BY Armin

On the Seventh Day, while God Rested, the Devil Invented the Swoosh

I have to begin by apologizing for the tiny logos you see above and for the more-than-usual lack of information. Since this identity launch is not official yet, there is little to no information, much less supporting graphics. But an update this… hellish, deserves special advance screening. According to this page, buried deep somewhere in the capitalone.com server, the new look (which you can delight yourself in while visiting that URL) will take place in late February, while, one of our tipsters informed me that the logo had been released internally since last summer. Regardless of when this will be official, it will not be a second too soon to bask in Swooshiness 3.0 — yes, it’s on a revival course. The old logo was nothing to admire, with its extended italic sans, and flimsy, subscript, italic serif [you can see a detail of it in this pop-up] but at least it didn’t have a swoosh. As I write this, I am actually glad there is no press release about the new logo, as I can’t imagine it being anything less than infuriating. Nothing, in the year 2008, can justify the use of a swoosh. Much less a swoosh with gradients and bevels. Even less for one of the major financial players in the U.S. — next time you check to see what’s in your wallet, really, check that you don’t have this in it. Perhaps we’ve been living in purgatory since 2000 and Xerox just opened the gates to hell — and hell looks like the Capital One logo.

DATE: Jan.30.2008CATEGORY: Finance 120 COMMENTS

kevin tucker’s comment is:

No... no... i really thought this was a joke when i first saw it. Anyway, it's official now, it's even in a teaser on their home page, with a tagline "new look, same great taste"[sic]. Yes, I am.

On Jan.30.2008 at 10:33 PM

Greg Formager’s comment is:

Both are ugly. It's a credit card company though so I'm all for it.

On Jan.30.2008 at 10:45 PM

JonSel’s comment is:

Thankfully, my CapitalOne credit card doesn't expire until 2010. Maybe they'll have scrapped this abomination by then. Otherwise, I'll clearly be slapping a few of these bad boys across the front.

I'm as infuriated as Armin with developments like this. No agency of the size required to handle CapitalOne as a client should be perpetrating this in 2008. They simply should know better. Maybe this needs to be AIGA's next mission: kill the swoosh.

On Jan.30.2008 at 10:47 PM

Janet’s comment is:

Oh this is just abhorrent! You summed up my feelings quite well.

On Jan.30.2008 at 11:11 PM

Able Parris’s comment is:

Haha,"...and Xerox just opened the gates to hell — and hell looks like the Capital One logo."

Actually, I think the Devil lost his boomerang and Capital One is trying hard to put it to good use.
I agree, it's hideous. Watch out, it might take off your head!

On Jan.30.2008 at 11:16 PM

ughhh’s comment is:

oh goddd noooo! whyyy!?

On Jan.30.2008 at 11:58 PM

keb’s comment is:

I wonder what they paid these fools to design this. They could have just hired me and I'd give them a real design that doesn't suck. It seems to me web 2.0 has destroyed logo design as we know it - now add the swoosh. 90's meet 2.0 - maybe we should call it, 92.0.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:06 AM

Prescott Perez-Fox’s comment is:

Two words: "G'Day Mate"

By the way, Star Trek much?

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:08 AM

Whaleroot’s comment is:

Ha HA! Brilliant!

(Your writing, not the logo.)

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:21 AM

Aaron C’s comment is:

They really wanted something meaningless, and hired firm after firm to achieve it. Amazingly, it worked. Looks like toothpaste to me. Ugly company, ugly logo.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:41 AM

Asen Tsvyatkov’s comment is:

Hahaha. I guess it serves them just right.

On Jan.31.2008 at 04:21 AM

Samantha Warren’s comment is:

I just wish I could hear the reasoning behind that swoosh. When i see a gratuitous swoosh in a logo like this i try to imagine the conversation that lead up to it being thrown in the design. Do people think they symbolize something specific? Forward thinking? Is a swoosh supose to evoke some emotion? In the case of a credit card company my deepest creative imagination can't even conjure up what may have been logical to the decision maker here.

On Jan.31.2008 at 08:20 AM

ChrisM70’s comment is:

This is a JOKE, right?

Wow, before I saw this, I thought credit card companies were just soulless money-grubbing corporations who prayed upon their customers with outrageous hidden fees and sneaky interest rates.

But this logo really shows them for what they really are -

PURE EVIL.

On Jan.31.2008 at 08:37 AM

drew kora’s comment is:

Find a happy place....Find a happy place....

On Jan.31.2008 at 08:52 AM

Persia’s comment is:

It looks like a boomerang. Why on earth in the current market would any credit card company want a boomerang in their logo?

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:00 AM

GUESS’s comment is:

why, oh why, must “designers” keep this swoosh nonsense going?
if you send some logos to a client for them to pick from, and you include a swoosh... they're going to choose it.
we can't blame the companies who use the swoosh (ok, maybe we can just a little), but the designers behind it are the real felons!

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:01 AM

uh What?’s comment is:

It looks like they sell toothpaste now. And the O represents the tooth that is resistant to plaque (the swoosh).

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:38 AM

C-Lo’s comment is:

So are they into sports or what? what an abysmal logo. If I had any dealings with them I would take my business elsewhere based on their logo alone. And I would mention it to the rep.

P.S. I almost laughed out loud at your writing. Choice words!

SATANICUS!!

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:55 AM

Inaudible Nonsense’s comment is:

As for the agency? I have a feeling this was done internally. I drive by the huge corporate headquarters every day (which isn't a bad building, actually pretty nice), and used to work in bank data -- CapitalOne (nee Signet) likes to keep their cards very close to their chest. They pioneered a number of data algorithms that allowed very specific assessment of the credit worthiness of their customers. Lately, they have moved way beyond being a credit card company into auto loans and even banking. So I assume this was to hint at their broader aims. I've always really hated the hospital green that they use now. (And miss the days when CaoitalOne's colors were a nice maroon. Yes I've been a client for 15 years or so. It was my first credit card.) But when I saw this logo go up on their site -- all I could think was, wait until Armin gets a load of that.

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:56 AM

Mark’s comment is:

Ok so I don't want to be the odd one out here but I do like how they used the subtle swooshes in the background of the 'new look ..' box on the teaser page.

Next year they should redesign it back to their old logo. It'll be a great update.

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:04 AM

Joseph Szala’s comment is:

I've officially termed the "swoosh" phenomena "Ellipsilepsy"

I think i'll make a web site where we can all upload documented cases of Ellipsilepsy

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:09 AM

Joseph Szala’s comment is:

Ps. This logo shall be known as the sickle of debt 'hacking your freedom off at the knees."

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:11 AM

MADPHILL’s comment is:

NOOOOOOOO! What in the hell is going on with this world?!

Oh, I know, they must have had someone like www.getyourlogoforpenniesovernight.com do it! haha.

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:14 AM

Chris’s comment is:

Actually, I heard the agency "responsible" was Landor, so who knows what they were thinking? (and what was going on behing the sences).

Capital One's transition into the traditional banking industry is the reason behind the logo change, and the swoosh is supposedly representative of their dynamic nature or something like that.

My favorite part is the swooshes mysterious disappearance behind the letter 'O'.

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:24 AM

Paul Riehle’s comment is:

"our old logo isn't working, what should we add to it..."

A big red swoosh, BRILLIANT!

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:04 AM

Rick’s comment is:

Lighten up people. Its a logo... and since when did anyone look to ANY financial institution for design brilliance.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:18 AM

Lloyd Benson’s comment is:

Isn't the color RED a BAD thing in financial circles?

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:24 AM

DG3’s comment is:

These are truly sad times in the logo biz.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:32 AM

Mark’s comment is:

Darn and I was somewhat admiring how simple the current (soon to be gone) Captial One logo is.

I will be slightly be more regretful of seeing the next Capital One commercial on TV.

[sarcasm] On a better note the logo looks certainly more aerodynamic! (/sarcasm):P

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:37 AM

Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:

Hey! I feel ten years younger! Is it 1998 today, right? This Nike think is sort of trendy, isn't it? Check out that young tennis player Andre Agassi...

Seriously: a swoosh? Again? Who did it?
It would have been boring even for an internet start-up in the nineties. Now it is simply pathetic.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:43 AM

J’s comment is:

"Why on earth in the current market would any credit card company want a boomerang in their logo?"

The debt! It just keeps coming back!

"Lighten up people. Its a logo..."

Are you new to this site, orrrr...?

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:45 AM

Steven Morris’s comment is:

I can remember it like it was yesterday (but it wasn't)...back in grad school, the noted Lanny Sommese who was a visiting prof. at the time, saying "the moment you start adding something to a logo in the design process, you know you're in trouble." How true it is. Unfortunately, the trouble is coming in several ways for this credit card giant.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:54 AM

markatos’s comment is:

Who did this? Wolf Olins? Just kidding, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I think we should start emailing these firms and hazing them severely for crapping on our eyeballs for years to come.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:56 AM

Kim Siever’s comment is:

I hope the high school student didn't charge too much.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:03 PM

Jeff’s comment is:

This new one says much clearer, "We love your money."

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:03 PM

Jerry Kuyper’s comment is:

Lloyd,
Red for a bank logo was a big topic of discussion in 1968 when Landor recommended a red BA logo to Bank of America. Forty years later it hasn't seemed to slow Bank of America down.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:08 PM

Jerry Kuyper’s comment is:

Goffredo,
This week I had a brief from a client that said "we're looking for some out of the box thinking like the Nike swoosh". I replied you mean how out of the box the swoosh was in 1972?

This is more of a Newport cigarette swoosh also circa 1972.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:12 PM

Jerry Kuyper’s comment is:

Armin,
We need something new to cleanse our palette.

This isn't worth critiquing, I'm throwing a flag for piling on

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:14 PM

damon’s comment is:

paul rand is rolling around in his grave.

haha, seriously though, this one sucks.

I hope that boomerang comes back and hits them in the head.

lame.

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:22 PM

Ty’s comment is:

Oh, my. Corporate design just keeps getting worse. Will it ever end?

On Jan.31.2008 at 12:54 PM

Rachel’s comment is:

Hate the old, hate the new. *sighs* Samantha Warren sums it up perfectly: it's almost impossible to imagine what kind of meeting was behind this decision. It just boggles the mind.

On Jan.31.2008 at 01:15 PM

In-house Creative’s comment is:

Invariably when there's a logo gone bad, someone has to assume it's been done in-house. I'm tired of that assumption. There are some really good in-house designers out there.

On Jan.31.2008 at 01:19 PM

DesignMaven’s comment is:

JonSel:

"Thankfully, my CapitalOne credit card doesn't expire until 2010".

I told Jerry The King Kuyper the same thing last night.

Rick:

"since when did anyone look to ANY financial institution for design brilliance".

In Reference to Corporate Identity, Think:

1. Security Pacific Bank, 1960s

2. American Security Bank, 1960s

3. Bank of Washington, 1960s

4. Signet Bank, 1970s

5. Citibank, 1960s and 1990s

6. Shore Bank, 1980s

7. CoreStates Bank, 1980

8. American Savings Bank, 1980s

9. Wells Fargo Bank, 1980s

10. Republic Federal, 1980s

11. Bank of America, 1969, Bank of America, 1996. Not the Red on Red Bloody Mess Bank of America that was Rebranded two (2) years ago, meaning signage and ATM Environments.

Comment from an Established Designer:

Hi Maven,

It is only logical to add a boomerang to the logotype. That connotes complete banking. Don't you get it? Aesthetically, it looks like shit.

My sentiment exactly.

I saw this Identity this past summer on a CapOne
Auto Loan Solicitation. I thought it was Horrid then worse now. It appeared to be some sought of Test Market Identity.

Immediately Alerted Arm when I saw it Monday on checking my accunt. Assuming others did the same.

This Identity appears to be Developed internally
by the Marketing Department and carried out by CapOne's Advertising Agency.

The other Conspiracy Theory, the Son,Daughter or Relative of the CEO.

My two (2) year old Capuchin Monkey (Tara) CAN DESIGN BETTER!!!!!!

DM

The Hostile Takeover of Corporate Identity

On Jan.31.2008 at 01:35 PM

Joe M. ’s comment is:

To the branding consultants and designers who collaborated on this program,

You should have stood by your respective shrewd expertise in strategy and form-advised your client accordinly, or resign the job. Greed and compromise were likely the inevitible limiting factors in this situation, but billing+revenue does not excuse the executors of any identity from poor work. Your poison-pen creation will literally and figuratively pollute our visual landscape. Beyond being ugly, this work is unprofessional.

On Jan.31.2008 at 01:48 PM

Nate’s comment is:

Wow! I mean this is awesomely bad! A swoosh? Come on I think Nike can only get away with that. To me it shows absolutely zero thought or effort. Well, maybe it is a boomerang??? They throw it at you and it comes back to them with all your money? Who knows. It makes them look second rate. Doing what everyone else is doing.

Also, why is the "One" sitting below the baseline of the "Capital?" Are they saying that they aren't sure that they are number one? Maybe the mid evil guys from there commercials are number one. At least they don't have a crap logo!

It's no longer "What's in your wallet?" more like "What's on your masthead?"

On Jan.31.2008 at 02:11 PM

Noel Jackson’s comment is:

Seriously? I would switch credit cards just to NOT get that frickin' logo on my card. Ouch.

On Jan.31.2008 at 02:49 PM

Brian Maloney’s comment is:

It's like the line from the song by Feist:

To be a member is to be a pretender
Just to pretend that you don't remember
But that’s how it goes for the first offender
Get’s a boomerang man, it’s return to sender

On Jan.31.2008 at 02:51 PM

Aaron’s comment is:

WTF? If someone got paid to design that, well, I cannot swear on this blog, so let me just say that if they got paid one dollar, they got overpaid.

On that note, look at this other credit card company's logo:
www.creditonefs.com

Knocking off this shitty (oops!) crap logo is a double abomination!

On Jan.31.2008 at 02:56 PM

Armin’s comment is:

> On that note, look at this other credit card company's logo:www.creditonefs.com

Ha! Good one Aaron.

On Jan.31.2008 at 03:03 PM

Andrew J Klein’s comment is:

what the hell is going on here?

How could this happen?

Design this bad surprises me

Special thanks to the teenage focus group at the mall that loved this one!

On Jan.31.2008 at 03:10 PM

Jung’s comment is:

this mark wins this decade's one of the ugliest mark by far!
my wife, who likes to cook has better sense of aesthetic than this!!!
Creator of this thing clearly does not have a clue of what he/she is doing. Although verbally, he/she was able to consume client's mind.
God! I have seen many boring marks, but not as ugly...

This thing was so ugly, I had to say something.
Yuk!

On Jan.31.2008 at 03:13 PM

Andrew J Klein’s comment is:

Makes teeth swooshier!

On Jan.31.2008 at 03:20 PM

Prescott Perez-Fox’s comment is:

Sonic BOOM

On Jan.31.2008 at 03:46 PM

Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:

Prescott. You just made my day. Guile FTW!

On Jan.31.2008 at 05:23 PM

Seabiscuit’s comment is:

Contrary to previously stated rumors, Landor did not do this logo. Apparently, they did work on the housestyle, but the logo was created elsewhere. And yes, that logo is scary business. I particularly enjoy the version on the top left of their website showing the "unvailing" of the new look.

On Jan.31.2008 at 05:42 PM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

I was going to do a kangaroo inspired boomerang animation, then I realized it would take longer to do that then it did for Capital One to re-brand itself so this seemed more appropriate.

On Jan.31.2008 at 07:14 PM

Danny Tanner’s comment is:

Seabiscut- Yes, from
what I understand
Landor did not create
this logo.

I'v never understood
anything about them--
Their 3rd rate name,
their 3rd rate logo,
their kooky marketing
efforts--david spade
and vikings...

Capital One must have
charged enough interest
and reposesed enough
property they could
afford a makeover from
someone. Actually this
remindeds me of the
result I've got while
trying to cut my own hair.

They seem to have a great
deal in common with our
current president; both
sticking to their guns
and neither making sense.

On Jan.31.2008 at 08:04 PM

Mr Posen’s comment is:

Idiots.

On Jan.31.2008 at 08:06 PM

erica frye’s comment is:

Even if you look past the kneejerk swoosh-hating response, it's still difficult to see this as having any positive value as a corporate symbol. A red boomerang cannot be a good idea for a credit/finance company! All I see is boomeranging debt. How does that even get approved? And regardless of the rationale, how is it not outweighed by the boomeranging debt problem?

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:00 PM

Aaron’s comment is:

As Andrew J Klein eloquently makes our case...

Makes teeth swooshier!

Great post Andrew, let's hang out!

On Jan.31.2008 at 09:30 PM

Kevin M. Scarbrough’s comment is:

I'd pay money to see a montage of this process from the executives saying, "Gentlemen, we need a new logo." to, "Gentlemen, this is what will make your stock rise in '08".

On Jan.31.2008 at 10:46 PM

Shane’s comment is:

Terrible.

On Jan.31.2008 at 11:56 PM

Wünderwoman’s comment is:

I'm sorry...but...I ...just can't stop....laughing.

On Feb.01.2008 at 12:15 AM

Keb’s comment is:

I too can't stop laughing, some of your comments really have me rolling. Bad design - it's all around, lurking in dark corners - but lately being bold enough to come into the light ahhhhh! my eyes - my poor eyes!

On Feb.01.2008 at 12:49 AM

Haik Avanian’s comment is:

They're doing a great job in this first step of their merger with Colgate.

On Feb.01.2008 at 09:41 AM

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives’s comment is:

To hell with constructive criticism - that's just plain stupid! In fact, that must be LogoHell 2.0. If they send me a new business credit card with that thang on it, I will not be able to carry it in my wallet. I'd be embarrassed to present it at a retailer.

On Feb.01.2008 at 10:53 AM

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives’s comment is:

I just showed it to my non-designer partner and he said: "Oh, that's really Crapital One!"

On Feb.01.2008 at 11:17 AM

Matt’s comment is:

Ha Ha Ha. Make it stop, it hurts to much.

On Feb.01.2008 at 11:22 AM

Matt’s comment is:

Ha Ha Ha. Make it stop, it hurts to much.

On Feb.01.2008 at 11:22 AM

Hill Design Studios’s comment is:

Utterly craptastic!
Logo de-evolution at its best.

On Feb.01.2008 at 11:33 AM

WingNutz’s comment is:

It actually makes sense when you think of it in terms of a swoosh, rather than a boomerang:

It comes from a great distance away
and pokes you right in the hole above your back pocket where your wallet used to be.

But it doesn't stop there, rather continuing, like a skewered shish-kabob, impaling you as an example of anyone else daring to have "credit" extended to you

On Feb.01.2008 at 12:42 PM

Mr Posen’s comment is:

TaDaaa! .......(crickets chirping, followed by tumble weed)

http://www.capitalone.com/

On Feb.01.2008 at 01:05 PM

Jerry Kuyper’s comment is:

Mr. Posen,
Thanks for the link. In the upper left, they seem to be using a striptease to unveil the new logo.

Unfortunately it appears stuck, neither here nor there.

On Feb.01.2008 at 01:33 PM

Mark’s comment is:

Looking at the shape further it looks like they were trying to aim for something inspiring along the lines of the old U. S. Post Office logo, but they ended up with a headless ugly red bird that looks like it's on wheels (from the way that the swoosh interacts with the big O) , which really ends up looking like a crappy red swoosh that was just slapped on there.

perhaps this is what they were aiming for???

http://img245.imageshack.us/my.php?image=whattheymightvebeenaimitw5.png

On Feb.01.2008 at 04:12 PM

Mark’s comment is:

Looking at the shape further it looks like they were trying to aim for something inspiring along the lines of the old U. S. Post Office logo, but they ended up with a headless ugly red bird that looks like it's on wheels (from the way that the swoosh interacts with the big O) , which really ends up looking like a crappy red swoosh that was just slapped on there.

perhaps this is what they were aiming for???

(here's the pictureI made without clicking link)

On Feb.01.2008 at 04:16 PM

Mark’s comment is:

(I made a typo on the previous post :P )

Looking at the shape further it looks like they were trying to aim for something inspiring along the lines of the old U. S. Post Office logo, but they ended up with a headless ugly red bird that looks like it's on wheels (from the way that the swoosh interacts with the big O) , which really ends up looking like a crappy red swoosh that was just slapped on there.

perhaps this is what they were aiming for???

(here's the picture made without clicking link)

On Feb.01.2008 at 04:19 PM

Josh B’s comment is:

Maybe they should have gone with this other popular trend:

Or maybe that they should have changed the name to Capone, 'cause that sh*t's just criminal.
(dear lord that's a bad joke, I apologize)

On Feb.01.2008 at 05:01 PM

Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:

Ha ha ha, oh man. The fold-over "sneek peak" on their web site is just an abomination. But funny as hell.

On Feb.01.2008 at 05:51 PM

Mark’s comment is:

I thought something looked odd about that top left logo, haha.

Seriously they messed that one up, big time.

How embarrassing, hehehe.

On Feb.01.2008 at 06:46 PM

vectr’s comment is:

Does anyone else think that the couple in this generic stock photo are laughing at the new logo?

(I agree with Armin... nice find Aaron!)

On Feb.02.2008 at 08:03 AM

Scott Lerman’s comment is:

I'm with Design Maven on this one. There are some beautiful bank logos out there. The Bank of America flag/landscape (when used properly) developed by Will Ayres is great, as is Caja España's bull, drawn by Kristie Williams.

On Feb.02.2008 at 10:10 AM

Nubloo’s comment is:

But you see, they DID use the newest version of Powerpoint to make the logo!

On Feb.02.2008 at 11:24 AM

Glenn’s comment is:

I wish that boomerang-thingy would return back where it came from...

On Feb.02.2008 at 12:16 PM

chuck’s comment is:

from what i've heard this logo did originate in the landor nyc office. which makes sense, the work that comes from that office is consistently weak and damaging to landor's overall perception

On Feb.02.2008 at 05:03 PM

Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:

Is there a competition going on between Landor nyc and Landor italy to see who can damage the Landor name the most??

On Feb.02.2008 at 08:31 PM

Danny Tanner’s comment is:

Chuck and Goffredo,

Mindless speculation is useless.

I have very reliable sources
indicating this logo did not,
in any way, originate from
any Landor office.

I am though, very curious to
learn where this logo did originate.

On Feb.03.2008 at 02:05 PM

ZedZedEye’s comment is:

Fading Red = what?
Pink.
So, now they have a blue, red, and pink logo.
Just as planned.

On Feb.03.2008 at 03:55 PM

Rachel’s comment is:

The toothpaste comments are funny because I just saw this new logo in larger-than-life form at a dental convention this weekend. They were probably there to work on the merger...

On Feb.03.2008 at 11:25 PM

Darren Scott’s comment is:

Nike own the swoosh and use it well.
it should be a taboo solution that is banned for everone else!

On Feb.04.2008 at 06:46 AM

disgruntled designer’s comment is:

Oh you know the "branding agency" sold this with some sort of bs statement about progress and development and a bunch of big words. What an ugly piece of shit that thing is.

On Feb.04.2008 at 10:07 AM

Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:

Danny,

thank you for your post. I am actually very glad to hear Landor has nothing to do with that redesign. I thought I read the opposite somewhere and did not bother to verify. My bad, I apologize for my groundless post above. I am still very curious to know who did that!

On Feb.04.2008 at 10:48 AM

John McCollum’s comment is:

I want to die.

On Feb.04.2008 at 12:36 PM

Chris’s comment is:

Ha! I thought the logo was wearing a thong. Why are they 'teasing' the reveal of the new logo when you can see the whole thing on the other side of the page?

On Feb.04.2008 at 12:54 PM

john’s comment is:

I have absolutely no information about this one way or the other, but I'll lay down cold hard cash right now that this was an inside job directed by the VP Marketing. As in "This is what I want, now you monkeys in the design department make it happen!" Not only is the craptacular swoosh a sure sign of an individual with no creative vision, but the "secondary graphic elements" that consist of the the swoosh-as-element, kissed with the "multiply" blending option and slapped on top of a *giggle* gradient belies the first-rate hackery at play. I just can't believe any self-respecting design shop would do this.

Hm. Perhaps that's why no one is owning up to it...

On Feb.04.2008 at 09:17 PM

Benjy’s comment is:

well, at least they've got a nice descriptive, catchy name... oop!

Banal name, banal logo, stupid commericals...

On Feb.05.2008 at 10:56 AM

Goffredo Puccetti’s comment is:

Hi all,

it took me a while to recover this very, very, very old web page from the dusty archives of the web, back in the glory days of the swoosh applied on every start-up on the Net, ten years ago or more.

This one goes out to the genius who approved the swoosh:

http://web.archive.org/web/20020921074134/www.enormicom.com/

Have fun

On Feb.05.2008 at 11:12 AM

Rob’s comment is:

Maybe this is there way of deflecting all the attention away from their subprime losses. Because in many ways this change may end up costing them way more.

On Feb.05.2008 at 11:42 AM

Rob’s comment is:

Maybe, this is their way of deflecting attention away from their subprime losses. Because in many ways, this change may end up costing them much more.

On Feb.05.2008 at 11:43 AM

Chris’s comment is:

Not an internal job, guaranteed. The creatives there hated this monstrosity as much as everybody on here.
My guess is that the client was heavy handed in the design process, leaving the designers with little creative freedom.

On Feb.05.2008 at 04:51 PM

Anonymous’s comment is:

Swooshes were over in the 90s, but unfortunately everyone these days thinks their a designer due to logo software being sold to non-proffessionals and the horrible websites that will design you a logo for a dollar or a piece of cheese. Our industry went down the tubes years ago.

On Feb.06.2008 at 02:26 PM

Anonymous’s comment is:

OOOH!!! I have Photoshop I'm a designer now. Lets add every effect I can get my hands on! I'll add a bevel, a shadow, a gradient, lines and swooshes. and for good measures a lens flare. Photoshop effects ruined everything! Though for real designers with talent we know better, you know who u are.

On Feb.06.2008 at 02:40 PM

Anonymous’s comment is:

I cannot believe that capital One website. It is just getting worse out there with all the people who think they are designers because they bought a program. Our industry is doomed! Stay out of our industry you posers!!! Go pose as a plummer or an electrician, Damn you!!!

On Feb.06.2008 at 03:06 PM

Oscar.dR’s comment is:

They don't look that different...

For the next logo rework, I'd go for a 'Total' in sans after 'One' and close it between swooshes, to reinforce the pointless feeling

On Feb.06.2008 at 05:57 PM

Hibryd’s comment is:

John - I'm with you on this. I'd bet a lot of money that some idiot high up on the chain decided that they needed to make the logo look "fresh" and "hip", and the best way to do that was with a swoosh - that's what all the cool companies are doing! And who cares what those stupid hippy designers think!

On Feb.06.2008 at 07:23 PM

Hayes Image’s comment is:

My thoughts on the Corporate Swoosh...

On Feb.06.2008 at 09:51 PM

JK’s comment is:

How CapitalOne unveils its new logo online:

On Feb.10.2008 at 01:30 PM

Thomas’s comment is:

i cant take credit for this (user Spine on B3S posted this)
but i thought it was fitting

On Feb.11.2008 at 07:36 PM

Tony’s comment is:

Danny Tanner is right. Landor did not design the Capital One swoosh. But they do confirm they are working on its house style and applications design. (A silk purse challenge.) This new retail brand will replace Louisiana's Hibernia, and NYC's green-and-gold North Fork (by Onoma). Sigh.

On Feb.14.2008 at 12:31 PM

Etienne’s comment is:

Ah man, your article was brutal! No mercy on the critique, way to go :)
Somebody's gotta do it.

On Feb.20.2008 at 07:59 PM

Mark’s comment is:

It seems that many bank logos are turning ugly, look what happened to people's bank.

On Feb.21.2008 at 12:15 PM

Avon Barksdale’s comment is:

Chris: "Not an internal job, guaranteed. The creatives there hated this monstrosity as much as everybody on here.
My guess is that the client was heavy handed in the design process, leaving the designers with little creative freedom".

Read Tony Spaeth's Review to see how wrong you are.

http://www.identityworks.com/reviews/2008/capital_one.htm

From what I've read Design Maven is the only one to get this correct.

On Feb.28.2008 at 04:20 PM

Renée’s comment is:

As of yesterday the logo on the corporate building has officially been replaced. The new logo has a blue "Capital" and a red "One"...and no swoosh currently in sight.

On Mar.06.2008 at 09:57 AM

Marty Mitchell’s comment is:

I have a direct advertising piece that was sent to me from Capital One. The theme is a caterpillar that metamorpheses into a butterfly with the twist of the wrist!
Can you discover, for me, the origin of the amazing work?
I'd like to incorporate it into my own business, which is remodeling of wretched residences, turning them into magnificent homes!

Thanks!

On Apr.08.2008 at 09:18 PM

The Right Honorable Mr R. Mugabe KBC’s comment is:

This is the work of total genius
I would like to employ them to design the new logo of my country
Very nice.

On Jun.23.2008 at 03:28 PM

Daren Guillory’s comment is:

Is it just me or is DM always right?

On Jun.24.2008 at 01:43 PM

Ethan’s comment is:

All I have to ask is "Why?"

On Dec.27.2008 at 11:47 PM

Terry Fleming’s comment is:

I am a retired 46 year Broadcaster both ex Morning host on radio for 80% of my career and a TV talk show host TV and radio eight times on commercial TV and Cable. Do you think we are all STUPID. After retiring I became an ordained minister. I am appalled at Capital one for this crapola with the devil.. nice costume nice horns but two things most, even non-Christians don't want to know or see, is the evil one (DEVIL)in charge of promotion at Capital one how stupid. Secondly satan doesn't have horns that's only Hollywood and not all Angels have wings either... In one way or another I have been in promotions all my life and a child could have done better.

It depicts you as evil Mr. Management at Capital One... so why even bother when you have this much hate mail you can count on it being triple this in real time. Get with the program, you are BIG now but that might not last for long at this pace.

On Feb.01.2009 at 02:47 PM

Matt’s comment is:

Looks better with the swoosh in my opinion.

On Feb.02.2009 at 01:22 AM

Nabil’s comment is:

Swoosh, swoosh and sswoosh... and swoosh again, there are even more in there website, 8 and counting.

On Jun.08.2009 at 07:52 PM

Alex’s comment is:

It's such a horrible logo. What's wrong with the identity of US bank? You see more and more ugly logos.

First is CapitalOne. Then there is Bank of America start modifying the identity system by putting their Red+Blue logo on top of the bloody red background, and now there is ugly TD Bank identity that looks like we are back to the bad design in the 60's.

Anyone knows what happened?

On Dec.07.2009 at 01:31 AM