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A week has now passed since everyone’s favorite photo-centered social platform has given their interface an update and their logo an overhaul, and as expected, it has received its fair share of criticism. Understandable, when one takes into consideration that the iconic Instagram logo has gone without a major refresh in years, and the new logo is such a drastic departure from what was previously in place. However, just as the company itself did when it waited for so long to commit to a redesign, we have to try to avoid making an impulsive judgment on it and instead try look at this how this move will affect the company and users in the long run. The dust has settled, and we have a clearer view of what this means from a branding standpoint.
People love Instagram. This is an indisputable fact backed by the sheer number of active users the platform boasts. If you’re like us, you’ve checked your account a few times in the last hour, and possibly once since you started reading this sentence. What people don’t particularly care for is when that change comes to something we spend as much time with as the ‘Gram.
The endearing little instant camera that has for so long separated itself from the dozens of flat-design app icons on our lock screens and branded itself into our subconscious is now gone, and in its place is a greatly simplified camera on top of a gradient. One would be hard-pressed to argue that as recognizable as the logo had become, it was beginning to look dated, especially as just about every other major app makes the jump to a sleek, flat design style. An upgrade was certainly needed, but what is being contested is whether or not the new visual identity took the right steps to ensure it remained recognizably Instagram. When you get down to it that’s the most glaring issue the redesign suffers from.
While the image itself isn’t awful, nothing about it is inherently Instagram. Maybe if they had kept the iconic rainbow colors from the original logo, it would work. Perhaps if the beloved camera was simplified, modernized and flattened, it would work. If there was any component of the new logo that hinted that it belonged to Instagram, it would likely not be facing the firestorm of criticism that it has this past week. It’s an unexceptional design that doesn’t relate itself to the brand that it’s supposed to be representing.
For a brand to develop such a unique and universally recognizable identity and then try to essentially start from scratch with a new logo that doesn’t even hint that it’s associated with the brand is a huge misstep. The camera doesn’t evoke the feeling of the original, and the gradient, which according to the designers is supposed to pay homage to its predecessor’s rainbow, simply isn’t effective in that regard.
To be fair, anything that evokes such passionate devotion and boasts such a significant user base will always pose a challenge from a branding standpoint, and Instagram is unlikely to suffer much of a loss from this (especially as the subtle interface updates look great). The faux pas here is the forfeiture of that valuable imprint in the consumer’s mind, something that literally thousands of brands have tried and failed to ever acquire. We’re not going to cut back on our use of the platform by any means, but searching for that new, radically different icon will certainly take some getting used to.
Remember, keeping up with the times is important, but remembering what got you to where you are is imperative.
While you’re scrolling through Instagram for the eighteenth time today, consider following us @theprodigalcompany.
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