Starbucks Logo Redesign – Less Stars and More Bucks!!
Jan 11, 2011 | Categories: Corporate Logos | Written By: Sam Anderson
 

As of March this year, coffee lovers will be holding a different Starbucks coffee cup with a new logo design. Starbucks, the largest coffeehouse in the world, has unveiled a new logo design for its brand identity that marks the company’s milestone 40 years in business. It is to be formally unveiled in March 2011 across its 16000+ stores all over the world.

• A brief History of the Starbucks logo:
The Starbucks logo relishes a rich history dating 40 years back to 1971. Here is a brief chronology of the changes that Starbucks logo has witnessed over the four decades:

  • • 1971: The first logo, designed by Terry Heckler of Heckler Associates, was a coffee brown colored symbol. It illustrated the iconic mermaid based on the mythical ‘siren’ in the 15th Century. But the provocative logo had to be toned down into a more appropriate one.
  • • 1987: The hair of the siren was dropped down to cover the chest area. And the color of the logo was changed from brown to the famous “green”.
  • • 1992: It was further censored in 1992 by cropping the spreading legs of the siren leaving only its upper body.
  • • 2011: In an attempt to create a minimal logo, the iconic green Siren has been shifted out of the circle and the words "Starbucks Coffee" have been dropped.

The Starbucks websites explains the new logo in the following words:
 

“Our new evolution liberates the Siren from the outer ring, making her the true, welcoming face of Starbucks”
 

• Philosophy behind the Starbucks Redesign:

The redesigned logo embraces the identity of Starbucks and develops the company into a more suitable position in the future. By putting the Siren outside the original logo, it gives the company leverage to expand beyond the realms of the coffee business.
Here is what Mike Peck, Senior Design Manager had said about his creation:
From the start, we wanted to recognize and honor the important equities of the iconic Starbucks logo. So we broke down the four main parts of the mark – color, shape, typeface and the Siren. After hundreds of explorations, we found the answer in simplicity. Removing the words from the mark, bringing in the green, and taking the Siren out of her ring. For forty years she’s represented coffee, and now she is the star.
 

• Will the Siren blow for Starbucks?

The team at Starbucks is confident that the new identity is the start of the new millennium for the corporation? Do you think that the new Starbucks logo will be able to live up to its brand image?
 
 

One Response to “Starbucks Logo Redesign – Less Stars and More Bucks!!”

  1. Lisa Says:
    January 22nd, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    I think that it is just a logo and I think change is a good thing and will excite and bring in more costomers. I dont think people will stop drinking the coffee using the excuse “the logo doesnt live up to the image”. The starbucks logo change will (I think ) be a good thing. Think about it…..it has changed 3 thimes and each time it has became more publicly known and has brought in more costumers. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that logo+change=more costumers and more cotumers+their money= happy workers and owner. HAHAHAHA!! :)

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