________________________________________________________________________________ ================================================================================ [http://www.altavista.com/av3/promo/20_ads_logo.html] ================================================================================ Why did AltaVista change its current logo? [http://www.altavista.com/i/logo_nice.gif] Consumer research measured perceptions of the current AltaVista identity, testing the overall expression as well as the individual components, i.e. color, the mountain symbol, typography, etc. In assessing the identity, AltaVista used the requisite criteria for developing a strong brand, namely: The identity should reflect the company positioning and brand attributes. The identity should differentiate the company from competition. AltaVista's brand position centers on making you smarter by unlocking the potential of the Internet, empowering you with the knowledge you need to succeed in life. AltaVista's core brand attributes are: Smart Dynamic Thought-provoking Testing the old AltaVista "mountain" logo, we drew the following conclusions as we assessed its component parts: Name: AltaVista AltaVista means "view from the top" in Spanish. This metaphor strongly supports the AltaVista brand. It creates the imagery of a vast horizon, symbolic of the unlimited possibilities that AltaVista presents through the Internet. It also reflects a leadership position, "the top," which AltaVista enjoys. Further, the fact that the expression is in a foreign language also supports one of AltaVista's leadership strengths---its translation and foreign search capabilities. Name: AV "AV" was not seen as a viable alternative name. It was not recognized or associated with the brand. Further, AV was associated with audio-visual. Finally, users felt that using AV as a name was walking away from the strong equity of the AltaVista name. Color: Blue Through unaided research, users associated AltaVista with blue, cementing that equity. However, blue with white alone, as expressed in the mountain logo, was perceived as cold and distant, signaling a need to add additional colors to warm up the brand personality reflective of the company. Further, amongst key competitors, blue was the least commonly used color, providing an opportunity for strong differentiation. Symbol: Mountains The mountains did have positive association with strength and leadership (heights). However, the mountains were seen as cold, distant, daunting and impersonal, working against AltaVista's desire to create a more inviting, personal relationship with its loyal users. The mountains were also strongly associated with bottled water, not synonymous with a leading global Internet brand. Typography: Upper and Lower Case The old typography, upper and lower case, is relatively common among corporate identities. To differentiate from other brand identities, convey a more friendly personality, and support the brand positioning, a lower-case typeface was suggested. The net take-away creative direction: keep the AltaVista name, keep the blue color, but enhance the identity with accent colors more reflective of the dynamic personality; explore lower case type; lose flat, cold, impersonal mountain range image while enhancing the dynamism, intelligence, and thought-provoking nature of the brand. ________________________________________________________________________________ no copyright 1999 rolux.org - no commercial use without permission. is a moderated mailing list for the advancement of minor criticism. more information: mail to: majordomo@rolux.org, subject line: , message body: info. further questions: mail to: rolux-owner@rolux.org. archive: http://www.rolux.org