A strong visual identity is essential to propelling a company's product, service, and overall brand. However, when it comes to logo designs in architecture, for example, the design's overall look on top of its size, type, and color choice can spark polarizing responses from the community. While not everyone is a trained graphic designer whose expertise and critical analysis of a logo goes beyond the general public, everyone has an opinion on whether a logo satisfies their perspective of the company or goes against what "they" envision.
A while back Archinect conducted a special feature reflecting and reviewing new logos from 10 of the most followed firm profiles on Archinect. During this review, the Archinect team collaborated with Armin Vit, co-founder of the graphic design firm UnderConstruction. Vit, a seasoned graphic designer, and writer lent his knowledge and provided expert analysis on logos from firms like OMA, Snøhetta, BIG, Gensler, and Zaha Hadid Architects, to name a few.
On September 7, Autodesk shared the announcement of its latest visual rebrand. While this isn't the first time the global 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software showcased a "new look," its new logo has sparked a wave of feedback from the industry. According to their recent Tweet, the company calls for users and industry professionals to go beyond the look.
Autodesk's Fred Saunders, VP of Brand and Social Impact, explained that the new look and feel is "the first of several bold moves we're making as a company to reimagine the Autodesk brand—one that underscores our belief that a better world can be designed and made for all." He harps on the design's intention with a slew of adjectives that suggest Autodesk is entering a "clearer direction toward the future." However, what future is that exactly?
Compared to its previous version, the company appears to have outgrown its blue-green, origami-inspired look and ventured into a visual that evokes a mood of "corporate seriousness." While my response may not be the perfect descriptor for what the 39-year-old company intended, I turned to the infamous ArchiTwitter community to see what others thought. While a large consensus falls under the category of distaste, snark, and bewilderment, my favorite response to Autodesk's logo came from Archinect regular Fred Scharmen.
Auto desk rebrands as a defense contractor from a dystopian science fiction movie https://t.co/beHUkXM8gC
— Fred Scharmen (@sevensixfive) September 8, 2021
If we consider the current state of the world and its hodgepodge of disasters, Scharmen's response is fitting and cleverly articulated. Known for his insightful takes on the industry and his astute real-world observations, Scharmen expressed an attitude I'm sure many would agree with. Others also criticized the company's lack of creativity and referenced a "dated" approach to the design. However, while it may be easy to take jabs at Autodesk's new look, users were not shy to express their ongoing dissatisfaction regarding the company's software issues, cost, and licensing.
If one is curious about the evolution of the logo and the "reason" behind it, Kean Walmsley, a longtime Autodesk employee who works at the Autodesk Research office in Switzerland, provides a helpful breakdown of the design minus the overly saturated PR/sales jargon found in press releases.
In his personal analysis, he provides a candid dive into the design, a brief history of the company's visual branding, and his initial thoughts. He shared in his assessment, "I fully admit that it took me a little while to "get" it. If you find it a bit too different, I do recommend giving it a few days/weeks to settle in." Autodesk dedicated a significant amount of time creating an extension of their site to walk through its newfound "voice and story" as they unpack the logo's design principles in their dedicated Brand Hub section.
When it comes to clever marketing, I'd say Autodesk was successful in this regard. In its defense, their team is proud of what they've created, and why not? The lengths it takes to design a new logo, let alone develop a rebranding, take copious amounts of time and effort which quickly falls prey to reactionary banter. However, not all comments fall under the category of "reputable criticism" and more so fall under trollish behavior that lends itself to snarky comment fodder. While it's easy to go through a "logo postmortem rabbit hole," one thing is certain, the new logo got people talking.
What in the fresh graphic design hell is??!?
What do we think of Autodesk's new logo??!?!!@andrew_anagnost @autodesk explain yourself.
Also,#Autodesk #AutoCAD #mompickmeupimscared pic.twitter.com/1dznUzxmxB
— AutoCADmemes (@AutoCADmemes) September 9, 2021
Now, as I've clearly spent more than enough time creating an extended narrative on this new logo, which will eventually become old news, one line from Saunder's press statement did make me chuckle. "Dynamic, modern, and memorable, the new Autodesk logo represents action, momentum, and a clear direction toward the future. It's a strong, simple logo that illustrates a brand synonymous with doing."
I'm not surprised at the amount of "passion" the company's VP of Brand and Social Impact has towards steering more users towards the company's extensive product line. However, it always intrigues me when companies aim to propel a marketing approach that hopes to tap into the behavioral psyche of its consumers. While I doubt the Autodesk logo evokes a positive "sense of doing" for all, I applaud their attempt at taking a page out of Nike's playbook and encouraging its users to think of their software company as a catalyst for "doing."
Perhaps this is what they meant by crafting a "clearer" direction toward the future, reminding its users old and new Autodesk is a platform that hopes to evoke a state of "doing something." Even if that "something" includes stressfully designing, waiting for things to render, or hoping the system doesn't crash as you try to meet a deadline.
11 Comments
Personally I think I would have spent the money on fixing the bugs that have been in AutoCad since the 1990s
i'll be the contrarian here: i think it's much better now. totally agree w fred scharman's comment on what it looks like - but that's ok.
less cynically put: the new logo is bold, clean, and technical - exactly what i think autodesk should aspire to be. it seemed disingenuous and muddle-minded to present the kind of playful, cutesy logos they had for so long.
Agreed. I like the post about it looking like a defense contractor from a dystopian sci-fi movie.... Because I for one appreciate that the new logo represents the truer nature of the brand. hahaha
I'm surprised that the teamin charge of the kerning didn't fuck it up because they forgot to pay attention to the company standards.
Dark and miserable is fitting with the user experience and pricey subscription fees. Still better than the old A scratching itself.
it's minor, but something about the "desk" portion of the "logo" that bothers me.. are those letters slightly more bold or closer together? or is it just a result of the typeface?
but i agree, fits the ethos more.. it's sort of an "A" but not quite, just like autodesk is sort of interested in making good products for architects but in reality, not so much.
Welp, guess the kerning team did it their way because the rest of the company is obviously wrong.
square., I don't think their is anything different for the "desk" portion compared to the rest. I do see it though. I think the issue is there is comparatively more white space in the letters "AUTOD" that the "ESK" seem bold or something.
It's better than the Cyberdyne logo, and definitely an industry Terminator.
I think they were going for the good guys
It's the new "A" symbol that puts the defense contractor take front and center. The negative space harkens to an eagle head motif that would look right at home on an air force contractor's letterhead.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.