With everyone piling on The Gap logo redesign fiasco, it is a good time to remember that this is just one of a long line of brand mistakes.
Edsel–Spent $400,000,000 in development for a product that never found its market.
New Coke–Abandoning its venerated formula nearly sank the brand before it reverted back to its “classic” taste.
Premier Smokeless Cigarette: RJReynolds CEO F. Ross Johnson said, ” Tastes like shit and smells like a fart! Got ourselves one hell of a product on our hands. It’s one unique advertising strategy, I’ll tell ya that.”
Monday: When PwC Consulting separated from PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC Consulting selected Monday: as their new name, oblivious of the obvious negative connotations.
The new Gap logo joins a long list of brand mistakes that beg the questions: “Why?” “Who?” “How?” Why did The Gap feel the need to change a logo? Given the expense of changing out all the signage, labels, communications, I’d love to see the cost/benefit analysis that made it seem like a good idea. Who green-lighted the project? How did The Gap determine that particular design would be a good one? What is interesting about brand debacles is that no one ever comes forward to take the blame or explain how or why the slip-ups happened.