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Dreary Queen

Dairy Queen Logo, Before and After

More than once the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage applies to the logos we review on this site. But I think this one takes the crown for the least broken with the worst fixin’. Dairy Queen’s ellipse is one of the most highly recognizable marks, it is (was) unique, memorable and impactful. Despite this equity, Dairy Queen considered it was time to change and make the wrong moves in all the wrong places — from the press release: “The traditional logo is the foundation for the new one, a more symmetrical ellipse enhanced with gold and blue curved swishes signifying food and treats. The DQ lettering also has been updated to a font that is more current, adding greater personality.” The new mark has melted into a generic cacophony of unrelated forms (swishes! Italics! Bold!) and colors… Actually, in that respect, the new mark is the equivalent of Dairy Queen’s famous Blizzard treats: A jumbly mess.

By Armin on Mar.23.2007 in Food Link

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stock_illustration’s comment is:

Big mistake. It reminds me of Doritos or some other throwaway snack food logo now. There was nothing wrong with the old logo that a fresh look at usage couldn't have fixed. I even think the DQ type looks much more modern in the original. A jumbly mess indeed.

On Mar.23.2007 at 10:50 AM

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Josh P’s comment is:

Sweet goodness. This could be one of the worst logo redesigns...ever.

"...signifying food and treats." - They have got to be kidding.

Congrats Dairy Queen, you've successfully made this look more out-of-date.

On Mar.23.2007 at 10:55 AM

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Christian Palino’s comment is:

What is there to say. Its tragic really, no other way to put it. A true waste of time, energy and resources.

Perhaps the "DQ" in the original logo could have used a little redrawing – some slight adjustments to improve the positive/negative relationship and perhaps bring forward a bit more the quirkiness of the typography. But at that most, that would be it.

Armin, am I correct in assuming that the original red color has changed as well, or is that simply the difference in file types?

If the red has changed, again it adds insult to injury, and they truly are throwing their brand recognition and equity straight out the window.

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:00 AM

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bil’s comment is:

Wait--does the yellow swish represent food and the blue swish represent treats? If so, then it's genius. If not, then I hate it.

Seriously, this is a tragedy. A classic, tossed away. I agree with your (and the first few responders') comments 100%.

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:09 AM

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Armin’s comment is:

Christian, I do think the red has changed. A far cry, too, from the original Dairy Queen logo, which was a nice, rich (and BrandNewsque!) red:

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:13 AM

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benp’s comment is:

Holy Shmoly! It truly is horrible...!

From the press release:
"Our original DQ logo is one of the most revered in the quick service restaurant industry," said Michael Keller, chief brand officer for International Dairy Queen, Inc.

Then WHY change it? Whywhywhywhywhy...?

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:22 AM

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L-Fo’s comment is:

They make mention of the Grill and Chill in the press release. I am assuming that is what the swooshes reference - the warm swoosh = grill while the cool swoosh = chill. They also have used the tag line of "Hot Eats. Cool Treats." which I am sure is what they based the redesign off of. I agree it was unnecessary, but I can see how this design came about.

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:41 AM

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Frank’s comment is:

While i agree the new logo is horrible and seems to have no meaning i have to say the old logo doesn't mean anything for me either and at least in the new logo the ellipse is now symmetrical.

Not that that does help a lot though...;)

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:41 AM

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Ryan’s comment is:

Freaking hideous. When I saw this logo on a recent television commercial, I knew it was pure idiocy.

What's more, the new logo isn't even balanced well. The DQ, being italic, have an unequal weight distribution against their enclosure. They needed to nudge the DQ over to the left a wee bit to keep things optically even.

The swooshes are also hideous. I understand the "grill and chill" connotation, but those swooshes do nothing to actually imply the concept aside from their colors. But as any good logo designer knows, a good logo is not dependent upon color. They, however, have made their logo entirely dependent upon colors, and such it fails even more.

On Mar.23.2007 at 12:22 PM

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Doug’s comment is:

UGH. Someone take away Adobe Illustrator. Just because you can change something doesn't mean you SHOULD. The average consumer will not find significance in the orange and blue vector 'swishes' and will absolutely not identify those as representative of food and treats, respectively.

Anyone who has eaten at DQ knows exactly what they offer - the classic logo accomplished that for years. Why change?

On Mar.23.2007 at 01:21 PM

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Leanne Johnson’s comment is:

oh no...another one jumping on the '1980s is trendy again!!' bandwagon. OK so the typeface is much nicer, but the unnecessary swooshes?? And I'm sorry but the logo in ANY form does not say a thing about their business and doesn't invoke any kind of food thoughts from me at all. The logo could be any kind of company, it is completely bland and generic.

I don't believe their justification for one moment - "signifying food and treats". Absolute rubbish. They've created some silly mark then found a 'reason' to fit it to justify the change.

On Mar.23.2007 at 01:58 PM

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John Muir’s comment is:

Well, as a Brit, I can bring an outside perspective to this. Namely … yes you're right it's worse now, but also that the original doesn't so much as say anything in itself as represent old memories. You basically have to learn that's their sign and this is what they sell. Then again, this is the case for most things.

I wonder where they got the strange curves from? Looking at the three design versions shows a tale of an original strange lopsidedness being slowly but never fully corrected over time.

Anyway, I'm with you that their changes have brought precisely zero good in the end. Neither the first nor the last time that will happen.

On Mar.23.2007 at 02:29 PM

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Nick Fruhling’s comment is:

Not only do I truly dislike the new logo and its elegant Q, I also just realized how the Q in the old one could be a lone Dilly Bar. No more, however...

On Mar.23.2007 at 02:52 PM

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Andrew’s comment is:

Like others here i found the statement "gold and blue curved swishes signifying food and treats." absolutely hilarious - and depressing.

On Mar.23.2007 at 03:44 PM

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Pat Broderick’s comment is:

The colors look to me like Burger King's logo, perhaps that's intentional -- to emphasize they sell more than ice cream (there's also fried stuff!). I'm a little surprised it doesn't employ bevels or gradients, that's pretty rare for a logo revamp these days.

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:07 PM

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nicole’s comment is:

what a mess. i'm a big fan of DQ, and this logo is surely a downgrade. and i hate blizzards!

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:20 PM

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richard’s comment is:

Nice blunder Shikitani Lacroix! Another smack in the face from the French! Tinkering with one of our American icons!

See more comments from the likes of Carlos Segura and Ken Carbone in the current issue of CREATIVITY Magazine, page 14.

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:24 PM

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Splashman’s comment is:

Another vote for "hideous mess."

As a kid, I always thought the bounding shape represented an ice cream cone -- y'know, the swooshy shape of the ice cream on top of the cone. Yeah, I know it's turned on its side, but that's what I always thought.

I can just see it now: the designer, eager to prove his chops, says to the DQ board, with an undisguised sneer on his face, "And of course we'll make the shape symmetrical."

Sigh.

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:31 PM

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Kyle P’s comment is:

Thank GOD its friggin symmetrical now. before I think I lost like 5 strands of hair from my head each time I looked at it.

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:32 PM

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kyle P’s comment is:

if someone can just find a way to get in there and take those swooshes out!!!! i mean just find the file and open it!! and fix it. GAWD.

On Mar.23.2007 at 04:33 PM

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Tony’s comment is:

It used to be a mouth, sort of. Now it's an eye, sort of.

And "a type that is more current"? Only if irrelevance is in fashion.

On Mar.23.2007 at 06:38 PM

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Geoff’s comment is:

I can't find a citation for this, but apparently, the shape of the ellipse comes from the shape of the little Dutch girl's hat (who was once their mascot -- the original "Dairy Queen").

And I guess I'm not sitting here shocked because, as the release points out, they've been rolling out this logo for the past six years at its newfangled "Grill & Chill" restaurants. Some of the recent commercials have actually had the two logos side-by-side, and I knew it was just a matter of time.

On Mar.23.2007 at 09:14 PM

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Joe Moran’s comment is:

Drippy.

On Mar.23.2007 at 10:02 PM

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rickyaustin’s comment is:

Ya know how I knew this redesign was bad??

My father told me about it first. He's a math teacher FYI. He hated it.

DQ built a brand new store the town over from me, and I got to see one of the first shiny new signs. It's purely horrid.

I guess I should eat any Nike shoes in yellow and blue - because blue and yellow swooshes mean food now. Insane.

On Mar.23.2007 at 10:42 PM

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Scott Perez-Fox’s comment is:

Treats? Are we dogs now? Since when does Dairy Queen serve food? I thought they only sold Ice Cream. See, this is what happens when brands let themselves go.

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:23 PM

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Dave Simon’s comment is:

They made the red shape more symmetrical only to mess the hell out of it with the hideous lettering and stupidified (that's a word, I just said it!) "swishes." (I think they had to really work hard not to say "swooshes."

Terrible.

On Mar.23.2007 at 11:33 PM

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Joe M’s comment is:

Hot food was sold under the product-name "Brazier" at my local DQ franchise on State Rte 23 N. It is bizarre to be asked, "Try a Hot Dairy Queen Brazier today, Sir?" Instead of conjuring up images of haute-cuisine, this aural confusion with the Queen's Brassiere has surely made a certain faction of customers blush at the counter over the years, including myself.

Saying "Brazier" is not nearly as uncomfortable as saying the word "Chill" and looking at this collection of shards which may in fact be REAL toenail clippings.

The Grill and Chill capital B Brand obliterates all the nostalgic associations go along with seeing the words Dairy Queen set in that soft, squarish mechanical typeface designed to accomodate neon tubes. Historically, the company prolifically implemented the oversized, neon-lit sign with a soft-serve vanilla cone pointing 12 degrees towards the road. These signs are everywhere across the midwest, threatening to pull down many a cheap brick and glass building. The signs were a pitch-perfect solution for all those folks motoring with dim headlights. Moreover, the neon is as romantic as candlelight; especially when sharing a Dilly Bar with your sweetheart.

Dairy Queen's iconic roadside signage, complete with neon inline was integrated on this packaging from 1952. Even, the DQ and Dairy Queen logos of late maintained that roadside lettering, like this bulbous dallop from the 70s.

Maybe it's something to do with scalability that dilutes the intrigue of these brands. I can't envision Ted Drewes ever becoming this dorky.

The new logo lowers the expectations for experience. It panders to the rushed and carnal wants of some customers. I bet even that any FocusGroup's lowest common denominator would frown upon this new stain on the American roadside by Dairy Queen N.A. Incorporated.

On Mar.24.2007 at 05:04 PM

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Inkblot Robot’s comment is:

Yikes. Honestly, I don't have anything to add, but I agree whole heartedly with you Armin!

On Mar.25.2007 at 12:28 AM

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andrew courter’s comment is:

NOTE TO SITE ADMIN: It appears that the images below the "old" and "new" headers of the original post have been inadvertently switched.

On Mar.25.2007 at 09:12 PM

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Armin’s comment is:

Andrew... Sorry, I don't see anything switched. Either that, or I'm too tired to notice the sarcasm.

On Mar.25.2007 at 11:01 PM

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Gene’s comment is:

Absolutely terrible. I just can't figure out the affinity some designers have for swashes -- this new DQ logo reminds me of the logo for WETA, the public broadcaster in Washington, DC. Another logo featuring dual swashes, sound and fury signifying nothing.

On Mar.26.2007 at 12:52 PM

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C-lo’s comment is:

You call that a new logo? I call it CRAP! Shine up a deuce all you want, it still stinks.

On Mar.26.2007 at 01:50 PM

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Bob’s comment is:

I've never even seen student work this bad, lol

On Mar.26.2007 at 01:54 PM

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brian’s comment is:

Definitely looks like design by committee.

On Mar.26.2007 at 02:21 PM

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andrewmartin’s comment is:

Armin, my bad -- sarcasm was indeed intended. Old, asymmetrical blob beats new swooshy one any day.

On Mar.26.2007 at 02:24 PM

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Calvin Ross Carl’s comment is:

This rebranding happened some time ago and it is awful. Possibly the worst updating I have ever seen. The old logo was still very contemporary looking, and the "appearance" of their logo could have been updated by rebranding everything around their old logo. The old logo was not DQ's problem, it was their lack of voice in everything else.

On Mar.26.2007 at 11:38 PM

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steve woodruff’s comment is:

It would appear that the top swish is gold, to represent the money thrown away, and the bottom swish is blue, to sum up the feelings of whomever wrote the check for this outcome!

On Mar.27.2007 at 12:16 PM

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Exigent’s comment is:

Burger King anyone? DQ was a great icon, and always will be. Only now, we have to look passed 2 swishy curves to see it.

I will mention however that the asymetrical elipses always bugged me a bit. So I think it a good change.

The lettering sucks.

The swishies suck.

Whatever... sigh.

On Mar.27.2007 at 03:47 PM

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disgruntled designer’s comment is:

Sure, this is bad, actually awful, but is it any worse than that Day's Inn logo that people thought was really great? Both have bad typography and unnecessary elements that distract the viewer and virtually ridicule identity design.

This new logo has been out there for almost two years now but I don't know what took them so long to change over to the new id. There is a restaurant located near my parents house and it got this new swooshy sign around Christmas in 2005, or at least that's when I noticed it. And that's in the middle of nowhere in the midwest. Maybe they test marked in the midwest and since no one cared they decided to go ahead and switch it over.

The logo kind of goes completely against the new direction of their buildings.

On Mar.27.2007 at 04:33 PM

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pnk’s comment is:

I hate be a dogpiler, I really do. But man, this one makes me nearly cry, it's so misguided.

Was the original untouchable? No, of course not. But this is just wrong. DQ is a brand that I have a real history with, so I think I'm more personally protective of the nostalgia it evokes than I am with many other logos.

Maybe that's why I feel so sad looking at it, all tarted up like that in yesterday's swooshes, like some lonely sad kid watching the slow dance from the edge of the gymnasium... chin up, little buckaroo, I want to say. Those "swishes" won't last. Someone will rescue you, will recognize your true inner beauty, will embrace you for the yummy fries and dip top cones we know you represent! Hang tough, DQ. Hang tough.

On Mar.27.2007 at 07:31 PM

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greg.org’s comment is:

don't get me wrong, I hate the new logo, too, but I wonder if it's worth considering DQ's competitive [and literal] landscape.

The first thing I thought when I saw the grill & chill logo above was not ice cream [actually, it was Dorito's, but still].

Maybe what they think they need is commercial striproad signage that gets considered when someone in a car is looking for a meal, not just dessert.

Looking more like the competition they aspire to have--Carl's Jr, Applebee's, Chili's, I don't know because I live in the city precisely to get away from stripmall culture--would be a strategic benefit, getting new customers to realize there's more than dairy/dipped cones at DQ. [If I'm a suit trying to expand my business by overcoming a misperception that's been accreting for decads, and a designer told me, "Anyone who has eaten at DQ knows exactly what they offer," he'd be fired so fast, he'd end up moaning about it on a blog. Oh wait.]

I don't doubt that the design firm--Shikitani Lacroix, three times fast--botched the brief, but critiquing the changes without much/any mention of how they might have occurred, or how the logo is actually supposed to function in RL seems to miss several points.

Maybe a fast food company really needs shitty, jumbled design to make it in American drive-by culture these days.

On Mar.28.2007 at 10:08 AM

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David’s comment is:

Yuck - I really, really dislike this logo. Looks like something from 1992.

On Mar.28.2007 at 11:15 AM

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Michael B.’s comment is:

The tragic thing about this is that you can see through the mess that the client obviously didn't really want to change. Hence the funny shape — slightly adjusted! And the monogram — switched to slab serif and made italic! And, of course, the last recourse of scoundrels — bolt-on swooshes. Sigh.

All it would have taken is a gentle word behind closed doors: "Look, my friend, do you really want to change this logo?" The obvious answer — a "no" delivered through grateful tears — would have still left plently of room to polish up the classic and create a kickin' visual system around it.

On Mar.28.2007 at 11:22 AM

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Patrick Senecal’s comment is:

I think the Dairy Queen has too much money to spend.

On Mar.28.2007 at 11:52 AM

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Anthony’s comment is:

They totally should have gone to Logomaid.

On Mar.28.2007 at 11:57 AM

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Susanna’s comment is:

I like the new red. That is about it.

On Mar.28.2007 at 02:01 PM

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dalton’s comment is:

Looks very mid-nineties. I would have guessed that "old" and "new" were reversed.

On Mar.28.2007 at 07:56 PM

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jellynail’s comment is:

What pisses me off the most is, that's not an ellipse. And nobody's called them on it yet.

Are this decade's new logos really that bad? I liak the new Sprite logo.

On Mar.29.2007 at 04:13 AM

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marla’s comment is:

As an added bonus, the hideous new logo will cost three times as much to print.

On Mar.30.2007 at 10:50 AM

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helen’s comment is:

I prefer the older, but then again,
I'm older. I'm not sure how the younger generations see this logo, but I think that's the key in any business' longevity -- the future. I don't dress the way they do, I don't talk the way they do, but I think it's important to listen to what might appeal to them since they probably spend the most money on places like DQ.

I, myself, am not so enraged, however, at this point can only afford my own scant/humble two cents...

Have a good one to all of you tastemakers!

On Mar.30.2007 at 10:53 AM

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Simon’s comment is:

I think maybe there's a shift in how they want to compete as some have mentioned. If they are no longer just desserts then maybe the shift is worth while. I think they went overboard in either case. I guess we'll see what the consumers think. We should follow along and see if revenue changes. Interesting stuff as always.

On Mar.30.2007 at 10:58 AM

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Gary B.’s comment is:

Oh dearie me, this will not do AT all!
Run children, run swiftly to the barn, there in you shall find the keys to the LogoBurner, a fiendish device of torture, resevered for only the most alarming of offences to logokind. And into the machine this logo must be stuffed, head first, with its little legs kicking. Watch out for those legs or you'll lose a tooth!

On Mar.30.2007 at 11:10 AM

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Hector’s comment is:

The font used in the old logo looks more contemporary than the redesigned logo. With the new logo, I don't see anything that looks remotely current and edgy or even dishy and tasty.

On Mar.30.2007 at 11:18 AM

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Carlos Gomez’s comment is:

There is no doubt that DQ is trying to emphasize that they serve more than just ice cream. But the change in logo doesn't contribute the change in perception. The addition of swooshes doesn't communicate that.

The money would have been better spent on their communication and advertising strategy to de-emphasize ice cream and focus on their food offerings.

On Mar.30.2007 at 11:51 AM

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Jeffrey Eisenberg’s comment is:

So how is it that otherwise reasonably competent executives get it in their minds to make these logo changes? Does anybody have any evidence that a logo redesign has ever helped a business improve sales?

On Mar.30.2007 at 12:39 PM

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Andrew Twigg’s comment is:

I know I'm late to the party, but this is really unfortunate. So much that I'm compelled to say that and only that.

On Apr.01.2007 at 10:24 PM

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John Gearheart’s comment is:

If they have any sense they will eat the money they spent on this debacle, and stick with the old logo. A perfect example of something steered by a bunch of smarmy account execs and marketing hacks with no sense of design, or understanding of visual communications. Some how I feel the designer and creative director were cringing more and more after each round of client input, and A.E. head nodding and note taking.

On Apr.01.2007 at 11:59 PM

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thethiefofalways’s comment is:

They are kidding; right?

They would have been better off to do something more like UPS or Kroger did with their re-branding. They should have done some round beveling of the logo and added some gloss to update it.

Food and treats; huh? That's a bit of a stretch and not even really that creative.

They would be better off spending their money to ensure all of their franchise owners get on the same page with cup sizing and prices, because some are just a rip-off...

On Apr.02.2007 at 09:44 AM

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J.’s comment is:

Much of what I might have said has been said over & over, but I'll throw my hat in ring & mention that this probably tops that horrible Long John Silver's redesign a few years back.

On Apr.03.2007 at 12:37 AM

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Bobby Henderson’s comment is:

I might have been able to go along with some updated lettering in the "DQ" logo, but those swooshes are just horrid. They don't fit into the design at all. They just look like a fobbed off after thought.

It's going to be interesting to see how this new brand mark is incorporated into the big lighted signs. Curvy shaped cabinets and the vacuum formed faces that go into them are expensive enough to produce. This new design is sure to inspire sign manufacturers to charge some hefty a**hole tax.

On Apr.03.2007 at 03:16 PM

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Jeff Fisher LogoMotives’s comment is:

Swoosh-o-licious!!!

On Apr.04.2007 at 05:56 PM

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sfumato6’s comment is:

Definitely not scrum-dilly-ishous anymore.

As much as the previous logo color strobes between an odd orangy color and a purple in my eyes, the new logo with its implied happy face is just garbage. I also see some sickly color shifts where the swishes overlap the base shape. This stuff is rudimentary Albers. No excuses.

It also looks like the designer "fixed" the unbalanced curves of the old base shape by cutting it in half and mirroring, thereby eliminating some of the quirky personality the logo once had.

You can relax now children, the galaxy of food and treats is finally symmetrical.

On Apr.09.2007 at 05:44 PM

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DavidB’s comment is:

The temptation for "swooshes" is way to great for most companies. This has gone on too long, for 10 years at least. Makes me wonder what would have happened if Nike never had a swoosh in their logo, but something else, would everyone be doing that instead?

On Apr.11.2007 at 10:27 PM

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Christapher’s comment is:

I'm sure 30+ people have already said this, but let me just say that when i saw the new 'and improved' logo my heart sank. The new logo seems so jumbled and confusing.

The typeface update could have been done and been fine, but the swooshes seem just tacked on and cheesy.

On Apr.17.2007 at 01:08 PM

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DQ Grill & Chill GM’s comment is:

I am the General Manager of a DQ Grill & Chill. I have been to meetings and meetings about this logo. They call it the "master brand logo". The reason they made it is to refresh the brand. All restaurants are being updated and redesigned with the Grill & Chill look. The whole theme of the concept is a step above the rest.

It is true. Gold is the Grill, Blue is the Chill.

Honestly it may not be the best designed logo in the world. But it IS very appealing in person. The theme is carried out and is well balanced with the building design / lighting. Pretty much daily I receive compliments on how beautiful our restaurant is.

Our sales do not lie. The new G&C brand (with the new logo) is making a killing. Our sales are much more impressive then the busiest McD's in town. Tells you something.

On Apr.20.2007 at 03:17 AM

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HelloWorld’s comment is:

Peace people

We love you

On Apr.28.2007 at 08:28 AM

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DQ Manager’s comment is:

Yeah, try working at dq, and having your logo on your awesome uniform shirt go from DQ classic. i can upload pics but it makes me wanna cry. to that logo, that after being at dq for 6 years(im 20), and being proud to wear it in public. i get a new shirt-(management got em first wat a privellage) with THAT i wont even call it a logo on em. They're hideous. Oh an DQ Stores gotta change all there signage by next year for a mere 20,000 dollars to the new logo. but dont worry. they through in a free new menu board system.

On Apr.30.2007 at 11:48 PM

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Woody Holliman’s comment is:

The new logo is worthless - I agree - but I would be curious to see how the final, approved version compares with the first comps. Sometimes a fiasco like this is completely the design company's fault, but at other times it's simply death-by-committee, with a headstrong CEO insisting that the designers execute his napkin sketch.

On May.01.2007 at 09:45 AM

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Mark’s comment is:

from professional looking logo to..........a horrible powerpoint-esque cheap imitation logo.

Seriously that exactly what it looks like,its as if some non-designer took the Dairy Queen logo said that it didn't look "cool" enough and modified it using the WRONG font and put a bunch of swishes to make it more "eyecatching" then submitted it to Dairy Queen executives as their new logo.

WTF were they thinking????

this is worse than UPS,worse than Verizon,even worse than AT&T! this the most horrible logo update I've ever seen!!!!!

GOD those swishes are annoying they get in the way of the logo itself!

its designed so haphazardly NO amount of design speak can excuse it's horrendous look.

On May.01.2007 at 08:41 PM

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ivan bendana’s comment is:

I was just surfing the web when a came across this redesigned logo that I think says "do not buy me, i suck"
Here i show my alternative to what could've been there new logo.

On May.31.2007 at 01:49 PM

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Mark’s comment is:

Serif slanted lettering does not look good on Dairy Queen.

Serif in this case equals "to cheap to find the appropriate font"

I can't believe this is a real logo, seriously it's amateur, the swooshes are bad enough,those are common, but serif type? seriously, serif type? italicized? in bold?

are you kidding me?

seriously, whens the last time you've seen any type of business using italicized, bold, serif type for their logo?

Rare, isn't it?

Probably because it looks bad.

When has Dairy Queen associated it's identity with any type of serif type?

none.

Why?

because it's not representative of what the company is.

Which is that it's modern in it's design, serif type isn't really new in it's style.

It represents everything that is old-fashioned manual typewriters, banks, books, newspapers,etc.

Companies that want to look new use serif type.

Thats why Payless shoes, dumped the Cooper font, why Cooper Tires abandoned it's old logo, why Carl's Junior and Hardees abandoned it's Courier typeface and why so many large companies use sanserif for their new logos.

So in fact while trying to look new Dairy Queen ended up making itself look old-fashioned.


On Jun.05.2007 at 04:48 PM

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hunkadora’s comment is:

Terrible.

On Jul.03.2007 at 09:42 AM

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Winnie Anderson’s comment is:

What a waste of time, money, and effort. It's bad enough this ridiculous thing was created and approved but I haven't seen it used in any of their recent advertising, so it's inconsistent on top of everything else.

"Signifies food and treats"? So food isn't "treats"? Which one does the blue signify?

And why are we seeing so many of these swooshy effects?

A mess.

On Jul.06.2007 at 10:31 AM

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bill oliver’s comment is:

Its easy to say negative stuff about change but change is good. Yes the old may have been better but in time all things change. I believe that you might need something differntlike maybe a female cow standing in a field with a crown on her head and the words DAIRY QUEEN written on the side.

On Jul.09.2007 at 10:28 AM

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Mark’s comment is:

Yes but change doesn't have to change for the worst!

Something better could've been done.

On Jul.09.2007 at 04:35 PM

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tony’s comment is:

yes DQ is a traditional franchise, but this sign is alot more attractive to the younger generation who dont know about DQ. Id say an excellent move by DQ

On Aug.08.2007 at 12:44 PM

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tony’s comment is:

yes DQ is a traditional franchise, but this sign is alot more attractive to the younger generation who dont know about DQ. Id say an excellent move by DQ

On Aug.08.2007 at 12:44 PM

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JOHN’s comment is:

T think we have a CEO who's only fame is to create an image for his personal reasons. The DQ emblem has been around to long for this "new look" which does nothing for the DQ system but !!!!!!!

On Aug.14.2007 at 05:25 PM

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Emily’s comment is:

So here's my opinion, as an employee of Dairy Queen.

I hate this new logo. Now all of a sudden its showing up everywhere in our store! We recently got new nametags, T-shirts, even a new menu board, just to go along with this new updated look.

Personally, I think its ridiculous.

First of all, who's going to associate the "swishes" with food and ice cream? Um, no one.

Secondly, the old DQ logo as struck up many a-conversation between me and my co-workers. Why take away that charm?

Obviously this update was a huge mistake. And now I can't believe that we have to start changing even our stores just so it goes with this hideous new logo.

The old logo was just, not to sound corny, but quirky and fun. I always wondered about the asymmetry, but it was fun to sit and think about why it was the way it was. And I love the old font. The "Q" has its own personality, which I love.

In the end, the update was a horrible idea.

End of story!

On Aug.21.2007 at 12:46 AM

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Jan Andersen’s comment is:

It is embarrassing … bad

Cheap look - bad colors - wrong … wrong! - go back …

On Sep.11.2007 at 03:46 AM

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nickie’s comment is:

i work at dq!

On Oct.30.2007 at 11:32 AM

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nickie’s comment is:

IT U-G-L-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Oct.30.2007 at 11:36 AM

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nickie’s comment is:
IT U-G-L-Y!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On Oct.30.2007 at 11:37 AM

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Coel’s comment is:

And what is worse, any signage change that should be made to any DQ Stores it will need to be change to the NEW logo....I don't know what IDQ sees in this...I used to work at one for like 5 years and I have always been fasinated on how they research statistics and try to implement them into stores...when the stores should be influencing them telling them what they want not the other way around...REASON BEING .... most of the corporate heads have never worked at DQ a day in their life!!!!

On Nov.28.2007 at 08:13 PM

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Anonymous’s comment is:

it is pimp

On Dec.14.2007 at 09:32 AM

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Anonymous’s comment is:

it is pimp

On Dec.14.2007 at 09:32 AM

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Anonymous’s comment is:

I like the new penis

On Dec.31.2007 at 06:48 AM

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Mrs. Horny’s comment is:

I wanna get eaten, im wet

On Dec.31.2007 at 06:49 AM

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Mark’s comment is:

What The heck is it with these nonsense comments we get at the tail end?

On Dec.31.2007 at 09:53 AM

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Kim’s comment is:

The big question is: What does this all mean to the consumer?

The answer: not a blesed thing. t doesn't change the quality of the food or the experience. The swishes representing food and treats? The percentage of the general public getting that: 0.000005 %.

The percentage that will change their purchasing behaviour? 0.0%

Ridiculous waste of time and money.

On Jan.08.2008 at 10:22 AM

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Daryl’s comment is:

I hate it too Looks so plastic-y, like the food is going to be lower quality there now too.

Does no one have time to actually say FULL WORDS any more? "DQ" only?

Ok, "Dairy Queen" might seem old-fashioned, but old-fashioned is GOOD when you are talking food and ice cream, duh. Bring back the old logo, and fire the idiot(s) approved this change.

On Feb.26.2008 at 09:53 PM

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Gracie’s comment is:

Looks like someone has too much time and money on their hands.

On Mar.02.2008 at 11:46 PM

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paul’s comment is:

HELP HELP PLEASE tell me the name of the new font for DQ not the logo but the name DAIRY QUEEN
im doing a sign and need it any help thank you in advance if its a link email it to gmsigninc@aol.com

On Mar.21.2008 at 09:56 AM

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designabiffita’s comment is:

I recommend that Armin start a thread about what makes for a great logo redesign; under what circumstances it is warranted, what process should be followed to ensure success, what is success, how to separate positive equity from negative equity, the role of change via visual communications itself in the business objectives or Brand transformative needs of our clients. I have read through a few of these blogs and believe that it sounds like a bunch of bugs criticizing flowers meant to attract bees they do not know or care to know. Sure, many designs are ill concieved, or do not make "progress" or manifest a leading trend (if that is good). Prudential Insurance is a classic case of going too far then pulling back.
For this blog to be valuable and informative, versus just a virtual spittoon for a bunch of practitioners with overactive salivatory glands, it needs more constructive dialogue. (of course I haven't read your "mission statement".

Armin.?

On Mar.21.2008 at 04:55 PM

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Armin’s comment is:

Our mission statement couldn't be put any better:

Brand New, a virtual spittoon for a bunch of practitioners with overactive salivatory glands.

In all seriousness. There is no ulterior motive to this site. It's pretty simple: We review logos, people comment on them. We are as relevant as the work that gets put out there and as constructive or non-constructive the comments are. I don't want to force anyone to comment a certain way or not. If someone says "this logo is shit" and that's their only comment, it reflects poorly on whoever posted -- it's their words not ours.

> I recommend that Armin start a thread about what makes for a great logo redesign;

That's not a bad idea. We'll see. But I think the answers lie already somewhere in the existing hundred or so reviews.

On Mar.21.2008 at 05:03 PM

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RichyRich’s comment is:

NO, it is time for a change. The new logo brings us into the 20th century. Long over due in my opinion..LOVE THE LOGO....
RichyRich

On Apr.09.2008 at 03:51 AM

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Edward’s comment is:

Id say its about par for a company that is only concerned with money. I worked for them and when I became disabled was denied my temporary total disability because my surgeon wasnt local! I was later told by someone in corporate that this is common practice for them because they know if you hire legal help by the tinme you recoup what you are supposed to get to begin with, you have spent it all on attorney fees and therefore people usually dont persue the benefit.

On Apr.22.2008 at 02:41 PM

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Sky’s comment is:

I think it's a sad looking logo now compared to the pristine uncluttered way it looked before. Big mistake. Change for change sake isn't good when it's not for the better. This is NOT for the better.

On May.08.2008 at 05:21 PM

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Robert Waugh’s comment is:

I own 2 DQ's and I am about to purchase these signs because I have no choice. The bottom line for IDQ is they don't sell ice cream they sell signs and equipment to suckers like me. Last year something like 72% of their income came from sources other than royalaties.

On Jun.24.2008 at 08:33 PM

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Sassy Morgan’s comment is:

The logo looks like kids designed it. Not very professional at all. Should have done a poll on it before the final decision was made. Hope it't not the down fall of the company.

On Aug.08.2008 at 11:33 AM

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Leah’s comment is:

Why are you guys being so negative?
It looks perfectly fine to me, it looks updated enough, it looks better than the other ones.
Its not like your going to be wearing it, or like its apart of your house or anything, its just a logo. I also agree with Kim`s comment, It doesn't change the taste of the food,unless you eat the logo first then the food... But you guys really need to just relax.

On Oct.27.2008 at 02:02 PM

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Wes’s comment is:

Well this is sort of a blog revolving around design and branding not, you know, food. So it makes sense that the logo would be discussed and not, again the food.

Christ.

On Oct.27.2008 at 02:18 PM

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Kourtney’s comment is:

HEY LEAHHHHHHHH,, WATS UP GIRL?!?
HAHA I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT BECAUSE I'M SAWEET LIKE THAT BUT SERIOUSLY ALL YOU PEOLPLE WHO ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NEW LOGO, YOU GUYS NEED TO SERIOUSLY GET A LIFE AND STOP WORRYING ABOUT STUFF THAT DOESNT CONCERN YOU!!
SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS ARE RETARDED!!

On Oct.31.2008 at 01:39 PM

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Mark’s comment is:

Wow, Kourtney seriously speaks of the type of intelligence of a lot of today's youth, wow.


unbelievable.

On Oct.31.2008 at 01:58 PM

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Mark’s comment is:

LAY OFF THE CAPS!!!!

geez.

On Oct.31.2008 at 01:59 PM

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Anonymous’s comment is:

Fuck!

On Nov.09.2008 at 04:29 PM

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jordan’s comment is:


I'm glad to see that there are people able 2 argue about a sign and being a couple years later the new (and improved) dairy queen is doing great being an employee of there's

On Jan.18.2009 at 08:24 PM

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coskunlar vinc’s comment is:

Looks like someone has too much time and money on their hands.

On Apr.28.2009 at 03:33 PM

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Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.

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