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I wanted to put the new rendering of the once iconic brand of America Online (AOL) as the headline just to see how it looks. It looks….weird. Below are some of the pictures from All Things Digital of how this new look will happen for the Aol. once it is officially cast overboard by the Time Warner mother ship. OK, so thrown overboard is bit harsh. How about pushed out the door with a resounding “Don’t let the door hit ya in the a#$ on the way out”?
My thoughts on the logo? I don’t get it. Why do you now go lower case with a period? I suppose it’s to help you see the new AOL (sorry Aol. or do I have to wait for the cord to be cut? I’m confused.) Fortunately, Aol. Ceo.Tim Armstrong will clear it up for us.
“Our new identity is uniquely dynamic. Our business is focused on creating world-class experiences for consumers and AOL is centered on creative and talented people–employees, partners, and advertisers. We have a clear strategy that we are passionate about and we plan on standing behind the AOL brand as we take the company into the next decade.”
Yup, I got that from the new logo. The only thing that matters about AOL / Aol. is whether it is a viable business that has a spot in the Internet space once the new arrangement is official. No tricky logo or any other quote from anyone will tell the tale like revenue and profits. But hey, there are things like press releases for those quotes so let’s hear it.
“Historically brand identity has been monolithic and controlling, little more than stamping a company name on a product. AOL is a 21st century media company, with an ambitious vision for the future and new focus on creativity and expression, this required the new brand identity to be open and generous, to invite conversation and collaboration, and to feel credible, but also aspirational. We’re delighted to have worked so closely with the AOL leadership team to create something bold and exciting that sets AOL apart,” said Karl Heiselman, CEO of Wolff Olins.
I never realized that using capital and lowercase letters could do so much.
