Bad Logo – Get With the Times SW!
Written by Jay Karen on March 14, 2008 – 2:15 pmFor months now, I’ve wanted to assume that the logo I see on Sherwin Williams trucks are outdated and have been replaced. It’s understandable that if a company changes its logo, that it would take a while for all places where the logo is displayed to change. But, I went to the Sherwin Williams website today and was disappointed to see that the logo I have been seeing is indeed on their website. That’s too bad. Take a look at it and tell me what your first impression is?
I’ve grown up in the age of the late-20th century environmental movement, which has gained considerable steam in the past few years. To see an anachronistic logo like this – to me – just smacks of irresponsibility. Any illustration of the earth, to me, represents the fragile heavenly body itself. Liquid paint involves chemicals, I assume. So, this logo is showing chemicals being poured over Mother Earth. Is my immediate interpretation off base? I know they want to project themselves as a multi-national company that can provide your paint needs no matter where you are on the globe…but come on!
Now, what does this have to do with innkeeping? The Sherwin Williams example is an extreme, but I think everyone in the innkeeping industry can draw a little lesson from this. What about your brand or your experience might not be in line with today’s culture, today’s expectations or today’s “imagery”? Are you conspicuously running an environmentally-friendly inn? Regarding anachronisms, have you made sure your website is “with the times” and provides all that a customer in 2008 hopes to see, rather than what a customer in 1998 hoped to see? Have you begun purchasing and serving “responsible” food to your guests (i.e. organic, locally-grown, “slow” food, etc)? Many innkeepers are leading the way in these areas, and much of this is becoming mainstream.
I’m asking strange questions like this, because I think consumers tend to drift towards companies (big or small) that portray themselves as “with the times” and responsible. Some consumers will even steer completely clear of companies to which they object based on disagreeable corporate practices. I may very well boycott Sherwin Williams (consciously or subconsciously), simply because I don’t think the image they are portraying fits in 2008. The logo simply turns me off, so maybe now I’ll take a second look at Behr paints. After all, they have an animal as part of their imagery. Animal = nature = good, right?
What imagery, brand or experience are you portraying and delivering? What changes have you made to be sure you are “with the times”? I’d love to hear some of your ideas
Jay
Posted in Uncategorized | 13 Comments »
Jay Karen, President & CEO of the
March 15, 2008 at 1:03 am...
I bet you are a democrat and believe in global warming too. Just because a left wing group in the US thinks something is inappropriate, doesn’t mean that everyone does. In this day and age of jobs leaving the US you might not want to beat on a company that employs thousands of hard working legal US residents.
March 15, 2008 at 8:42 pm...
I think “anonymous” is missing my point, but I’m happy to leave his comment up on the blog.
My point is that much goes into the conscious and subconscious when consumers are making decisions. I think I am actually doing Sherwin Williams a favor by bringing this matter to their attention (if anyone is paying attention from the company). If Sherwin Williams updates their logo, maybe the company will do even better…and maybe they’ll be able to employ even more hard-working, legal US residents. My brother is an employee for the company, and I actually bought their paint for many years. A company’s logo projects an image of the company – I’m simply wondering if this is the most effective image Sherwin Williams wants to put out there.
Innkeepers take note – unoffensive branding is probably the best way to go. Somewhere between the left and right wing, I would suggest. HREF=”http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-11-25-0226.html”>Here’s an example where an innkeeper got it wrong.
March 19, 2008 at 1:41 pm...
No offense, but people may also be a bit challenged to support a company with a CEO who can’t spell clear.
March 19, 2008 at 2:07 pm...
Thanks for pointing out the typo, “anonymous”! I will be more careful with spelling next time!
March 19, 2008 at 4:55 pm...
Hi Jay,
In your comment to Anonymous above, the link to the example you want to show us kind of got mangled. Could you post it again please?
Hilary
March 19, 2008 at 5:08 pm...
Hi Hilary. I still can’t figure out how to edit previous comments for bad hyperlinks or even misspellings, but I will keep digging. Here’s the link you requested:
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-11-25-0226.html
Jay
March 19, 2008 at 7:16 pm...
Wow, if their logo/PR reflected the total US nature of their business, as you say here, I bet that would sure sell paint, to left and right wingers alike!
I think that might be the point of the post. Logos should be with the times and clearly illustrate something about the company that would resonate with the current times.
Joyce Schulte
Chambered Nautilus Bed and Breakfast Inn
March 21, 2008 at 2:49 pm...
That Sherwin-Williams logo is actually a really, really classic logo. SW makes Krylon, and for years graffitti artists have sought any promo items with that logo on it. It would be a marketing disaster for them to change it, akin to changing Milton Glaser’s ‘I Love NY’ or BMWs button. In truth, many brands don’t have the history invested in their logos that SW have, and would do anything to get that. Logos from a bygone era where marketing actually had an affect on people, as opposed to know, where brand building is dicey and semi succesful at best.
I take your point that innkeepers shouldn’t have ‘offensive’ logos, but paint the world doesn’t fall in that catergory. I see it as a plea to make the world beautiful, change your surroundings, and do something positive for the planet. I’m not certain too many people associate the logo with dumping paint on the ground.
April 29, 2008 at 4:34 pm...
uh, i think it’s pretty much just you that akins the SW symbol to contaminating our Earth. Take it at face value & don’t read so much into it. i think you are overreacting a little. i’m sure there are others that interpret it the same as you, however it has been the SW logo for years & years & you are the first person i have EVER run into that has made that intrepretation. let it go!
April 29, 2008 at 4:36 pm...
what other companies have advertising logos that you have misinterpreted & blown out of proportion?
May 7, 2009 at 5:50 pm...
Hi Jay:
While I do agree with you Jay about the logo I think the issue here is the brand, there is a difference between a brand and logo.
Does this old logo reflect the brand image they are trying to portray? The brand reflects the companies quality, personality and your mental picture of that company. However, their logo is the icon of their brand and it is old fashion–1940ish, the colors seem faded and bleached out especially on a monitor and not vibrant and alive which would make them more modern and make me believe their paint will be more durable and last.
Coke and Pepsi, probably two of the most well known brands in the world update their look somewhat regularly …they keep their branded colors and typestyle but their branded images have been tweeked throughout the years to keep them relevant.
Oh, by the way, my grandfather worked for SW in the 40’s so I have some of their old branded material, if anyone is interested….second thought, maybe I will take it to Antique Roadshow.
June 3, 2009 at 6:53 pm...
It takes every bit of energy I can muster up to keep my Bed & breakfast “brand” in front of the public (19 years). I wish Sherwin-Williams the best. It’s just a logo….you know the magic word in any business is “Branding”. Where are you finding the time to devote to this crusade?
Marcy
June 3, 2009 at 8:03 pm...
Marcy – that blog post was from over a year ago, and there really is no crusade going on. Just observations at the moment about an anachronistic logo and hoping innkeepers just simply take a moment to look at their own logos, imagery, etc…and see what it might be portraying to the concious and subconscious. Hope all is well in Tennessee!