circular logo it’s disjunctive. The hanging “Best” looks like Wile E. Coyote just before he notices he’s walked off a cliff. All it needs is a sign that says “Yikes!”

The color choice overall is a little generic. The red is really bloody and urgent, but it may make sense in context. I also think that the gray is too light and looks like it gets lost on the coffee cup, but it’s hard to judge based on a photo on my monitor.

The whole thing seems to indicate a change in the company, like someone took over for someone else and is throwing out everything old. There wasn’t a whole lot of equity in the previous brand, but a change like that is definitely going to get noticed, for good or ill.

On May.12.2010 at 08:01 AM

Todd’s comment is:

This new logo looks so generic and neutral, it completely detaches itself from the product that it offers. It would a more viable solution for a convenience store, or an oil brand. Well crafted, yes, but I see no interest the company as a unique entity.

On May.12.2010 at 08:01 AM

Clinton’s comment is:

I changed the color to a more suitable coffee tone. Still not sure what to think of it, but at least it doesn’t make you think “bloodbank”.

On May.12.2010 at 08:08 AM

Sara Tack’s comment is:

Would make a nice mark for a Target branded product.

On May.12.2010 at 08:08 AM

Cameron Jantzen’s comment is:

This made no sense to me until I read the channels it’s going to be in. Stick it next to a bunch of brown paper fast food bags sporting burger joint logos, and it probably fits.

The transformation is big because the business strategy has changed. Not a logo I love, but (without the full facts) I give the benefit of the doubt as being good design - it meets the brief I imagine in my head.

On May.12.2010 at 08:09 AM

brian’s comment is:

Is this meant to look like a uvula?

On May.12.2010 at 08:17 AM

emily’s comment is:

knowing that ‘seattle’s best’ is going to sell their product in burger king makes me never want to drink it again. not that i drank it very often, anyway.

coffee in a burger king, really?

On May.12.2010 at 08:18 AM

Rx’s comment is:

brian: what?

On May.12.2010 at 08:25 AM

Elneff’s comment is:

It’s certainly a change, and in my opinion a change in the right direction.

I didn’t see the coffee-cup, but saw a happy face smiling right at me. I guess that’s the energetic, on-the-move spirit that the brand is moving towards, rather than the cozy, snuggle-up feeling in the old logo.

The fact that the logo is simple doesn’t strip it of personality. I’d say that the identity has much more character than the old one.

On May.12.2010 at 08:26 AM

awesomerobot’s comment is:

I *almost* like it. Something just feels a little off, maybe the color - or maybe it’s all just too smooth and generic feeling for me. The cup needs a subtle texture or something…

On May.12.2010 at 08:27 AM

Nisio’s comment is:

Aside from the colour issue it’s great!
To follow on from a post on the Mechelen rebrand post - this is simple design, done well.

On May.12.2010 at 08:29 AM

Nathan McKinney’s comment is:

Throwing your brand equity away like a used coffee cup seems a little ill informed, no matter how interesting the new execution.

In any case, I still like the old logo better. The old school stylized ‘badge’ approach added a distinct character of tried and true goodness that is appropriate to a coffee brand. The new logo loses all that, and instead communicates primarily that it’s cheap and disposable.

Furthermore, historic looking logos like the old one are getting redesigned and discarded more and more often, which only means the ones that are left are beginning to stand out more in the milieu of current design, which in this case would have been a good thing.

On May.12.2010 at 08:30 AM

Jonny’s comment is:

However, by going to the other extreme of simplicity they have achieved the popular generic look of contemporary consumer products, making no difference whether this company sold coffee or house cleaning products

The first thing I saw when viewing the logo was the top of a coffee cup - but perhaps I am seeing things.

Coffee Cup Lid

Plus, I don’t think you really need to have an obvious coffee symbol, the logo clearly includes the text ‘BEST COFFEE’ so if it leaves you wondering if they sell house-cleaning products is bizarre.

On May.12.2010 at 08:35 AM

Nora Brown’s comment is:

This definitely has the look of a generic store brand logo (or, as someone mentioned, a Target brand), which I guess is appropriate given their new strategy. The change is so radical one can’t even say it is better or worse than their old mark, just completely different.

On May.12.2010 at 08:36 AM

Benga creative ’s comment is:

It seem like some as if many companies are just trying to follow in the same line as Pepsi, with their smiley faced logo. While that might have worked for Pepsi, i think that this move by Seattle Best’s, is definitely ill-informed and they need to keep their old logo. While the old logo could have be repositioned and upgraded. I’m against them changing it to this new logo. The color combination is lacking and it can use a new typography as well.

To reiterate what Peter saying, “it makes him want to donate blood”, not buy coffee. This new logo will ultimately chase people away from Settle’s Best’s, compare to having them rushing in for a cup of coffee.

Benga Creative

On May.12.2010 at 08:41 AM

MWorrell’s comment is:

Looks like a gas station logo, or a quick oil change place. Not upscale at all. Awful.

On May.12.2010 at 08:57 AM

Sean’s comment is:

I like how they simplified the look.. however, the graphic is not good.. as others have stated, it’s very blood-donor-like… and I feel “Seattle’s Best” doesn’t stand out anymore as it used to.

Also vending machine coffee doesn’t sound very premium-like.. it’ll probably look more like a blood machine.

On May.12.2010 at 09:04 AM

Deshler’s comment is:

That looks more like a teardrop. Perhaps the logo is shedding a tear over the trashed brand equity of the previous logo?

… I usually prefer a simpler logo like this one to an overly detailed badge logo like the last one. But this one seems unusually cold and hostile to me. Maybe it’s the gray circle that seems too large, or perhaps it’s the type.

On May.12.2010 at 09:06 AM

Kevin Zwirble’s comment is:

I agree that I like that they’ve changed from their old mark. And yes making it look appealing like DD’s coffee cup logo is a smart move, but only if executed well. I think if the mug was friendlier and less sterile, then they’d have something here, but they don’t.

Another thought about the mark. At first I read it as a cup with a coffee drop, but I also see it as a mug with the handle pointed towards us inviting us to pick ‘er up and swig away. m I reading too much into this? Probably.

On May.12.2010 at 09:06 AM

Diego’s comment is:

It’s a nay for me… too generic/sterile. I think the old logo works better…

On May.12.2010 at 09:09 AM

Larry W’s comment is:

KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

Holy crap, this is TERRIBLE!

So instead of keeping a good, clean, interesting logo with a classic look, they instead used a generic font (What is that, Helvetica? Arial? Futura?), a bland graphic, and something that looks more like its for a blood drive than coffee!

It sucks.
It blows.
It’s terrible.

Creator, get a designer. And get rid of the mystery-meat navigation and flash!

On May.12.2010 at 09:12 AM

Penn’s comment is:

I didn’t know Target had their own coffee company

On May.12.2010 at 09:12 AM

Aaron J Scott’s comment is:

On one hand, the old logo blended in pretty well with the garden-variety coffee labels. On the other, the new logo on a cup looks more like a generic styrofoam “coffee” cup from a gas station.

And so help me God, if the semi-circle and droplet is supposed to be a sip of coffee going into a smile, I will destroy something. In fact, I’m swearing off buying products or services from companies who have worked a “smile” into their new logos over the last few years.

On May.12.2010 at 09:24 AM

Nick Campbell’s comment is:

I saw two things right away. First an open mouth smile similar to the :D emoticon. Second I saw a coffee lid. Both work well for the intended goal, but the immediacy of the transition seems misplaced. Part of me wonders if this would have been more successful if they would have made the gradual shift over the next two years from the current icon to the new icon by process of making intermediary steps.

Do many companies even hire for that? You know to develop brand transitions?

As a student, I’m always learning so if anyone has any insight that would be great.

On May.12.2010 at 09:24 AM

Frederick’s comment is:

Sorry to say that.

It looks like an Oil Company Logo! :S

On May.12.2010 at 09:26 AM

Nick’s comment is:

It only real issue with this whole thing is the color. I’m on the boat with the general consensus that this plain just doesn’t feel like coffee. I realize that the red is Seattle’s Best’s color but seriously, given the “drip” in the logo, it screams blood!

In the end though, it all doesn’t really matter. I mean it’s all Starbuck’s coffee anyway right? I mean Starbucks does literally and figurative owns SBC.

On May.12.2010 at 09:28 AM

Everett’s comment is:

Seattle’s Worst design strategy for their Best Coffee?

On May.12.2010 at 09:33 AM

Eric’s comment is:

This makes sense. Before, to the consumer, Seattle’s Best brand experience was similar to Starbucks. Since Starbucks owns Seattle’s Best, they were cannibalizing their own sales. With this change, the difference is clear. Seattle’s Best is to Starbucks like Old Navy is to the Gap. The lesser brand. I view this as Starbucks’ way to take on Dunkin Donuts market share for people who view Starbucks as too expensive and elitist.

On May.12.2010 at 09:34 AM

Pete’s comment is:

Why is Coffee left justified? Everything else is symmetrical…it just looks odd.

The idea is strong, but not well executed.

On May.12.2010 at 09:38 AM

Ray B.’s comment is:

Maybe they could use the slogan “good to the last drop.” At least that’s what it reminds me of…

On May.12.2010 at 09:43 AM

Zanda’s comment is:

All the elements are completely out of balance and as a result there is no harmony in the design. Type too small, coffee drop and circle too big …

On May.12.2010 at 09:46 AM

BetterRetail’s comment is:

I had no idea Seattle’s Best is owned by Starbucks.

On May.12.2010 at 09:46 AM

David’s comment is:

Portrays an important brand as a generic. Staff coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 09:50 AM

Leigh’s comment is:

It looks like Target developed their own line of coffee….

On May.12.2010 at 10:21 AM

Barclay D’s comment is:

It looks hip, compared to the lame old logo. It would make me go, unfortunately now I know they are just another part of the Starbucks empire, I’ll view from a far. I wish they could show the mug is more a mug and not a filled container for blood like many said a handful of times ahead of this post. It reminds me of a few places in NYC like Think Coffee for example. Straight up it’s cool, timeless…maybe not.

On May.12.2010 at 10:22 AM

@trudesign’s comment is:

It’s definitely more in line with modern logo design…but I appreciated and enjoyed the older logo’s aesthetic. It feels unfinished…too much spacing, and definitely blood banky. The title sits too low i think and the left justified feels unthought out.

On May.12.2010 at 10:27 AM

BJN’s comment is:

Seattle’s Best _________ (fill in the blank).

Coffee? I don’t see coffee here.
Milk, perhaps.
Nitric acid.
Liquid latex.
Whatever that white stuff was leaking out of the android in “Alien”.

I see a design solution that appears to be ready for a wide array of cheap, generic, viscous products. Airport coffee and hydraulic fluid.

Yum.

On May.12.2010 at 10:30 AM

Ryan K’s comment is:

It’s way too late for an April Fools right??

I have to say, I’m sad to see the logo go. It’s not fantastic, but it fits better than the new one and it has a sense of brand history and tradition. The new logo looks like some cheap, bad tasting, brand of coffee you’d buy at the dollar store, 5 pounds for a dollar.

On May.12.2010 at 10:38 AM

Nate’s comment is:

I’m not adverse to the minimal approach, but the type treatment seems unresolved and haphazard. I’m speaking primarily of the awkward negative space that falls to the right of “coffee,” creating an unintentional (?) point of tension.

One more thing to pick on execution-wise.

This may be more psychological/gestalt related, but I want to move that drop to the top of the circle. Seems unsettling leaving it at the bottom like that. Maybe it’s supposed to be an abstract tongue and mouth?

On May.12.2010 at 10:42 AM

Marco Moreno’s comment is:

I agree with everyone that said that it doesn’t scream coffee. Does anyone else feel the placement of the type a bit awkward? The alignment doesn’t sit with me.

On May.12.2010 at 10:45 AM

Austin’s comment is:

I think an update of the original logo may have been a better idea rather than creating a whole new identity.

However, Starbucks usually knows what they are doing while they are taking over the world!

On May.12.2010 at 10:46 AM

Winston’s comment is:

LarryW writes:
“So instead of keeping a good, clean, interesting logo with a classic look, they instead used a generic font (What is that, Helvetica? Arial? Futura?)”

Seriously??? You can’t recognize a common typeface (named in the article which you obviously didn’t read) nor tell the difference between Futura, Helvetica and Arial but feel qualified to give design criticism?? I agree they should get a new designer but you clearly proved you’re not one!

The design is overly simple and has that “designed by a committee to be safe” look, on par with the new Pepsi and Holiday Inn identities. Really surprised Creature did this though I have to wonder how many of their people are truly proud of this work. They should have gone with Hornall Anderson who did a much better job for Starbucks with the VIA brand identity.

On May.12.2010 at 10:48 AM

Eli’s comment is:

yeah, it looks like a gas station. lukoil?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/lt/0/02/Lukoil-logo.png

On May.12.2010 at 10:51 AM

rynot’s comment is:

blood bank.

On May.12.2010 at 10:55 AM

Todd Weber’s comment is:

I saw a coffee lid and what I assumed to be a smile (I second Jonny and Nick Campbell). I think this is a unique departure, but I like it. It sure gives Seattle’s Best some latitude in updating store interiors. I see this as a bold do-over.

On May.12.2010 at 10:56 AM

Joseph Sunga’s comment is:

It looks like a gas station company now. You can barely read the coffee aspect of the logo. I’m not totally excited about this change.

On May.12.2010 at 11:07 AM

jason Parry’s comment is:

wow at first i thought ‘what a nice clean logo!’ then i remembered there is a lot of recognition with the old mark… but then i didnt want to be resistant to change so i went with it… until someone said bloodbank… now thats all i see. :(

good logo and execution…but maybe not for them

On May.12.2010 at 11:08 AM

Ben Child’s comment is:

Applied to the cup, it reminds me far too much of the Target brand.

The second image I see is a face with a gaping mouth and ridiculous uvula hanging in the throat. Maybe looking too much into the imagery…

But, really? This is the design. It seems that they may have stepped away from trying to appeal to a consumer at all. Possibly perfectly appealing to chains and vending machines, but it doesn’t look like any coffee I’d ever consider purchasing.

On May.12.2010 at 11:08 AM

Lauren’s comment is:

CLINTON - thanks for posting the cup in brown. I am surprised to be writing this but I actually like the brown version.

Glad to see a national US brand this morning, and I am excited to see the new retail packaging for the supermarket coffee. Execution often changes my mind on new marks and — let’s face it — that old typography was a bit awkward.

This new Seattle’s Best looks like a leaner, faster, more contemporary animal.

On May.12.2010 at 11:11 AM

niko’s comment is:

love it, good to the last drop, last bloody drop.

The old one looks like a bargain brand found in convenience stores, unmemorable and undrinkable.

On May.12.2010 at 11:12 AM

Unit B’s comment is:

A truly unfortunate redesign. Since the word ‘generic’ has already been used so many times already, let me just say that the logo makes me want to look out the window to see if the gas pump is through filling the tank.

As for the Target remarks, Target has done some pretty ingenious design for its place in the market. They would NOT have done this; this is an A&P supermarket generic. There, I said ‘generic.’

Does Starbuck’s really own them? Makes me wonder then, if The Mothership did this on purpose to widen a gap between the two in order to boost their own prospects after a rough few years.

“…that “designed by a committee to be safe” look…” Good point, Winston. Does that strategy EVER work? Of course not; it only dilutes the end product.

On May.12.2010 at 11:15 AM

ChrisR’s comment is:

Dale: You are so right about Creature’s site—annoying AND pretentious. I quote: “We design and affect brand experiences with big culture-moving ideas that fuel conversations across social media and beyond.” Wow, culture-moving!!!! From an ad agency? Perhaps they are fueled by the Seattle’s Best bloodbank.

(BTW: I have had this coffee and it is mediocre, but then again, I think Charbucks brewed coffee tastes like dishwashing liquid).

On May.12.2010 at 11:18 AM

Jill’s comment is:

My first thought was watermelon.

I really like the idea of revamping the logo in this direction, but I feel they took the abstraction too far. I really want to see a handle on that coffee cup- I think it would make a world of difference. Of course, the circle outline would then need to be reconsidered…

I really would like to see the evolution of the design process on this one.

On May.12.2010 at 11:22 AM

Thomas Hedgeway’s comment is:

One man’s “clean and simple” is another man’s “generic and boring”. This man says the new logo is the latter.

On May.12.2010 at 11:24 AM

Brian Son’s comment is:

The comments themselves are perhaps the reaction we need.

Coffee is something that is great to visualize branding for — but put us all in the same room and we’ll probably think of the same things. Earth tones, browns, rustic, natural — boring. Isn’t that what everyone else is trying to do?

It’s very graphic, simple, and possibly awkward in its utter simplicity and most of all, context. Really? The bright red and the drop of liquid comes across more as blood, as another commenter noted. Donate blood with your latte today…

Change and difference. The change is so drastic it will either boost them greatly, or make them fail miserably, coupled with other marketing and business projects with a new brand — well, that’s another topic to discuss elsewhere.

I like it. Not just for the sake of visual awkwardness, but that’s drastically different from the original brand, different from other brands out there. I’m excited to see the executions and redesigns of stores. I’m curious, to know the change of perception in their customer base.

On May.12.2010 at 11:34 AM

Bb’s comment is:

Ouch! I was just blinded by the bright red web page http://www.seattlesbest.com/ where they showcase the new logo.

On May.12.2010 at 11:35 AM

ScottyM’s comment is:

This smells like Starbucks’ version of Target’s Up&Up house brand.

If that’s the case, success. But I stand by my original post that it’s unfinished and the dangling “Coffee” is peculiar, at best.

On May.12.2010 at 11:41 AM

Rachel’s comment is:

It looks like a subway or train station sign placed somewhere in Scandinavia. At first glance? Target. Just need the dog.

On May.12.2010 at 11:42 AM

Dan’s comment is:

the logo works for Dexter-associated java imbibing

On May.12.2010 at 11:48 AM

mm’s comment is:

Clinton, the brown looks great.

On May.12.2010 at 11:50 AM

Eric’s comment is:

My newest pet peeve is when people refer to flush left type as “left justified.” C’mon people, read your typography books.

On May.12.2010 at 11:50 AM

Don Simpson’s comment is:

Very sad. Beautiful old logo replaced by boring new one. At least it isn’t as bad a disaster as the Pepsi thing, which is actually ugly.

On May.12.2010 at 11:51 AM

amy’s comment is:

Great point, Eric. Having a premium coffee that is downmarket takes SBC out of direct competition with Starbucks and also gives the company a way to get deep into that market segment.

Although I understand the rationale behind the rebrand, I think they may have missed the boat by going with a logo that screams “convenience store.” If they are a premium coffee (debatable, I know) offered at ordinary places, they might have more success communicating that with a more upscale look.

On May.12.2010 at 12:00 PM

Jason Laughlin’s comment is:

In terms of a redesign for the stand-alone stores, I really don’t see how this is helpful in any way. Unless I’m literally in need of a coffee IV drip to avoid caffeine withdrawal, I don’t see myself walking into a place with that logo for a pleasant coffee experience.

However, I can understand a desire to streamline things a bit when the logo is going to be used in concert with other brands that have a decidedly different niche than a stand alone coffee shop, or even a Border’s cafe (BK, AMC, Subway).

In terms of color and form, I like the red and gray just fine and could become a calling card ala Starbuck’s green. They only become clinical due to the almost comical austerity of the mark. Formally I like the mark other than the questionable way the name breaks.

On May.12.2010 at 12:03 PM

Chris Rugen’s comment is:

I like it! It’s an interesting step to distinguish the brand, which is (I would bet) mostly conceptual since I bet most people don’t have a formed idea of what Seattle’s Best coffee tastes like relative to other coffees.

This look cleaves more closely to the Borders identity. I wonder if this is intentional. Though it is less woody and creamy, skewing toward a crisper, more metal-and-glass look.

I have no experience with the coffee, though I can assume it’s a step down from Starbucks, which is already an iffy starting point.

On May.12.2010 at 12:07 PM

Clinton’s comment is:

Bb,

OUCH! That website is literally an eyesore! Seriously, I think my retinas burned to a crisp from that.

And thanks guys, for liking the brown version. After seeing Seattle Best’s new website, I’d have to say even myself that it’s a far superior color choice than red.

On May.12.2010 at 12:07 PM

BB1970’s comment is:

At least place a handle on that half circle so it looks like a coffee cup.

On May.12.2010 at 12:08 PM

jen’s comment is:

I am no fan of the old logo’s dated fussiness, but wow…you’re right that this may be the most drastic rebrand ever published here. So they totally chucked everything about the old identity…for this?

Looks like a service logo. I get ‘gas station coffee’ from this, not ‘coffee shop.’

I think this is going to look dated very soon and they are going to regret this decision very quickly.

Wow.

On May.12.2010 at 12:13 PM

Steven Hoober’s comment is:

I like it a lot better then the old one. Seen it in use? They are in… what? Border? Something. The old faux-bespoke fussy logo blended into everything. And made me trust them not at all (along with a brand that includes the words “best”).

Agree color is odd, but I hope they just start using several. Look how easy the transition to brown was. And with the simple mark, textures and other effects can be applied to the background, so it should work with other treatments and on any surface. The old mark had to be pulled as a medallion (faux or not) everywhere.

On May.12.2010 at 12:14 PM

jen’s comment is:

I would also like to add that I like the brown version better than the red (which is apparently trying to be a nod to the brand’s history), and I also find the flush left type awkward.

I’m with Eric about the “left justified” comment. Where did that phrase come from?

Also interesting about Starbucks owning them. Since Starbucks is pretty much past it, I wonder if this is the company’s attempt to try to bring some hipness to one of their products.

Not that it worked.

On May.12.2010 at 12:23 PM

K. Benton’s comment is:

What jen’s said. Exceedingly generic. I don’t even see “Seattle’s Best”… just generic “Coffee”, like brand-less mockup products you see labeled “Milk”, “Soda”, “Cheese”, etc.

Awful, terrible idea.

On May.12.2010 at 12:27 PM

John Whorfin’s comment is:

It looks like a generic store brand, like at Target.

Ugh. Horribly bland.

On May.12.2010 at 12:28 PM

Daho’s comment is:

I think of the Tropicana rebranding, and how they spent millions to look like a generic store brand. I like clean and simple, but this one misses the mark.

And yeah, all I see now are blood drops.

On May.12.2010 at 12:31 PM

Jon H’s comment is:

It’s very, um, sanitary, and reminds me of signage meant to cross language boundaries.

It looks a bit like a sign for a bathroom at the UN or a German airport.

On May.12.2010 at 12:34 PM

xtophr’s comment is:

you know who else had their logo in a white circle in a red field?

/Godwin

On May.12.2010 at 12:35 PM

Jeff G’s comment is:

Absolutely soulless. It moves them toward Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds but takes them away from Starbucks, Caribou and the like. I sure hope they know what they’re doing.

On May.12.2010 at 12:37 PM

reed’s comment is:

Seattle’s Budget Coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 12:37 PM

Samuel Sutanto’s comment is:

I hope this is not real. I hope this is an early stage of design. As a seattleites, the change is truly disappointing.

On May.12.2010 at 12:40 PM

Cameron’s comment is:

Being someone that lives in the Northwest (Portland, Oregon) and being a student of Graphic Design (Portland State University) I really dislike the new approach to the Seattle Best Brand. On campus we have a few Starbucks (4 at least) and one Seattle’s Best and I am generally going to Starbucks occasionally I will hit up a local brew but mostly due to convenience, Starbucks is across the street from the Art Building.

But when I think of both brands togeather Starbucks and Seattle Best which Starbucks owns both, I always pictured Seattle’s Best as a little more upscale, classier establishment. They have a better sitting area, the layout of the store is better, the coffee is a little more dolled up (I generally order a White Chocolate Mocha, at Starbucks you get some whipped cream and call it good, at Seattle’s Best you get chocolate shaving etc.) and overall the experience of going to Seattle’s Best is a better experience, more one on one with the Brista. While at Starbucks you have 10 people being the counter and lines out the door.

So basically what I am getting at is the new logo / mark isnt working for Seattle’s Best based on how the store / already overall experience that you get when you go here. The old mark seems historical, traditional, classier, while the new mark seems most cheap, over done, less thought out etc. I am definitely sadden by the fact that they are trying to expand into Burger King, Movie theaters etc, this will cheapen the already strong brand.

On May.12.2010 at 12:41 PM

Brent Morris’s comment is:

my first thought was LUKoil, for obvious reasons.

On May.12.2010 at 12:50 PM

Ryan’s comment is:

It sounds like Seattle’s Best is trying to position themselves as both a premium brand and value brand at the same time. Creature should have read the brief and then said “no thanks” because this logo was destined for failure from the get-go. Borders should find a new exclusive coffee supplier like Intelligentsia in Chicago. Now there is a solid coffee identity, and hey! it doesn’t taste like armpit.

On May.12.2010 at 01:05 PM

Ken’s comment is:

I don’t get it. They’re taking a somewhat respected 40-year-old brand and making it look like a dot-com that some college dropout started last week. Is the new SBC going to sell coffee still or just condescension?

All it needs is a skateboarder with a faux-hawk screaming “it’s coffee, dudes! drink it!”.

On May.12.2010 at 01:10 PM

Steve’s comment is:

I didn’t key on the color nearly as much as the feeling of a toilet bowl along with something you do in it. Really. First Impression.

On May.12.2010 at 01:15 PM

Luis’s comment is:

Makes me think this coffee has no flavor, there is no connection of taste or flavor or even something you want to consume. Makes me feel I’m buying medicine.

On May.12.2010 at 01:17 PM

BK’s comment is:

Nice but I see tonsils, my first thought was to move “coffee” to the top to mirror the old logo, but then I really see tonsils.

On May.12.2010 at 01:22 PM

Nigel Tufnel’s comment is:

Pretty horrible, takes a classy logo and makes it generic and sterile. And yes, blood and oil are definitely things that come to mind when you see it. I don’t even drink their coffee (Peet’s rocks), but the old logo was nice, I don’t know why they need to tear it down and start over. How about improving your coffee to increase sales instead of masking it with a branding overhaul?

On May.12.2010 at 01:32 PM

Nigel Tufnel’s comment is:

This is very similar to the disastrous branding change that Tropicana did:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adcol.html

They were going for “clean” and “modern” (I guess), but it makes the product less appealing, boring and generic.

On May.12.2010 at 01:35 PM

EvaBabeDesigns’s comment is:

Looks like something that Target would be selling. The logo is just too basic and the name recognition has now flown out the window. I vote to bring back the old flavor!

On May.12.2010 at 01:37 PM

Nate’s comment is:

Looks like the Edmonton Oilers have started making coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 01:44 PM

Ezequias Viana’s comment is:

Também não pensei em Café quando vi.

On May.12.2010 at 01:54 PM

Atlanta personal injury lawyer’s comment is:

The implementation of the brand change should be interesting. I wonder if the logo change was brought about in order to fit in more with the companies they will be partnering with.

On May.12.2010 at 02:00 PM

A guy’s comment is:

Bad, bad, bad.

On May.12.2010 at 02:06 PM

Chuck Spidell’s comment is:

First glace, looks too sterile. Like a coffee brand you’d find in a hospital. Then again, the hospital I’m visiting carries their coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 02:13 PM

Chris from St. Paul’s comment is:

Government approved coffee.

On May.12.2010 at 02:38 PM

Shali’s comment is:

Meh. Looks like a generic coffee brand now form Target…

On May.12.2010 at 02:44 PM

Mike Mates’s comment is:

All I can think of is 4chan…

On May.12.2010 at 02:52 PM

Bob’s comment is:

So… they tried to create a unique identity based off looking like a generic paper cup coffee lid? Huh? I’m not sure how anyone can say this design is bold.

It’s flat. It’s sterile. It’s safe. It stinks.

On May.12.2010 at 02:53 PM

Gunter Soydanbay’s comment is:

The first comment is the best: makes me want to donate blood.

Seems like there is no bigger message than the logo change. What does a new logo mean? Why bother?

On May.12.2010 at 03:03 PM

Proverbial Thought’s comment is:

I’m usually the one out fighting back the simplicity police; but on this one I have to say simplicity wins. I actually love their old mark; but this new one really hits the… err.. ummm.. Mark for me. Looks good on cups, and will look good hanging on the walls of cafes IMO.

On May.12.2010 at 03:24 PM

David Timmerman’s comment is:

I guess I didn’t see blood when I first saw it….made me conjure up the idea of some cheap , injection molded appliance from the 1970s, lets say a plastic coffee maker in a color to match some deep red appliances, with a lame logo.

FAIL

On a side note, I think that Target coffee product riffed the Nixon Watch logo…..

On May.12.2010 at 03:28 PM

Elizabeth’s comment is:

It looks so cheap, tacky and generic not only will they not attract new customers, current customers might leave.

Who wants to hold that creepy looking cup? It makes me think of automotive parts…am I carrying around a cup of motor oil or brake fluid? Not tasty.

Some seem to treat their coffee like a status symbol and the new logo has no class. Bad move.

On May.12.2010 at 03:44 PM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

Seattle’s Best Plasma.

On May.12.2010 at 03:50 PM

David Timmerman’s comment is:

One more thing….

I think this era will be known in the logo world as the death of the original detail. I am no fan of the previous Seattle’s Best logo (which looks like it was created in the early or mid 1990s) but at least it has some detail.

There is one thing for cleaning up a classic logo, preparing for the digital age (see examples like The Hartford) removing dated accents (see Apple’s rainbow logo) but we have now moved into the a realm where all personality is removed, for what? To look sophisticated? To be cool?

It like the whole odd break-up-words-in-title-to-create-vertical wordmarks we are seeing - if everyone is using a variation of Gotham, is it really cool anymore? If you have ‘Best’ in the name, shouldn’t you have a serif somewhere?

I just wonder what they would have done if they would have been asked to redesign the Starbucks logo (shudder)

On May.12.2010 at 03:50 PM

Eric’s comment is:

That would take an Illustrator novice two minutes to knock out. Really ugly, generic, lame.

On May.12.2010 at 04:15 PM

Jeff Faria’s comment is:

Color’s wrong - suggests blood, as everyone seems to have noticed. Also, the fact that it’s a “drop” doesn’t work (blood, again). I realize the association with Maxwell House and all, but this company is not Maxwell House. (How about a coffee bean or a coffee cup icon, instead? As it stands, the big semicircle is nearly a coffee cup shape already. That could be a starting point.)

I realize the idea was to clean the thing up, but SOME of the type flavor could have been preserved, for continuity’s sake. (Presumably they do not have an ID they are trying to run from, but carry forward?) If the INTENT was to say ‘generic’, they have succeeded. If not, they have made a big mistake.

And that left-justified word ‘coffee’ looks like an error.

This does not look like a finished, thought-through product. It looks like an early mock-up. Shame.

On May.12.2010 at 04:47 PM

Zach O.’s comment is:

The new logo gives me the impression of oil/gas company not a coffee company.

On May.12.2010 at 04:58 PM

Topher’s comment is:

Why is everyone defecting to generic “Helvetica-ish” type. Don’t get me wrong, I love Helvetica on the right project but it just seems like so many brands are becoming generic for the sake of simplicity.

I would have loved to see a cross between the 2 logos, one with a sense of heritage yet simple and clean.

On May.12.2010 at 05:02 PM

zds’s comment is:

it look like it belongs with gap’s “RED” campaign

On May.12.2010 at 05:11 PM

Sean’s comment is:

BURN CREATURE BURN

On May.12.2010 at 05:25 PM

bigswift’s comment is:

At this point, why not drop “coffee” and just go with “Seattle’s Best”? I think we get it.

On May.12.2010 at 05:35 PM

Evniki K. Voyatzis’s comment is:

Whoah, the red on the website really hurt my eyes. Not good.

On May.12.2010 at 05:41 PM

Patrick’s comment is:

I’m under the general impression that “good to the last drop” is a) taken; b) trademarked; c) dated beyond any relevance. Oh, wait…this isn’t for that brand? My bad.

On May.12.2010 at 05:52 PM

da5id’s comment is:

Man, if I had turned in something like this on my graphic design course my tutor would have asked me, “did you do any research of coffee at all before you designed this?” That said, perhaps it’s what the company (foolishly) wanted.

On May.12.2010 at 06:07 PM

Giyen ’s comment is:

Oh dear.
It screams European - “Lavatory” signage.
Or this way to coffee and crapper at Target.

*sigh*

On May.12.2010 at 06:31 PM

Eric’s comment is:

@bigswift - yes, that is the answer. Good thinking.

On May.12.2010 at 06:38 PM

Tim Gengler’s comment is:

Similar to what others have said, the color palette, font choice, minimalist icon, and color especially all suggest a hospital.

If not blood, this seems too much like a Swiss design.

There’s nothing here suggesting Seattle or coffee, though. If it were a fruity beverage, that would be one thing. For coffee, this seems like a strange direction to take.

Overall, at best it seems an unpolished lateral move from generic, out-dated coffee id to generic, modern all-purpose id. I mean, I kind of like it… but it needs something to make it actually look like a brand.

On May.12.2010 at 07:16 PM

JohnD’s comment is:

TBS and SBC. Very funny.

On May.12.2010 at 07:22 PM

DJ Arrell’s comment is:

FAIL

On May.12.2010 at 07:22 PM

Marty’s comment is:

Looks like it was actually Mike Cina (YWFT) who did this. Makes a little more sense when you see it in a few different contexts… http://michaelcinaassociates.com/#407386/Seattle-s-Best-Coffee-Rebrand

On May.12.2010 at 08:30 PM

rolfsf’s comment is:

Yikes… reminds me of those generic beers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11581147@N06/4115790935/

Coffee
12 fl Oz.

On May.12.2010 at 08:47 PM

Chris’s comment is:

The current style of logos is largely this “Web 2.0” flat, modern look and it doesn’t really suit coffee in my mind.

If you compare this to the Starbucks logo, for example, it just doesn’t feel like coffee in any way or form. I understand going modern to blend in, but is there really a problem with a touch of a classic look in the coffee genre, alike to home mass-scale products like Foldgers.

On May.12.2010 at 09:21 PM

akrok design’s comment is:

o’boy! that’s not rebranding. that’s a new brand with a old/used name.

On May.12.2010 at 09:28 PM

Canistel Design’s comment is:

i really didn’t like it at first.. but in analyzing it for a bit, it kinda does look like a badge or something, actually proclaiming seattle’s best coffee.. the silver gradient border and white fill give it a pin-button like effect

my biggest issue is with the white droplet.. it just doesn’t make sense.. unless they are trying to point to the water used in making the coffee

i also think the type is too small for the size of the mark.. i’ll be other versions of the logo if they come about for different applications

though i’m not a fan of centered text, the left justification of “best” bothers me a bit as well.. i also can’t think of a better solution for the problem for this particular logo.. maybe right justified? (jk)

On May.12.2010 at 09:44 PM

Bill’s comment is:

I like it. Oh wait- I’m being +. Then I hate it and Creature should burn!! No wait- I do like it and Creature should not burn. I like them too. Let me guess- I’m stupid. Haters.

On May.12.2010 at 09:44 PM

Ray Rubio’s comment is:

Neat and clean is good but their execution with this is boring. At first glance, doesn’t look like a coffee parlor to me - some kind of yahoo emoticon?

On May.12.2010 at 09:48 PM

flask’s comment is:

A couple people already touched on this, but I think one of the big problems with this badge is that coffee never really exists in droplet form (with the exception of household drip coffeemakers). We tend to associate drops with rain, blood, tears, ink, oil, and for me, contact lenses. The only reason Maxwell House can have a droplet in their logo is because of their heavily promoted slogan. When I drink coffee, I sure as hell never take it one milliliter at a time.

But yeah, as others have said, my immediate impression was blood donation, motor oil, and cleaning supplies. In an age when McDonald’s is trying to make their budget coffee look more classy with stylish packaging and marketing, here comes Starbucks Corp. to try and cheapen what *was* a higher class brand in Seattle’s Best. Is the idea to fool people into paying more for coffee because the branding lures them into thinking it must be “our kinda coffee” if it has such a workaday logo?

On May.12.2010 at 10:03 PM

Flavius’s comment is:

Actually, my first thought was GAS STATION, not blood, but I can certainly understand the blood sentiment. This would make a terrific gas station logo! Maybe that’s the idea, right? Make you think you need coffee the same way you need gas!

On May.12.2010 at 10:23 PM

Greg’s comment is:

It’s an okay logo, not really suited for coffee, especially in bold red. What bothers me more, though, is how much was lost in translation between the old and new logos. They lost a lot of brand recognition.

On May.12.2010 at 10:52 PM

AaronY’s comment is:

My first thought was that it looks like a petroleum company. Not like something you would want to drink. The old one has a “tastier” design quality.

Also, the new one has a sterility to it that seems like it would belong to a medical supply company. The old one has a nice warmth to it that is inviting and cozy.

I’ve never drank a cup of coffee in my life so my impressions are in no way influenced by the actual taste of their product or a competitor’s product.

On May.12.2010 at 11:20 PM

drbinary’s comment is:

Wow, what is the world coming to? Nothing but a bunch of people who have nothing better to do than critique a new coffee logo. There is a massive oil spill going on, did u guys know that? What are your thoughts? Let me guess, its time for Web 2.0 fish right? Wow.

I do agree though, it loooks like crap, why would I go to burger king to get a cup of coffee when I get the same thing out of a vending machine. It looks generic because it is generic. It looks like cleaning chemicals from target and prob tastes like cleaning chemicals from target. I will never buy a cup of this coffee because the lable looks like crap, coffee must taste like crap. I’m done. :D

On May.12.2010 at 11:24 PM

Haley’s comment is:

It feels so…sterile.

On May.13.2010 at 12:08 AM

drbinary’s comment is:

Looking at it makes me feel sterile

On May.13.2010 at 12:11 AM

Beegure’s comment is:

EPIC FAIL!!! Shame on you.

This is a total joke right?? All you people who’ve been commenting have been fooled into thinking that this is real…and done by a real design house?! Hahahahahahahahaahahah.

My guess is college freshman’s silly little rebrand project because, this identity really and truly sucks. No risk, no cleverness, there’s nothing happening here! everything about it is off and wrong. Love how the word “coffee” is arbitrarily placed flush left. Must’ve got locked into their predictable cutesy circle design and had no where better to place the stinkin’ word. It’s all so darn awkward for a coffee brand, so out-of-place, disconnected, so junior’ish!!!!! Seriously? Shame on you student, I hope you earned your C- for this project. Please take some branding workshop courses for your
summer studies—do something for jeeber’s sakes!! Your rebrand design is tired and completely uninspired.

On May.13.2010 at 12:27 AM

Joshua Robin’s comment is:

This makes more sense.

On May.13.2010 at 12:39 AM

Robert’s comment is:

Make it dark blue-purple not red and it will be perfect.

On May.13.2010 at 01:32 AM

helloear’s comment is:

my first thought was why they went grey instead of the signature gold color. it is much less sterile and ALMOST makes one look at the logo and wish they heartwarming cup of coffee in their hands. almost. anyway, i don’t visit this site much but it’s interesting and i’ll have to return! oh, and you did warn me about the SB website… but it was so much worse than i could have imagined.

ps please forgive me for not bothering to properly match the color.

On May.13.2010 at 01:55 AM

Gunther’s comment is:

While the new logo can be misinterpreted for a blood bank, the old one can be misinterpreted for a brewery.

On May.13.2010 at 02:18 AM

Annette’s comment is:

Good lord. Whose bright idea was this? I actually do like Seattle’s Best coffee. It’s what I keep in my pantry. But this is just sad. It feels so cheap, which would be okay if it were a cheapo generic brand. But it’s not, so why do this? Blah.

On May.13.2010 at 02:51 AM

Sam’s comment is:

Paint? Ink? Blood? Oil? Social networking site?

I also agree with earlier comments - the left justified text is annoying, and the old logo did look like a brewery.

On May.13.2010 at 03:07 AM

Adria’s comment is:

Cold and without taste appeal

On May.13.2010 at 05:09 AM

xxl’s comment is:

Here’s a topic for future discussion…”left-justified”?? Sorry, no such thing. I can’t believe how widely this incorrect typography terminology is used…mostly by folks who don’t know their universe from their minion. Here’s something many of you should learn if you want to keep seasoned art directors like myself from cringing and wondering if you realize just having a mac doesn’t make you a designer: flush right, flush left, rag right, rag left, justify, force justify. Get it right — after all it’s typography 101 for crying out loud…! I feel better…thanks.

On May.13.2010 at 06:52 AM

Tom’s comment is:

Sorry, don’t like it. It looks too corporate and shallow. The old logo had a much warmer and independent feel. FAIL.

On May.13.2010 at 07:35 AM

BWJ’s comment is:

It’s going to stand out incredibly on the supermarket shelves and catch your eye in the busy fast-food environments where this coffee will be sold. For those reasons I think it wins.

I admit I thought TBS funny when I first saw it, but in the world of coffee it’s fresh and fun, which is what they wanted to portray.

I’m looking forward to seeing the implementation of the full brand.

On May.13.2010 at 07:57 AM

benulous’s comment is:

The teardrop on the new picture pretty much sums up what I think of the new logo.

On May.13.2010 at 08:16 AM

Anthony Lane’s comment is:

Standard Brand New hate/overreaction. While the look may not match the name well, I think this is still an effective design. It’s more up to speed with the 21st century, and kicks that cheesy label like design to the curb. Not the best work, but still effective.

On May.13.2010 at 08:42 AM

Steve McFarland’s comment is:

It brought to mind the Tropicana rebrand for me, but everyone else is ever more on point with Target. I, too, love the brown version. Well – it’s better than this.

The old one was overwrought, but I just can’t imagine why anyone would choose to move to something that might as well be, as Armin says, for soap or frozen yogurt!

On May.13.2010 at 09:41 AM

David’s comment is:

The tear drop looks strange and out of place. If it were removed the logo might work in a new way, almost like you were peering through a circle window on the cup to see the coffee inside.

On May.13.2010 at 10:03 AM

David’s comment is:

Remember when logos used to be called trademarks. From here on out I am never going to use the word logo again. Logo sounds like lego. Lego my logo, Yo.

On May.13.2010 at 10:08 AM

GroundskeeperWillie’s comment is:

I get the idea that to some, coffee is more important than blood, and that it is the means by which they function….okay, point made. But does that analogy make a good brand?

I just have an incredibly hard time believing that: 1. this design made it out of the internal reviews without somebody doing a Bela Lugosi impersonation everytime a variation was pinned-up.
2. that the client bought-off on it.

The brand’s signature color is red, so keeping that makes some sense from a branding perspective, but so do thousands of other companies. Other than that, there’s nothing here recognizable. The brand is gone.

Maybe that’s the point? This is the visual embodiment of more than just a rebrand, this looks more like a full-on repositioning. What that brand promise or value prop is now, seems to be generic — “Seattle’s Best: when you just need something that looks like coffee, and aren’t too particular.”

Either that, or the agency and the client’s AMM are just super keen on the “oversimplified Target-look” fad, and just wanted an excuse to use it.

Having said all that, the case could be made that this mark could be part of a larger evolutionary rework — the endgame of several years of mid-steps of design and messaging simplification.

However, they didn’t go that route deciding instead to toss everything out. So, do they know something about their equities and consumers brand recognition of them, that allowed them to think shifting from first to fifth brandwise was a viable path? They must’ve, but I’d love to see the consumer insight and research that formed the strategy that led them here.

On May.13.2010 at 10:46 AM

Brian Rodda’s comment is:

Red is dead; green is keen!

On May.13.2010 at 12:21 PM

mat’s comment is:

Great post.

If they felt they needed to simplify the logo I would have rather they go in the direction that Good Housekeeping went, by keeping the look of the old one but simplifying it.

http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/this_logo_comes_with_a_twoyear.php

It does seem radical compared to the old one. This is the one instance that the customers are going to do a double-take when they walk into their local coffee shop.

On May.13.2010 at 12:49 PM

Thomas Pauly’s comment is:

Looks like an oil company’s logo.

On May.13.2010 at 12:52 PM

Stacey Fischer’s comment is:

@GroundskeeperWillie’s: Thank you. Thank you for considering the audience that Creature & Starbucks may have been thinking about in this reincarnation of SBC. I’ve worked with Starbucks before, and my guess is that they tasked Creature with creating more distinction from the Starbucks brand and SBC in terms of perceived value. Starbucks being “better,” while SBC being “good” or “good enough” if you will. If SBC is being sold at Burger King, Subway, etc., the old SBC logo is a little too premium in its design — it doesn’t say, “I’m cheap/affordable,” or “Anyone can buy me.” It feels a bit more crafted. But the new logo certainly feels affordable.

From a branding and positioning perspective, I think Creature got it right. The new logo speaks to the people that want inexpensive, on-the-go coffee. By maintaining the SBC red, they maintain a thread or nod to the former brand. By creating a pleasant visual cue to the actual form factor of the to-go lid they reinforce the idea of coffee and the experience and joy we have when drinking it.

My issues with the design is that it does feel too much like Dunkin Donuts, and I’m a fan of creating more distinction from your competitors — not creating a “me too” logo. The other issue I have is that by establishing the look of the logo/brand on the form factor of that lid will they have to redesign the logo if there is some new shift in disposable cup design? Then there’s the question of corporate responsibility to the environment of promoting more plastic lids to dispose of. I agree with the typographical arguments listed above, not to mention that the word “Coffee” retreats in the light gray.

Ultimately, I think it’s a nice logo. It’s not a great logo, but I think it will address the audience that SBUX & SBC are going for.

On May.13.2010 at 01:15 PM

Jon’s comment is:

I think it’s time to move “Seattle’s Best” back to Vashon Island where it started. Assembling a group of creative islanders could resurrect the SBC brand faster that the high priced agency that created this lightweight result. Like others, I’m amazed that Starbucks actually bought off on this. If they’re really interested in enhancing the Seattle’s Best brand, they need to go back to the drawing board - and get a new creative team.

On May.13.2010 at 01:19 PM

Ron’s comment is:

From History and Warmth to sterile and lifeless. Does this mean my coffee will no longer have flavor?

On May.13.2010 at 01:20 PM

Clarice’s comment is:

It looks like so many other generic signs…subways, public restrooms, bus signs, etc. Definitely not what I associate with a premium coffee brand. And who hung the word coffee on the left…good grief, it looks like they forgot something!

On May.13.2010 at 01:27 PM

Jonna Isaac’s comment is:

While I often think cleaner is best, this is just not working. I totally agree with everyone on here who said it looks like a blood bank. The red with the grey is so sterile and even medical looking. I like the color changes that some have posted, even just changing the minimally used grey to a more familiar golden yellow changed the tone significantly.

I also thinking they successfully stripped all of the character out of their old logo. It no longer has history or depth or a story to it. I can definitely understand wanting to freshen and update the brand, but this was just way overboard.

On May.13.2010 at 01:34 PM

Katie’s comment is:

It looks like it should say

Costco
Coffee

instead of

Seattle’s Best
Coffee

It’s a shame, especially since I love the style of the new logo in general. It is exactly my style, and yet even my bias isn’t enough to get me on board with this one.

I think it could be salvaged with changes to the color palate. Clinton’s mock-up above would help a ton. They need to introduce some kind of brown and work the red and gold that we all associate with Seattle’s Best into the logo.

On May.13.2010 at 01:42 PM

vDev’s comment is:

I love simplicity but this design doesn’t work as well as it could or should have. @clarice’s maybe they thought that they could incorporate a marketing strategy by placing the new logo on the front of their restroom doors and in place of bus stop signs and subway signs around town.

Is that a restroom or can I get coffee in there?

Did anyone actually go to the site? Crap I think I’m blinded!!! Who the hell thought a blinding red color would be a great visual for people to look at —

Google Analytics Report (http://www.seattlesbest.com/):
Bounce Rate = 99.9%
Avg. Time on Site = 00:00:01

On May.13.2010 at 01:42 PM

Marcia’s comment is:

It belongs in a vending machine. But as a consumer I would be angry at not getting a poker hand printed on my cuppa mud.

On May.13.2010 at 02:05 PM

dane’s comment is:

I don’t get it. Starbucks is one of the most brand/identity conscious companies on the planet. Why would they do this? Was SBC competing too well in the market against the main Starbucks company, so they felt like they needed to sabotage it? I don’t get it.

On May.13.2010 at 02:16 PM

Glenn’s comment is:

Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Reminds me of my teething infant…

On May.13.2010 at 02:16 PM

Neil’s comment is:

Are they trying to kill another coffee choice?? Even though they own Seattle’s Best looks to me like Starbucks is trying to kill sals and people from wanting to purchase the cofee. In the article StarBucks admits to “neglecting” the coffee brand….and the reason was???? I think we all know.

On May.13.2010 at 02:17 PM

Samuel Gualtieri’s comment is:

I masked around the logo in Photoshop CS5 and filled with Content-Aware and this came out:

On May.13.2010 at 02:37 PM

EnergonCube’s comment is:

The logo is boring and lifeless. BUT WORSE YET…. Creature’s website.

On May.13.2010 at 04:50 PM

BP’s comment is:

@Clinton’s brown version: It now makes you think of sperm bank instead of blood bank with a hint of scatology.

On May.13.2010 at 04:52 PM

brian’s comment is:

dharma initiative meets oil company

good call, @brent morris!

On May.13.2010 at 05:55 PM

Brandon Oxendine’s comment is:

Larry W. needs to be banned from commenting on this blog.

Ugh. And all these pictures…when did those become allowed?

Anyway, the logo is bland. Everyone said it. Everyone says the same thing.

On May.13.2010 at 06:19 PM

MSGDS’s comment is:

I am shocked! I can’t believe they would do this. I like Seattle’s Best Coffee and thought they had a pretty good logo. The new design is very generic, cheap looking, and should not be compared to the original one. If they choose to go this direction, they’re making a huge mistake.

On May.13.2010 at 08:33 PM

Kevin Tucker’s comment is:

On May.13.2010 at 08:35 PM

flask’s comment is:

@Stacey Fischer
I guess my question is still, why would they *want* to “affordablize” the brand this much? I admit that I felt compelled to try McDonald’s coffee again for the first time in years when they rolled out the new tan, black & brown McCafe scheme. It not only looked classier than the old plain white styrofoam cup, but something about that brown made me thirsty for a good coffee. Of course, once I tried it, I realized it wasn’t much better than before (despite the switch to 100% arabica beans), but every now and then that black and brown compels me to give it another shot!

But this redesign just confuses me. Unless they lower the price of their coffee to match the look of this logo, I don’t foresee it being terribly successful.

On May.13.2010 at 09:17 PM

kerry morrison’s comment is:

Here’s the thing about criticizing something like this. How do any of us know that it misses anything? I haven’t read the strategy doc behind it, nor am I aware of how this will be integrated and used across their marketing efforts.

What I can say is that this new, vector’ish design will reproduce a lot better online and in video than the old one. I can say that pretty confidently that it will stand out in the marketplace, least when it comes to the other coffee companies with retail locations. I know that red is bold and strong and will draw some eyes.

We’re all too quick to judge based on personal preference. All of us.

Much of what I do these days is talk straight with clients and try to bring a clearer reality to their expectations, plans and goals. To get them to forget emotion and preference and look at how to accomplish business objectives and I can’t say that this new mark won’t do it.

On May.13.2010 at 09:32 PM

adamredwoods’s comment is:

simpler is not always better. old logo = classic.

On May.13.2010 at 10:06 PM

Katie’s comment is:

@BP: No, it makes *you* think of that.

Ew. :)

On May.13.2010 at 11:16 PM

Tim’s comment is:

I’m a consumer, not a designer. Presumably this logo is aimed at folks like me. When I saw the two logos side by side at the top of this page I thought the old logo looked cool, and the new logo looked boring.

I didn’t see a smily face, or the lid of a coffee cup, or anything else cute or clever that a designer might see. In fact, I hardly saw anything at all; the new logo seems designed to make me look PAST it—to overlook it entirely as not worth my attention. The old logo got my attention and commanded me to see what the text said. The new logo said the text wasn’t very important and that my eyes should keep going.

To my unsophisticated, but highly desirable (as I drink a lot of coffee) the old logo virtually shouts “Look here for good coffee!” while the new logo says, “you might be able to get coffee here, if you don’t mind that it’s just okay.”

On May.13.2010 at 11:30 PM

Huntley Brinkley’s comment is:

Looks like packaging you’d find for coffee at the local gas station.
Completely de-values the brand.

On May.14.2010 at 12:36 AM

bleuboi’s comment is:

yall know howard the rat is doing this on purpose…

him and his big nose should be chased out town…

On May.14.2010 at 01:35 AM

Helen ’s comment is:

Whilst the old logo was pretty horrific, the new one just gives minimalism a bad name. I think charity, blood, or water, in that order. Certainly not coffee.

On May.14.2010 at 01:56 AM

Kathryn’s comment is:

Ya, know, I really don’t like generic. The original logo has some class. The new one sucks.
If I get a cup with the new logo, do I get a pint of A- red to go with it. And will SBC pay me for my 16 ounces rather than my paying them?
And shouldn’t this cup really be the rebranded coffee cup for the Transylvania United football team?

On May.14.2010 at 02:19 AM

MAV’s comment is:

Now I know vampires are the cool thing these days but I think this is taking it a little too far.

On May.14.2010 at 02:34 AM

ar’s comment is:

Hmm…. tasteful logo if I am in the market for disgusting and cheap coffee. Though I guess that’s perfect for Starbuck’s.

On May.14.2010 at 08:43 AM

Kevin M’s comment is:

Total disaster. Looks like it’s designed by same people who attempted to re-design Tropicana OJ package last year.

On May.14.2010 at 09:18 AM

Patrick’s comment is:

yuck…

On May.14.2010 at 10:08 AM

qwertyale’s comment is:

it’s not coffee maybe a H1N1 vaccine center campaign badge for Seattle citizens

On May.14.2010 at 10:58 AM

Abi’s comment is:

The new logo isn’t necessarily a bad logo by itself. But as a re-brand of the previous one, I just couldn’t make the connection of how someone could logically go from exhibit A to exhibit B.

Then there was Eric’s comment:
This makes sense. Before, to the consumer, Seattle’s Best brand experience was similar to Starbucks. Since Starbucks owns Seattle’s Best, they were cannibalizing their own sales. With this change, the difference is clear. Seattle’s Best is to Starbucks like Old Navy is to the Gap. The lesser brand. I view this as Starbucks’ way to take on Dunkin Donuts market share for people who view Starbucks as too expensive and elitist.

Ah, it’s all coming together now. While I don’t find the new logo as tasteful or appealing as the first, if this re-brand is a business strategy (as most are!) to elevate the perceived value of Starbucks while allowing them to still sell (Seattle’s Best) coffee to people who would are more apt to buy coffee from McD’s or Dunkin Donuts, then it works.

Well played Starbucks. However, it’s sad that a solid logo had to take the fall.

On May.14.2010 at 12:53 PM

Jennifer le Roux’s comment is:

I like the fact that the drop looks like an open mouth looking surprised, like what ever is in the cup is really special. The logo was red before, it doesn’t look like blood to me. Very sheik and classy.

On May.14.2010 at 01:04 PM

Jesse Mellon’s comment is:

I don’t hate it — given the segment they’re targeting (AMC, vending, etc.), I think this fits much better than their fussy existing logo, and differentiates them from their more premium daddy brand. If their coffee is aimed at the Target crowd, they might as well fully embrace the look :) The drip, as others mentioned, reminds me a little of oil (or a runny nose).

I appreciate the use of red as a nod to the past, although my initial reaction was “wow, that’s a lot of red ink being used for the cups.”

On May.14.2010 at 01:51 PM

Tim Hogan’s comment is:

Anyone else see “TBS: Very Funny” in this?

On May.14.2010 at 03:10 PM

Joseph Singer’s comment is:

The new logo is just plain ugly. The logo that they’ve been using for years is an attractive logo which I cannot say for the new “improved” logo.

Some things are better left unchanged. Minute Maid learned the hard way. If they truly have changed to this ugly logo I’ll probably never buy their coffee again. I can afford to be picky since I live in Seattle and I’ve got lots to choose from.

On May.14.2010 at 06:58 PM

Freewheelin'’s comment is:

Google “clean water logo” and look at all the similar stuff.

Also, let’s keep Schultzie’s latest flub in perspective. The brand began as Stewart Brothers Coffee on Vashon Island. It was good coffee then. When SBUX bought it they improvised “SBC” then “Seattle’s Best Coffee,” and genericized it.

The reality is it’s some of Seattle worst coffee. It’s the only coffee I’ve ever dumped into the gutter after over-spending on a double tall latte of it. Twice!

Donate blood? To Schultz and his “new and improved” logo? No, thanks. Been there, done that, bought Sonics tickets.

On May.14.2010 at 09:45 PM

Jeremy McFarren’s comment is:

I don’t not like it.

The old one looks too much like a “warm, happy” contemporary version of an 1970’s over-drawn logo. The new one is cleaner, but still has a bit of the retro “We Love Helvetica” feel to it.

On the negative: it looks slightly like an 10970’s oil company logo.

On May.15.2010 at 07:20 AM

monomatica’s comment is:

Funny comments & redesigns! I actually never liked the old branding and always felt their coffee kiosks in super markets were boring. Losing the “beer/heritage” look doesn’t bother me in the least. I have a tendency toward clean & modern design, which is what the new ID reminds me of. I do think a bit of espresso brown mixed in with the red would make it feel more like coffee (plus that’s a great color combo), but I don’t mind the drop (vampires are in, hello?!)

I would like to see the other applications and the full identity system in order to make a better judgement. For example, when you posted the styleguide pages from the Jack in the Box rebrand created by Duffy, it made more sense as a whole vs. just seeing the logo alone.

Anyway, I think I kinda like it. Considering the market they are moving into, I think it’s a good move.

On May.15.2010 at 04:12 PM

Cindy G’s comment is:

I would be interested in knowing what the brand perceptions are for Seattle’s Best Coffee. My hope is the ‘simple’ look and feel of the logo was not done simply to emulate a new ‘less is more’ visioning without a sense of where they are going with this. At a gut level, it feels like a gas station brand. Unfortunately, I feel nothing. And no matter how you pour it, that can’t be a good thing.

On May.15.2010 at 07:00 PM

Rich’s comment is:

Seattle’s Best is generally considered to be a milder flavor than Starbucks. I think a lot of us in Seattle are aware they are the same company these days.

Personally, I wish they would have modernized one of their older logos: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2010/05/11/2011839187.jpg

Also, the gold ring the commenter above used instead of gray was a nice improvement.

Could be so much better.

On May.15.2010 at 08:28 PM

Jerrine Regester’s comment is:

I think the “drip” looks like a Seattle rain drop. This new logo does not contribute much to a well-executed rebrand, in my opinion. But it doesn’t want me to donate blood any more than I already do!

On May.16.2010 at 12:39 PM

T Z’s comment is:

This trend of making things look like generic supermarket logos from the 70s is getting too overly done. This is a BAD rebrand, there was nothing wrong with the previous logo!

On May.17.2010 at 02:43 PM

mike721ct’s comment is:

Makes me think of Target’s Up & UP brand or Walmart’s Great Value Brand.

On May.17.2010 at 06:50 PM

Ammar’s comment is:

Can we have a Face Book campaign to bring back the old logo… maybe the company will listen!!!

On May.18.2010 at 05:42 AM

Rebecca’s comment is:

Although personally I don’t like it at all, it does fit the market - fast food, vending machines, etc. I won’t be drinking their coffee though.

On May.18.2010 at 09:24 AM

Harald’s comment is:

It’s too radical. Doesn’t have much appeal. Not distinctive. It is clean and modern. However, is clean and modern what you want to look like when you are a company like Seattle’s Best, or would you want to focus on tradition, experience etc?

On May.19.2010 at 10:31 AM

Jason’s comment is:

Clinton’s brown is much better. The first thing I thought seeing the red is that someone screwed it up. Red is flashy and great for fast cars and weekend sales at target. Use an earth tone to distinguish your premium brand from the others.

On May.19.2010 at 06:34 PM

Matt’s comment is:

The word Coffee is left justified because, if it was centered it would become a nose.

On May.19.2010 at 08:03 PM

james’s comment is:

im a designer and want things to look better, and actually look like someone designed it, and not have something be designed by a focus group.

so i hate it. I literally think it looks like blood, because only drops can be blood.

can change a logo all you want. try changing the product. the coffee is terrible.

i really don’t see how the old logo could be considered good or classic. its awful. it looks like everything else. “hey we make coffee, lets make it look like any other badge on a coffee bag or cup.”

something isn’t classic, because you’re too afraid to change it.

kudos to taking a chance, god only knows how many people this went through, its always nice to see DESIGN come through. (though i don’t think everything has to look so modern.)

On May.19.2010 at 08:14 PM

james’s comment is:

in addition,

i dont really love or like it though, something better could of been done.

On May.19.2010 at 08:16 PM

gosauce’s comment is:

This looks like seattle’s best is a sell-everything store and this is their coffee. I mean you could totally put “Safeway” instead of “Seattle’s Best” and it would look like generic Safeway brand coffee.

On May.19.2010 at 08:48 PM

Danny’s comment is:

sorry for the rudeness, but I think I can “poop” out a better logo than this.
it’s not simplistic, its amateur.
I think they had a 5 second logo contest & that’s what they slapped together..

Seattle’s Best: try again!!

On May.19.2010 at 09:34 PM

Rihanna’s comment is:

This looks terrible. Im a huge fan of Seattle’s Best and usually prefer it over Starbucks or Peet’s. However, this intended new look will definitely deter me and most consumers from this much loved brand. It looks like a sterile cup filled with instruments for surgery, either that or a cheap cheap tacky off color cup of coffee found across the interstate at gas stations. No! I say, lets get creative to the overpaid board of execs overlooking this crappy logo!

On May.19.2010 at 10:05 PM

Ben’s comment is:

The difference in the before and after is huge. With the direction Starbucks is taking Seattle’s Best I think the change is needed and headed in the right direction. It looks as the logo was designed to work with/on many applications and I’m sure the type will be used in a separate approach. Not sure if I can say I like it or hate it. Best to let it marinate a little bit and see how it evolves.

On May.19.2010 at 10:54 PM

Melanie’s comment is:

I cringe every time I see a company ditch its character for sterile, sans-serif, turn-of-the-millennium. This fad is going to look so dated in just a few years when everyone wants texture and soul, not homogeneity.

I tend to design from the “less is more” school, but this is just pathetic. There is no brand.

On May.19.2010 at 11:14 PM

Tony N’s comment is:

Melanie - agreed. Not EVERY brand need to go sans-serif, modern, simple. There is something to be said for texture, craft and soul. Love or hate the old identity, at least it had elements to leverage on other touchpoints and materials. Look at how rich the palette is on their old site. Lots to work with and not more of the same.

On May.19.2010 at 11:46 PM

HK’s comment is:

I like it. Simple and clean. Not a convoluted mess of flourishes that gives one a headache.

On May.20.2010 at 02:19 AM

Joseph’s comment is:

I don’t like it. PERIOD!

Hmm… that’s exactly what it makes me think of.

Menstruation & Coffee… I just threw up!

On May.20.2010 at 09:44 AM

Sean DL’s comment is:

Yahoo has picked up on the story and comments here:

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109607/seattles-best-coffee-stirs-up-heated-opinions

On May.20.2010 at 10:26 AM

Beau Guss’s comment is:

*
Maybe a happy medium instead.

* Seattle’s Best Coffee is a trademarked brand (that I don’t own) and this is for entertainment purposes only.

On May.20.2010 at 11:29 AM

dez’s comment is:

OMG. why can’t Clients ever understand the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy? it’s such a shame as strong coffee equity has already been built with the previous logo. and now, so many visual cues are being associated… is it a bloodbank? a teardrop? rain? someone’s open-mouth smile?

you can make it orange and it’ll look like a slice of citrus.

On May.20.2010 at 08:02 PM

Kathleen Lota’s comment is:

Ouu, bad idea. It doesn’t get more generic than that. I’m all for exploring an updated look but this is night and day. It has no relation to the previous look and it literally looks like ‘no frills’. How delicious that must taste. Bloodbank, he he he.

I bet they will make a change back like all the other bad logo ideas. That being said, did Pepsi switch back? That new logo was GOD AWFUL.

On May.20.2010 at 11:16 PM

Jared Bollman’s comment is:

Beau Guss it looks like Seattle should have hired you. It’s pretty sad that they paid for what they’ve put out there. The first thought I had when I saw it was was blood bank. The second though I had for some reason was Grief Counsling don’t know why

On May.21.2010 at 02:08 PM

gotsparkles’s comment is:

Yikes. Really, it’s all been said. Soul-less design, ugly color combination. Exceedingly generic and “budget” feel to the new logo. Agreed that “premium” coffee doesn’t mesh with “Subway, Burger King…”
On a positive note, REALLY enjoyed the fun folks are having with their own logo designs / modifications!

On May.21.2010 at 02:22 PM

pking’s comment is:

Looks like a Target brand.

On May.21.2010 at 02:48 PM

Bill’s comment is:

I am a consumer rather than a graphic designer. The new logo is too generic. It looks like something you’d see on a package of cookies in the bulk food aisle of a grocery store. Neither the color nor the graphic convey, “Hey man! You just gotta have a cup of this java!”

If the new logo were signage in an airport, I’d probably just walk on by. It looks like one of those international wordless logos that might mean, “first aid kit nailed to the wall here,” or the like.

If I were jonesing for a cup of joe in an airport, I’d probably seek out somethng that looks more like the old logo. The old design suggests a brand with a storied tradition that might have been around long enough to have learned how to make a cup of coffee that actually tastes good.

Did they actually run the new logo by any focus groups?

On May.21.2010 at 02:50 PM

Mark Eissler’s comment is:

Wow. Considering it looks an awful lot like our logo (which we’ve used since 2001):

http://www.mixtur.com

…I’m flattered.

Clearly, they’re trying to reposition SBC at a lower end of the coffee market. Makes sense for Starbucks but a shame for the brand.

On May.21.2010 at 03:34 PM

Jerry’s comment is:

Ha! With the whole vampire fad going on in entertainment these days who knows… maybe a cup of red liquid is marketable? :)

I get the generic logo thing and why not since they have a generic name to match…

I’m a little late to this conversation but when I saw this logo a couple days ago my first thought and reaction was like a lot of people here… open up Illustrator and see what it would look like in “coffee” color…

On May.21.2010 at 07:00 PM

Landon Helget’s comment is:

Hey do you guys have a Twitter account I could follow? I’m sick of using RSS feeds! Well anyways I submitted your blog to Digg and Jumptags for ya. Great post, I’ll be back for sure!

On May.22.2010 at 12:06 AM

Primo Angeli’s comment is:

Unfortunately, this is often typical of ad agency work designed for short-term flash. A formidable brand design group would never allow the development of a long-term brand to look and feel and taste so shallow.

HAL RINEY’s ad agency would never have allowed this.

The forces that be should have enlisted the sense and value of a good ad agency in their advertising and placement of a trademark with long-term value.

On May.22.2010 at 04:02 AM

Alex Penny’s comment is:

what were they thinking

On May.22.2010 at 11:10 AM

LA-Jimm’s comment is:

Love it!

On May.23.2010 at 05:25 PM

Lee’s comment is:

I was trying to imagine how Seattle’s Best Coffee could get out of this rather unfortunate design without loosing too much face!? Still no award winner, or finished properly, but may allow for a compromise….

On May.24.2010 at 08:41 PM

phanyxx’s comment is:

They’ve thrown away the brand’s equity. Now the logo is as forgettable as the coffee.

On May.27.2010 at 02:07 PM

Isabelle’s comment is:

I had only one reaction when I looked at this: “Oh no, not again.” Because the systematic generification of brands is annoying me. Wal-mart? Back to basics. Philadelphia History Museum? Away with flair. Not that flair is good when it means they pack on the cheese, but someone has to start using bold typefaces and graphics again…until that becomes generic and we go back to basics again.

On May.27.2010 at 11:52 PM

Ahmed Razmi’s comment is:

I do live by the rule “Simplicity is the best form of sophistication”, but this one is not simple or mind striking, else its the most overly done simple re-branding i have ever seen. It reminds all other things other than coffee. Could have made a lot better if they want it to be simple and generic. I believe the old one had lot of character and class to it. They should have retained the flavor of the original. Yrying to be too clever spoils creativity..Is it a deliberate brand kill or a logo by one of the clerical/managerial employee done on a word processor to save designer fee???

On May.30.2010 at 12:37 PM

Jorge’s comment is:

The new logo just doesn’t seem finished. It feels empty. This is definitely at the first or second draft stage. Also, it doesn’t say “coffee”.

On Jun.02.2010 at 12:32 PM

Mathisworks’s comment is:

I sometimes wish I could pump coffee directly into my veins, but that explanation would be a stretch.

On Jun.07.2010 at 09:07 PM

sildenafil’s comment is:

This looks terrible. Im a huge fan of Seattle’s Best and usually prefer it over Starbucks or Peet’s. However, this intended new look will definitely deter me and most consumers from this much loved brand. It looks like a sterile cup filled with instruments for surgery, either that or a cheap cheap tacky off color cup of coffee found across the interstate at gas stations. No! I say, lets get creative to the overpaid board of execs overlooking this crappy logo!

On Jun.09.2010 at 01:31 PM

Mark’s comment is:

It’s okay but it needs more work.

On Jun.09.2010 at 09:39 PM

Mark’s comment is:

I take that back there was nothing wrong with the old logo why change it? This needs a little more work.

On Jun.09.2010 at 09:42 PM

KUDEH’s comment is:

at first it looks like a SOUP Bowl

then looks infant FOOD spilling

then OIL or gas station

BLOOD… maybe because of the TWILIGHT fever hehe

On Jun.16.2010 at 08:09 AM

MJS’s comment is:

Gray and red for coffee. Wow. Stark design to connote rich and bold. It’s steel and blood, the new coffee. Amazing trendsetters, really. Like, brilliant, even.

Removing tongue from cheek, I just can’t get past the resemblance to Lucky Strike…

http://www.nubo.ru/coaster/fishki/lucky_strike.jpg

On Jun.16.2010 at 12:20 PM

movelab’s comment is:

Whoa, less is not necessarily more. This mark has been stripped of any personality and whittled down to a stark, generic, meaningless graphic that has all the warmth of a road sign. What an incredibly rich category to be playing in….sensory and vibrant.

Besides being downright boring, my tastebuds just went on strike after one viewing.

On Jun.17.2010 at 01:57 PM

MACKMARINE’s comment is:

Firstly, I will say that if there is NO tinkering with the coffees inside, then the only thing the new logo does for me is to allow me to find it in stores.

Secondly, I could have created a similar, simple logo on my PC in about 2 minutes. I have no doubt that the insignificant ad agency was grossly overpaid for such an amateur looking piece of work. The agency should give back the sizable payment, except for about $2.50, just enough to buy a cup. Otherwise, the board members responsible for signing off on it should have to personally pay the cost, and then be ‘released from any further need of your ill-conceived advice’ once sober.

Bottom Line:
Logo? Corporate crap of the first magnitude.
Coffee? If you SBC corporate goons eff up the coffee you should be shot.

On Jul.02.2010 at 01:36 PM

Mark’s comment is:

It seriously looks like they’re copying Stop & Shop with the half circle thing, but it fails miserably, so miserably.

On Jul.02.2010 at 04:51 PM

Anonydus’s comment is:

DE CERVEZA A LECHE????????????????????????????????????

On Jul.05.2010 at 06:13 AM

Mog’s comment is:

I’m going to be the weird person who actually (minus the bloodbankism) likes it. I really like it when recolored brown; the light grey and white on brown looks nice.

A lot of people seem to be commenting without realizing the thinking behind the logo. The Old Navy/Gap analogy is spot on. It’s *supposed* to look more Target.

Still, I think it could do without Target’s red. It still beats the old one, though.

IMHO. :)

On Jul.05.2010 at 10:02 AM

K mau’s comment is:

One of the worst redesign logo

Look and feel - generic

Concept - Maxwell House coffee (good to the last drop), Happy face (Pepsi, Amazon)

Taste appeal - none

Brand equity - none

Why? Advertising agency doing Graphic design agency’s job

Change it back quick before too late.

On Jul.16.2010 at 01:25 PM

Joe’s comment is:

Um alrighty then… wtf were they thinking with this. Its beyond horrible, and probly on my list of the top 10 worst logo changes ever and the worst coffee logo currently out of all of that I’m familiar with. I’m so sick of this terribly bland trendy super plain logos that are out there today. No one is creative anymore and only uses, red, silver, black, light blue, ect. Everything looks so bland anymore and unprofessional its horrible. And yes! I totally agree this looks 100% more like a blood donar company than a coffee company for sure! lol Awful, awful, awful.

On Jul.30.2010 at 10:30 PM

Roger’s comment is:

this is ridiculous. who the hell approved this. must be a joke.

On Aug.01.2010 at 11:05 AM

Yuriy ’s comment is:

This is by far the worst rebrand I’ve had to witness in a very very long time. As others have mentioned, “Seattle’s Best Blood Bank”.

On Aug.19.2010 at 06:42 PM