BY Armin

That Wacky Wacom

Wacom, the Japanese company responsible for the addictive tablets — try to pry one from any designer and you will suffer the consequences — unveiled a new identity and brand positioning last week, aimed at making headway into the general consumer market while maintaining its attention on the professional, hardcore user. The new company motto, “Open Up. Sense More.” — both technological and slightly kinky — is intended to lead the way in the new appreciation of this company, while their latest tablet design, Bamboo, hopes to cash in on the more general public willing to put their mouse, and carpal tunnel syndrome, behind them. The old logo — with its mid-80s corporate design sensibility — has been replaced with a monoweight, mid-00s techie sensibility. (Do note the legacy of using the same shape, though inverted, for the W and M). The identity has been designed by Wolff Olins, them of London 2012 fame and of bright-color propensity (evident throughout the new Wacom web site). While the revised wordmark is a considerable improvement, the introduction of The Color Thing, all bouncy and weird, is a detriment to an otherwise simple evolution. What the meaning of The Color Thing is, is beyond my comprehension and, once refrained to question its existence, why it’s so unbelievably static — make it spin in 3D! make it morph! make it pulsate! anything except bounce like a color version of Pong — is even more baffling and demoralizing. Unless The Color Thing comes alive, really alive, signaling the technological savvy of Wacom, it is a gratuitous visual element with little potential for recognizable traction. Or maybe in its ugliness, like that of London 2012, it will find its audience. One thing is for sure, it will unlikely lose its current, devoted audience of designers and retouchers who can zip across the screen faster than the The Color Thing can bounce from one edge of the screen to the other.

DATE: Sep.25.2007CATEGORY: Graphics Industry 95 COMMENTS

Chad K’s comment is:

It looks like a cheap party store logo

On Sep.25.2007 at 02:54 PM

Lester’s comment is:

I like the new wordmark. I really, really hope that Color Thing is completely left off all their products.

Okay, this is completely off topic so I apologize in advance, but check out their Tablet PC page. Notice anything wrong?

On Sep.25.2007 at 03:29 PM

C-Lo’s comment is:

I can see moles coming out of the circles.

WACOM MOLE!!! Sorry a lil busy to whip up an animated gif. It does look cheap and misguided

On Sep.25.2007 at 03:45 PM

rynot’s comment is:

not necessarily condoning the previous type treatment, but i hardly feel like that new type is an improvement.

On Sep.25.2007 at 03:49 PM

Lester’s comment is:

Oops, I forgot to link to the Tablet PC page: http://www.wacom.com/tabletpc/index.cfm

On Sep.25.2007 at 03:58 PM

Ty’s comment is:

Why would Wolff go all gradient on us? This doesn't seem to be a good year for design at Wolff Olins. Good for cash, but not for work.

On Sep.25.2007 at 04:02 PM

Splashman’s comment is:

The wordmark is fine, I guess. I'm pretty sure I saw The Color Thing in Dr. Seuss' Grinch, when all the Whos were playing wacky instruments (a tamtookler, was it?).

Still trying to figure out the implementation. On their main Americas site, The Color Thing only shows up once, in one frame (Cintiq) of the rotating banner. Y'think maybe they got negative feedback?

I'm kinda assuming The Color Thing represents tips of colored pens, pointed down onto paper. That's the most charitable explanation, I think.

On Sep.25.2007 at 04:16 PM

Folksy’s comment is:

A new muppet that talks with horn sounds and colors, exclusively.

On Sep.25.2007 at 04:19 PM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

After losing his cushy corporate gig, Cingular decides to go pimp.

On Sep.25.2007 at 04:28 PM

beth’s comment is:

My dog has a toy that looks just like this.

On Sep.25.2007 at 05:03 PM

Andrew J Klein’s comment is:

Interesting how the logo is made up of forms that don't at all require a tablet device to produce. I would think they should pull in some essence of what the tablets are intended to be used for. Maybe a curvey, sketchy freeform big "W" or...whatever that shape is supposed to be.

On Sep.25.2007 at 05:41 PM

felix’s comment is:

the disconnect for me is they arent pumping/ selling/ communicating the key product attribute: the hand drawing function. shame.

I use a Wacom 19" Clintique® screen tablet, which works OK but is a little quirky in ilustrator.

Wolf Olins again, proves themselves weak.. The type is OK, but mark alone is child's play.

Grade: C+

On Sep.25.2007 at 07:02 PM

Paul Riehle’s comment is:

my eyes....

On Sep.25.2007 at 07:20 PM

andrew miller’s comment is:

I agree that the word mark is somewhat of an improvement. At least its a little techy. but that thing. what the hell. it reads more like a baby product than a computer component. thats what it is! its a baby rattle.

the comment about using something that looks like it was created with a Wacom tablet definitely makes sense.

maybe they'll drop the symbol after a while. but then i don't think the word mark has enough gestalt to stand on its own.

On Sep.25.2007 at 09:10 PM

Jeff’s comment is:

the logo: yea, this is bad.

regarding the type: the w's and m's arent as totally jarring as they were - but the type looks too weak .. specifically the arm on the a.

i would agree with what someone said above, why not reference your best selling product by showing something you would create via tablet?

On Sep.25.2007 at 09:34 PM

Mark.S.’s comment is:

Andrew K. I agree. They should have shown off the technology by creating something which illustrates Wacom, not some retarded, psychedelic trumpet.
This is hideous.

On Sep.25.2007 at 11:49 PM

Lucian E.’s comment is:

Well, it looks like a bad designed floral-tube! :)

On Sep.26.2007 at 01:35 AM

Splashman’s comment is:

While I agree that it would have been nice to somehow showcase the tablet's functionality via the logo, keep in mind that in the not -so-distant past, "brush-stroke" logos were almost as common as (shudder) swooshes and lens flares, so I don't think it would have been wise to go that particular direction. But there are other ways to accomplish it -- jeez, almost anything organic would have been better than this.

On Sep.26.2007 at 03:26 AM

kevinn’s comment is:

My officemate told me it reminds him of the Wacoal wordmark.

On Sep.26.2007 at 05:17 AM

Folksy’s comment is:

A mechanism for dyeing Easter Eggs on an alien planet with zero or low gravity.

On Sep.26.2007 at 07:18 AM

Olly’s comment is:

You're right, the colour thing needs to come to life. The wordmark is rather nice - very "now" though, I'm not sure how well it'll last.

On Sep.26.2007 at 07:48 AM

Nick’s comment is:

good ole' Wolff has really gone off the deep in with this one....I didnt know he started to "pimp" logos

On Sep.26.2007 at 08:30 AM

Tim’s comment is:

Absolutely terrible.
First the 2012 logo and now this.

There is something seriously wrong at Wolf Olins.
Maybe its just monster egos, who have lost the plot?

Whichever, they are not fit to represent the London design industry.

On Sep.26.2007 at 08:56 AM

Ian’s comment is:

you guys, you have to let the brand breathe and find it's legs like a fine wine. If you hide under a bedsheet with a flashlight quietly whispering 'brand' to yourself over and over eventually this logo makes sense, mainly due to oxygen deprivation. WO is in the business of creating brands, not necessarily things that are pleasing to the eye or prevent you from vomiting up your soup.

might as well just have a pile of fingers in various colors as the logo instead of this new-aged probe-trumpet-antennae derivative snobbery. elitism is dead!

On Sep.26.2007 at 10:17 AM

Alfonso’s comment is:

I agree that the typography is way better on the new identity, if decidedly mid-00s (as Armin noted). I suspect, though, that the use of said type five to ten years from now won't be quite as problematic as that icon (color thing) already is. Right now, they're just letting it be all over the place. It's like shoving someone who can't dance, sing or otherwise entertain onto a stage and telling them to "just... move around... do whatever... just do something, for the love of bright colors!" I actually feel a bit cruel for watching. No, really. I feel bad.

On Sep.26.2007 at 10:23 AM

darrel’s comment is:

That's different.

On Sep.26.2007 at 10:26 AM

darrel’s comment is:

AUTHOR: darrel
EMAIL: da@darrelaustin.com
IP: 156.98.171.81
URL: http://brokesnob.wordpress.com
DATE: 09/26/2007 10:31:57 AM

On Sep.26.2007 at 10:31 AM

Vincent’s comment is:

I disagree about the strength of the type. It's very techy, generically so, weaker than the recently-lampooned Compaq logo. The only thing that saves it from being completely generic is the bright (garish, to my eyes) color.

And that mark? Good lord. What were they thinking? It looks like an Everlasting Gobstopper from the original Willy Wonka:

On Sep.26.2007 at 10:44 AM

Josh’s comment is:

holy crap, somebody stop this guy.

On Sep.26.2007 at 11:51 AM

Andrew Kontra’s comment is:

This is absolutely shameful. Somebody should really fire these guys.

I mean what was going through their heads..."Hmm, we are creating a logo for a company that primarily sells to illustrators and graphic designers. Wait, here's an idea... Let's get some junior to design the crappiest illustration and use a default gradient filter. That should really help us connect with our consumer."

This logos ability to connect with their consumer base is about as bad as Disney's attempts at reaching the Afro-American community by placing a hip-hop fish in an animated movie.

On Sep.26.2007 at 12:50 PM

Frustration97’s comment is:

The Color Thing is wacky and garish. If the new branding was just for their Bamboo line, I might consider it acceptable... on second thought, its just ugly.

The type isn't any better. Techie, but cliched. So much for appealing to a wider audience.

On Sep.26.2007 at 12:56 PM

Von Glitschka’s comment is:

Folksy's said "A mechanism for dyeing Easter Eggs on an alien planet with zero or low gravity." LOL

That, or Gumby has a gay brother?

On Sep.26.2007 at 01:53 PM

asen’s comment is:

Whatever.

I like the identity - it is an honest attempt to break away from the swooshiness and sterility of current office brands. The visual mark could have been integrated better within the entire concept, but I guess that's life.

Knowing the attitude of Wolff Olins I can only hope that they would produce more and more thought-provoking work - I have read several of Mr. Wolff's published work and I must say almost everything that he stands behind is done with conviction and braveness rarely found anywhere in the mainstream branding world.

I may have done certain things in a different way, but I will give it to them - they have the resources and are not afraid to use them to do a great jobs that (mildly put) break conventions within the industry.

I think many "designers" nowadays are stuck in a practice that is dangerously looping somewhere between utopian and methodical. There is such an abundance of over-used design vernacular that it has become too easy to steer away from the innovativeness so characteristical for the industry to something lazy and submissive.

I am happy that there is still quality work that raises questions, changes conceptions, and quite frankly pisses a bunch of designers off. Because I presume a bunch of pissed-off designers would get their pencils and out-do that irritating, multicoloured mess of a job and raise that collective bar.

So let the pipes come... oh Danny boy can you hear the pipes, the pipes are calling!!!

P.S. I don't work for Wolff-Olins.

On Sep.26.2007 at 08:06 PM

Mark ’s comment is:

Von's comment is priceless hehehe.

First looking at this logo I though Viacom was changing their logo again.

Had to do a double take.

On Sep.26.2007 at 09:59 PM

disgruntled designer’s comment is:

I have no problem with thought-provoking work, but that horrific collection of gradient Snork's snorks is tard. The type is very nice, why they had to fug it up with that ugly thing I just don't understand. It's just more of the same ole' brand speak with no rationale to the visual aspect. Please, hire some designers and less marketers and jargon heads. Stop trying to make things ugly just because you can and will. Then again, continue so we have something to bitch about.

On Sep.26.2007 at 11:45 PM

disgruntled designer’s comment is:

I would like to note that this is also the second reference to Snorks that I have made in the past week. I see a visual trend.

On Sep.26.2007 at 11:49 PM

Dav(id Hubner)’s comment is:

Now thats one butt-ugly identity, for sure. Cheesy and cheap. (And not just the colors, the type sucks as well.)

They should have rather tried to focus on a wordmark like they did before and just refine / modernise the lettering.

Wolff Olins, huh? Bah, Maybe now finally is the time, a chance for fresh branding and corporate design agencies and independent studios to help those in need of help, designwise.

On Sep.27.2007 at 09:59 AM

zedzedeye’s comment is:

party lights!

On Sep.27.2007 at 10:10 AM

Frank’s comment is:

I think Wolff Olin's philosophy is this:

"Let's make it ugly because then it's kind of artsy..we guess."

I think all they are interested in is being recognized as artists ot at least "groundbreaking" or "thought-provoking".

No matter how much it actually helps their clients needs.Or doesn't.

Not the best strategy if you're in the business of branding, me thinks.

On Sep.27.2007 at 10:10 AM

zedzedeye’s comment is:

AUTHOR: zedzedeye
EMAIL: andy@zedzedeye.com
IP: 71.52.10.48
URL: http://www.zedzedeye
DATE: 09/27/2007 11:12:32 AM

On Sep.27.2007 at 11:12 AM

Machine’s comment is:

Two words: JUST TERRIBLE!

On Sep.27.2007 at 12:53 PM

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives’s comment is:

It's some new-fangled musical instrument to be played by a marching band in a gay pride parade...

On Sep.27.2007 at 03:54 PM

Vavoom’s comment is:

I would love to thank Wolf Olins for creating (yet again) such a terrible logo, and for Armin's post. Really entertaining.

Such designs by //supposedly// big agencies make us small agency people feel gooood!

On Sep.27.2007 at 03:58 PM

Kiel West’s comment is:

I actually really like the old wordmark. It was strong and had a cool etro feel. It looked fantastic on the products themselves.

However, I always felt the box around it was cropped too close. I could do without the box completely.

On Sep.27.2007 at 05:02 PM

Jenny’s comment is:

The wordmark is definitely an improvement over the old. I don't think it's too techie ... in fact, it reminds me of letters drawn with the old Etch-A-Sketch, which some could call a precursor to the Wacom. The wacky horns are just terrible ... Papa, can you hear me?

On Sep.27.2007 at 07:28 PM

nicelogo’s comment is:

My guess is Wolff Olin's outsourced the job to a "$99 A-logo-Inc" and cashed in big time. It's darn scary to see this kind low quality work coming from big shops. Who do we have to look up to?

On Sep.30.2007 at 11:48 PM

Matt’s comment is:

The wordmark is ok and I believe it would be a lot better on its own. Its nothing new or unique - plenty of fonts like this around and would be mainstream if not for web2.0 glow/shiny table/gradients and swirls/flourishes.

As far as the logo, no comment..

If you want a horrible and hideous, over-priced logo: Wolf Olins is the way.

On Oct.01.2007 at 11:21 AM

Joseph Maguire’s comment is:

Well, It amazes me that people can get paid for work this bad. their new site looks lame too. Must have only paid a million for strategic meetings and planning time... hahah.. What a waste.
Hire a better freelancer to do your identity.

On Oct.01.2007 at 02:45 PM

Down10’s comment is:

This logo gives hope to design students everywhere. More than once have I heard "even I could have designed this better!"

I'm hoping that the bad press will force a redesign, but it seems unlikely...

On Oct.01.2007 at 08:42 PM

Jacques’s comment is:

Wacom has a wonderful reputation with their products and their users. Very few times have I ever thought that a mark could actually damage an established brand name.

I feel like we dodged a bullet. We were about to hire them and after a meeting where they were condescending to everyone on the team. Then they insisted on calling the project a brand overhaul when we had another firm doing branding and we needed them for identity work.

Brand is not a logo. I did not think they got it and were not ready for such a large endeavor. They have proven they have done it in the past but if they were a sports team, I'd say there were not even above .500 the last 3 years.

On Oct.02.2007 at 04:48 AM

Duncan Bone’s comment is:

THIS IS A JOKE - can we start a petition and stop these people from imposing more damage on our future generations. Anyone else up for this - could suggest a site name against Wolff Olins. And if you thought it couldn't get worse - please check out the new Wacom site http://global.wacom.com/ As a designer and user of Wacom products for over 6 years, I think this is definitely one huge step backwards. Wolff Olins need to be stopped!

On Oct.02.2007 at 08:15 AM

Duncan Bone’s comment is:

THIS IS A JOKE - can we start a petition and stop these people from imposing more damage on our future generations. Anyone else up for this - could suggest a site name against Wolff Olins. And if you thought it couldn't get worse - please check out the new Wacom site http://global.wacom.com/ As a designer and user of Wacom products for over 6 years, I think this is definitely one huge step backwards. Wolff Olins need to be stopped!

On Oct.02.2007 at 08:24 AM

Tephlon’s comment is:

Just for fun, try finding the drivers on the main site.

Oh, that's right, they're not there.

The Wordmark is OK, not the best thing I've seen, but respectable enough.

The Horn thing. Well, let's just say that if i ever came up with something like that, please shoot me.

On Oct.02.2007 at 10:00 AM

burger king logo’s comment is:

i think the new logo is fresh lettuce. "outside the box and circle." and wolff olins. a delicious meal with party favors. a large crown with five confused stuffed wolves looking at it. and thinking about sleepy stories. and boloney sandwiches.

have it your way at www.gofckyourself.com

On Oct.02.2007 at 11:57 AM

Monsteresque’s comment is:

AUTHOR: Monsteresque
EMAIL: miaandjem@sbcglobal.net
IP: 154.6.122.7
URL:
DATE: 10/02/2007 12:44:34 PM

On Oct.02.2007 at 12:44 PM

Honkers?’s comment is:

Honkers?

On Oct.02.2007 at 12:54 PM

scobby doo’s comment is:

i blew into a colored trumpet this morning. ate a colored tub of muffins, and broke out my skills. i am wolff olins. (i am a broke bag of trash stuffed into a sleeping bag).
-wolff urban, aka urban burrito, aka burrito parmesan

On Oct.02.2007 at 01:43 PM

Capital City Goofball’s comment is:

Link

On Oct.02.2007 at 02:16 PM

scobby doo’s comment is:

i blew into a colored trumpet this morning. ate a colored tub of muffins, and broke out my skills. i am wolff olins. (i am a broke bag of trash stuffed into a sleeping bag).
-wolff urban, aka urban burrito, aka burrito parmesan

On Oct.02.2007 at 03:19 PM

Joe M’s comment is:

Karim Rashid's version of the Wacom logo.

On Oct.03.2007 at 01:50 PM

Matthew’s comment is:

I love it- it's the future!

On Oct.03.2007 at 04:57 PM

matthew’s comment is:

Gentlemen- you know I must disagree. I have to say once again that graphic design is being redefined right now as we speak. The AIGA no longer stands for the American Institution of Graphic Arts- Logos are NO LONGER soul property of a 2D world. Both the L2012 & Wacom logos lend their space to the 3rd dimension. Wolff is a pioneer in this field and we will be studying him over the years. Hot pinks and neon's are the most weaved-in color palette throughout the industrial age in times of revolution and reform. Look at punk in the 70's & 80's. Pink was originally a boy color. Those colors are offsetting, direct, loud and demanding. Just like any good revolution. He taps into our memory by reminding us what it is that keeps our society and our species moving- CHANGE. One of my favorite feminist quotes is "Sometimes the best man for the job isn't." This is an act of revolution in a man's world- and Wolff's logos are time and time again proving that sometimes the best logo for the job isn't your traditional 2D logo. With an eco-friendly movement to rid the world of any unnecessary printed material, where do you think marks and logos are headed? My guess is motion graphics, multi-media, no-mass pixels. How many resources do we waste by creating pixels on the computer screen? Do you want those pixels to be static or do you want them to be mobile? My guess is mobile. So... what is the next step?
I think Wolff is telling us.

On Oct.03.2007 at 09:35 PM

Andrew Twigg’s comment is:

Bright colors make me happy, but this identity makes me sad.

On Oct.04.2007 at 10:43 AM

Frank’s comment is:

Matthew i think you're missing the point.

The problem is not about colors like pink or 2D vs. 3D; it's about what has the friggin logo to do with the company, their products or their customers ?

This goes for both the horrific 2012 logo and the Wacom one.

As i've said before, Wolff Olins mistakes design for art.

On Oct.04.2007 at 02:06 PM

Damon’s comment is:

that logo is the suck man.

the old W and M were hideous and awkward, but this one just makes no sense at all.

I'm going to to Wolff Olins' site to see what other crack these people are on.

On Oct.04.2007 at 03:43 PM

Armin’s comment is:

I have no idea where this came from, but it has the Fuhrer talking about Wacom tablets, so it's relevant. And Funny. (Seen on Kottke).

On Oct.04.2007 at 08:03 PM

Scott’s comment is:

The new logo is perfect...exactly what WO wanted everyone to stat promoting through laughing at it and poking fun...how else do logos get branded...geeesh yoou peopled just proved it works!

Love it!

On Oct.08.2007 at 05:14 PM

Don’s comment is:

"Scott’s comment is:
The new logo is perfect...exactly what WO wanted everyone to stat promoting through laughing at it and poking fun...how else do logos get branded...geeesh yoou peopled just proved it works!
Love it!"

Ooooh, Reverse Psychology, how ingenious.
(followed by Dr Evil type laugh)

On Oct.08.2007 at 07:43 PM

brock’s comment is:

it took me about 3 seconds on Wolff Olin's site to lose interest and not pursue samples of their work.

as a designer, i would never even propose a logo like this. they should have thrown papyrus in there somewhere, then it would just go over the edge and smash on the rocks below.

On Oct.25.2007 at 11:03 AM

stevenfordesign’s comment is:

Wolff Olins is a very old firm, with a long history of good work, NOT RECENT. This mark does indeed remind me of the Wacoal mark, with type right our of the box. (Does no one do hand wrought marks anymore?) I agree with the tremendously creative comments above. If this came from some Jon Stewart type who wanted to prove that there are no more professional in branding, I would completly understand the de-construction of meaning in this color splat! Wacom is such a nicely balance word, it deserves better. This says absolutely nothing about the company.

On Nov.12.2007 at 10:56 AM

S’s comment is:

it's talked about therefor it works, and to all the designers that say they wouldn't have done that, let me ask you: who are you?

On Nov.14.2007 at 05:58 PM

Ryan’s comment is:

Designers talking about a logo, doesn't mean it's a working logo. Everyone prior to myself has already hit the nail on the head, this logo doesn't say anything about the product or company. It doesn't in any way help the audience understand Wacom at all. That is the problem. Not the colors, or the gradients, or anything else. The simple fact is, this logo doesn't do the job it's intended to do. Communicate the idea of Wacom.

On Dec.05.2007 at 08:50 PM

Ryan’s comment is:

weird coincidence.

Kodak

On Dec.06.2007 at 10:31 AM

Daren Guillory’s comment is:

Wolf Olins is brilliant and I truly hate him for it. To clarify, brilliant at drawing attention, not so brilliant at creating logos.

That being said, I still can't go without my pen tablet, regardless of the logo.

On Dec.07.2007 at 10:34 AM

Daren Guillory’s comment is:

Wolf(f) Olins...my apologies.
(him)...them.

On Dec.07.2007 at 11:08 AM

zarand’s comment is:

That's not really?...wow...just wow.

On Dec.17.2007 at 06:21 PM

Nick’s comment is:

"hi, i'm a designer who leaves comments and i'm super critical of everything and I would have done it all better because i'm the best and no one appreciates me"

yawn.

On Dec.18.2007 at 11:11 AM

christopher’s comment is:

How does W-O get clients? What do they do to land these huge accounts? Their work is sooo bad. I am flabbergasted.

On Dec.19.2007 at 06:17 PM

Anonymous’s comment is:

Really the new logo is terrible and used colors are the worst paletter i have ever seen, the logotype is good it look modern at least, so removed that thing please Wacom and get refunded or just ask me (spam.tbin@gmail.com) and i will create something better for free juste because i appreciate your tablet... it's better to make the logo type colorful , and what if big brand give a chance to unknown designer ? it will make people talk about the brand more than if someone who is hyper mediatized but for his bad taste.

On Dec.19.2007 at 11:36 PM

Etienne’s comment is:

I like the new identity and whole branding idea. The symbol does bother me somewhat, just because it has such a peculiar complex shape that one logically thinks its an image of their product, but it's actually not... If they wanted to do something abstract, why do it with such a specific shape, depth, etc.?

I do think Wolff Olins had a very tight strategy behind this. I wouldn't dismiss it as an error. I'm thinking, the shape of the symbol creates such curiosity in everyone as to "what is this?" that maybe that's what they're exactly trying to do.

And remember, as Designers, we should always be pushing the envelope on Design, sometimes to the point of experimentation. That's the way our profession advances and evolves. And a big company like Wolff Olins doing this fresh stuff I think it's cool and says a lot about the way they work.

On Dec.25.2007 at 10:23 AM

Etienne’s comment is:

Actually, Wolff Olins could have done a good job with Snapple's new look, it seems they like doing fun brands.

On Dec.25.2007 at 10:26 AM

David Carvalho’s comment is:

yuk yuk yuk I could spit on that...the new logo, looks HORRIBLE!!! The original one was bad, didnt like it but this new one :|

On Dec.26.2007 at 11:23 AM

Kula bácsi’s comment is:

Wolff Olin is a moron.

On Jan.16.2008 at 09:46 AM

Wünderwoman’s comment is:

True success is having your work posted on this page and ripped to shreds.

That being said...Yeah, it's bad. Next logo.

On Jan.16.2008 at 10:58 AM

Hayden’s comment is:

I love my WACOM tablet. There a great company.

On Sep.13.2008 at 07:03 PM

Michael N. Marin’s comment is:

The circular scrolling "wheel" on my new Bamboo, the smallest Wacom tablet Ive ever had is really a boon in photoshop.

On Oct.07.2008 at 05:06 PM

Neon’s comment is:

I can not stand this logo, the old one was the seal of quality. The new typography have no identity to me, no special features. It looks like some average techno-typography. It is just a medicore iteration of something that happened with design in the 2000s

The symbol looks like an old (and maybe good) designer has "discovered" a new feature in illustrator, but does not have the knowledge and apparatus to disqualify it. This happened to me so many times working with old Art Directors, they wanted to use the computer at the wrong place in the process.

It is like when old rock stars get to much technology and money. Maybe Beatles->Paul McCartney is not the best example, but you get it.

On Oct.18.2008 at 05:05 PM

David’s comment is:

You are so right Neon! Old-school-designers learns a new tool, and everybody is too afraid to say anything since he is so old and famous. We all know the story about the emperors clothes... :)

Im so fascinated that this logo could pass so many levels in the organization? There should be at least SOMEONE in the line of people that wasn't scared of Wolff Olins? Incredible...

On Nov.07.2008 at 07:44 PM

richard’s comment is:

Like the wordmark. Logo reminds me of Atlanta's Olympic mascot. Remember...Whatthefuckisit!

On Nov.07.2008 at 08:14 PM

Menk’s comment is:

Little jimmy spend almost a week downloading photoshop 6.0 on alt.binaries.warez, and spent hours drawing bare breasts on gillian anderson with the mouse before he accidentally discovered something called a "gradient" and came up with this.

On Dec.12.2008 at 10:32 PM

IT Freak’s comment is:

@zedzedeye i like your version of wacky wacom logo design.

really this logo sucks.

On Mar.04.2009 at 02:11 AM

liz’s comment is:

The old mark, while not pretty, invoked the pen aspect of using these tablets, on account of the angles of the W and M. The new mark, also not pretty, evokes a kind of cartoon horn-blowing that usually disrupts one of the characters I see I'm one of many whose thoughts went to cartoons!). What has this mark to do with anything?? Oof.

On May.03.2009 at 01:26 PM

Mark’s comment is:

I've finally seen it in use on it's products, it looks okay, but still I have no clue what it's supposed to stand for.

Should of went with a wordmark.

On May.03.2009 at 02:03 PM

Mark’s comment is:

I checked out there website, I recommend the Experience Our Brand section very thought provoking. Well it was until the end when the ugly colorful thing showed up, this logo could have been done SO MUCH BETTER, the idea was great but the result is so much LACKING.

On May.03.2009 at 02:27 PM

Andy Malhan’s comment is:

1. I wonder why Wacom felt the need for a redesign.

They're looking to expand their customer base to the general public, beyond just us, the creative people. They probably wanted something more playful (the new mark does this) and accessible (I'm not sure if it does this, don't think so) to the common man. I don't think it's a coincidence that they launched their Bamboo range around the same time.

2. I wonder why they accepted this particular redesign.

WO is probably skilled at the pitch and I'd imagine justified the new branding to the client's satisfaction. Also, I'd imagine that they tested the new mark on it's target group. Remember that this target group is not us (see 1.)

Of course we don't like it. It's not aimed at us.

3. I wonder why they didn't just rebrand (or rather, differently brand) the Bamboo range, and keep the professional range as it was.

I think they made a mistake.

4. I wonder if this will make even an iota of difference in sales to existing customers (that's us).

It won't. The product kicks butt.

On May.03.2009 at 11:13 PM