Opinion BY Armin

Dutch King Gets His Day in the Sun

On April 30, 2013, Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand (Willem-Alexander to friends and press) became the King of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the Netherlands to friends and bloggers) as his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated the throne after 33 years. Willem-Alexander is the first King to take the throne in 123 years. For his inauguration day and the days leading up to it, the City of Amsterdam worked with Amsterdam-based Koeweiden Postma on the “dressing” of the city to celebrate the occasion.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Shazam

About: (Est. 2002) “Shazam is a commercial mobile phone based music identification service, with its headquarters in London, England. […] Shazam uses a mobile phone’s built-in microphone to gather a brief sample of music being played. An acoustic fingerprint is created based on the sample, and is compared against a central database for a match. If a match is found, information such as the artist, song title, and album are relayed back to the user. Relevant links to services such as iTunes, YouTube, Spotify or Zune are incorporated into some implementations of Shazam.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Design by: The Brand Union.

Ed.’s Notes: Although I always hate the combination of upper and lowercase letters this ends up being a decent wordmark and the icon is much improved. A few more images of the icon and its construction below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Press Release.

Provided quote: “We were thrilled to help Shazam transition from an app used to tag songs to a broader platform of discovery for TV, music, movies, live events and more. The new brand draws from the iconic loading disc that pops up when the app is listening. All of the new elements were derived from that expression, which we’ve enriched and made more responsive.”

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OppenheimerFunds

About: (Est. 1959) “OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (OFI) is one of the largest and most reputable investment management firms in the country. Since the original Oppenheimer fund was first offered to the public in 1959, OFI has demonstrated it is a high conviction asset manager with a history of providing innovative investment strategies to its investors. OFI and its subsidiaries offer a broad array of products and services to individuals, institutional investors and corporations worldwide. OFI provides advisory services to the Oppenheimer mutual funds, and OFI Global Asset Management provides services to institutional clients. OFI, including its subsidiaries, managed more than $208 billion in assets for over 12 million shareholder accounts, including sub-accounts, as of March 31, 2013.”

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: Calling it now: one of the top three worst redesigns of the year. This is absolutely hideous and unnecessary. Bigger view (if you must) of the logo below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Press Release.

Select quote: “(OFI) today announced plans to unveil a new brand and visual identity that represents the firm’s strategy to leverage its innovative heritage and support its mission to turn its unconventional wisdom into value for investors. […] The rebrand embodies our ability to embrace and initiate change.”

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Opinion BY Armin

Autodesk Folds

Established in 1982, Autodesk is one of the most well-known and widely used 3D design, engineering and entertainment software companies. Their two flagship products are AutoCAD, a staple in the architecture and engineering industries, and Maya, a powerful 3D animation software used by the likes of DreamWorks Animation SKG. During TED at the end of February, Autodesk introduced a new logo designed in-house.

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Opinion BY Armin

Ablixa: After You See This Logo, You’ll Need It

Entering the market this week is the newly Food-and-Drug-Administration-approved Alipazone — brand name: Ablixa — an antidepressant drug of the “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class” that has been produced to treat major depression, and is prescribed off-label for other conditions. The logo, packaging, and advertising have been designed by Pentagram partner Emily Oberman.

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Enterprise Florida

About: Enterprise Florida, Inc. is a partnership between Florida’s business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for the state of Florida. Headquartered in Orlando, Enterprise Florida’s mission is to facilitate job growth for Florida’s businesses and citizens leading to a vibrant statewide economy. In pursuit of its mission, Enterprise Florida works closely with a statewide network of economic development partners and is funded both by the State of Florida and by private-sector businesses.”

Design by: On Ideas.

Ed.’s Notes: The logo has been met with controversy for its focus on men by using a tie in its logo, earning the label of being sexist. I couldn’t agree more, this logo is sexist because it offends both men and women because it’s a bad concept executed badly.

Relevant links: Tampa Bay Business Journal story.

Thanks to James I. Bowie for the tip.

A B-Side BY Armin

The Co-op

About: (Est. 1958) “The Co-op has been around since 1958, when a bunch of students founded the University Co-operative Bookshop (in a garden shed!). Today, [it is] Australia’s largest member-owned retailer, with 50+ stores and 1.6 million members.”

Design by: Uberbrand.

Ed.’s Notes: Yeah… that’s not gonna do it for me.

Relevant links: The Co-op blog post.

Select quote: “Shawn Carter changed his (to Jay-Z). So did Katheryn Hudson (to Katy Perry) and Lizzie Grant (Lana Del Rey). Now, we’ve changed our name, too. From The Co-op Bookshop, to… (drum roll)… The Co-op.”

Thanks to Ben Ennis Butler for the tip.

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Solvay

About: (Est. 1863) “SOLVAY is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. It is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving the quality of life and the performance of its customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels, employs about 31,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12.7 billion in net sales in 2011 (pro forma).”

Design by: Vincenti Design.

Ed.’s Notes: Another epically-scored logo introduction video below (or after the jump). I hate to say it, but there is something I like about the new logo. Not much, just something.

Relevant links: Press release (PDF).

Select quote: “We wanted a corporate identity capable of conjuring up the notions of expertise, innovation and modernity. We chose this creation that perfectly expresses the ability of our Group to reinvent itself. The highly symbolic letter “S” and the use of the color blue, maintains a clear link with the Group’s history,” says Michel Defourny, Head of Solvay’s Corporate Communications.

“With this solution, we wanted to create the impression that viewers are plunging into an object, as if it existed in 3D. We used computer graphics to model the shape, to create something half-way between a liquid and a solid in order to refer to Solvay’s core business activities,” explains Laurent Vincenti, CEO of Vincenti Design.”

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Food Network

About: (Est. 1993) “Food Network is a unique lifestyle network, website and magazine that connects viewers to the power and joy of food. The network strives to be viewers’ best friend in food and is committed to leading by teaching, inspiring and empowering through its talent and expertise. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and averages more than 9.9 million unique web users monthly.”

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: Pretty terrible evolution.

Relevant links: Food Network blog post.

Opinion BY Armin

Gradient Watchers

Established in 1963, Weight Watchers is the world’s leading provider of weight management services through a points system that assigns a number to each different food and caps your intake at a certain amount of points — so, say, you can eat 10 points a day, you can spend them on steamed chicken, broccoli, and wheat rice, or you could just eat a fucking doughnut. It’s more complex than that (and you can read a great article on Wired about how their point system has evolved). There are approximately 1.3 million members around the world who attend a whopping 45,000 combined meetings each week through a network of company-owned and franchise operations. Additionally, Weight Watchers produces its own branded food products, consumed at a rate of $5 billion last year. Earlier this month, Weight Watchers launched a new program called Weight Watchers 360° and with it came a new identity designed by Pentagram partner Paula Scher.

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Opinion BY Armin

TVA Embraces Gradients

Established in 1971, TVA is a communications company with two main businesses: (1) television, where it operates the most viewed network in Quebec that includes the namesake channel as well as eight other specialty channels, and (2) publishing, where they produce over 75 magazines, making it the largest publisher of French-language magazines in Quebec. Last week TVA introduced a new logo for its parent company, TVA Groupe, its television channel, and it will continue into the rest of its properties in the coming months. The identity was designed by global agency Sid Lee.

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Asian Paints

About: (Est. 1942) “Asian Paints is India’s largest paint solutions provider and Asia’s third largest paint company. Asian Paints operates in 17 countries and has 24 paint manufacturing facilities in the world servicing consumers in over 65 countries.”

Design by: Fitch, Singapore

Ed.’s Notes: Weird picture of VP marketing Amit Syngle and actress Soha Ali Khan casually painting the new logo below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Press Release. Story.

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SEAT

About: (Est. 1950) “A member of the Volkswagen Group, SEAT has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting approximately 75% of its production to 72 countries. SEAT is market leader in Spain, and in 2010 reached a turnover amounting to 4.7 billion euros, with total sales of 339,500 vehicles.SEAT Group employs 13,000 professionals at its three production centres in Barcelona — Zona Franca, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon, amongst other models.”

Design by: N/A

Ed.’s Notes: It’s not the funnest game of spot the differences, but there are some between the old and new.

Relevant links: Press Release (extensive!). More images and a timeline of the logos.

Thanks to Pierre des Courtis for the tip.

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JA Resorts & Hotels

About: (Est. 1981) Formerly Jebel Ali International, JA Resorts & Hotels is a Dubai-based, locally-owned company with over 30 years of hospitality experience that runs six resorts and two residential properties.

Design by: Interbrand

Ed.’s Notes: Bigger view of the logo below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Press release.

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Opinion BY Armin

Mindtree Wraps Around the Globe

Established in 1999, Mindtree is a global information technology solutions company with 11,000 employees across 24 offices around the world providing services like infrastructure management, application development, business technology consulting, and more. Last week Mindtree introduced a new identity designed by the Los Angeles, CA, office of Siegel+Gale.

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Opinion BY Armin

Infinite Weave

Established in 1994, Mobiltel, more commonly known as M-Tel (now just Mtel), is the largest telecommunications mobile company in Bulgaria. It now offers internet, cable, and home phone services to complement its mobile dominance and landscape ubiquity with 180 stores across the country. Earlier this month Mtel introduced a new identity designed by London-based Saffron.

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Big Commerce

Launched in 2009, Big Commerce is an SAAS (Software As A Service) that allows its 25,000 users to create full-featured online stores. In July, they announced a new logo and new look for their website. Story here.

Thanks to Ethan Whaley for the tip.

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Rosetta Stone

Established in 1992, Rosetta Stone provides “cutting-edge interactive technology that is changing the way the world learns languages. The company’s proprietary learning techniques—acclaimed for their power to unlock the natural language-learning ability in everyone—are used by schools, businesses, government organizations and millions of individuals around the world.” A revised logo was introduced recently, designed by Pappas Group.

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British Film Institute

Established in 1933, the British Film Institute (BFI), as its name implies, is dedicated to all that is good and holy about British film. Back in 2006 we reported on BFI’s new flexible-ish identity by johnson banks, which I liked quite a bit and in our early years of Brand New was one of the first heated comment threads. A new, dumbed-down version of the logo has been designed by London-based Dewynters.

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Spaceport America

Located in Las Cruces, NM, and managed by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, Spaceport America is “the world’s first purpose-built, commercial spaceport, designed to enable affordable, efficient and effective space access and unlock the potential of space for everyone.” A new logo, nicknamed “Spirit”, was introduced on July 4. Press release here. No design credit is given, which is probably for the best because whoever stretched the shit out of Gotham deserves to be put into space and left there. Bigger version of the logo below (or after the jump).

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