Uber’s New Logo A Huge Flop

Last week, Uber released an app update and debuted a brand new logo. Gone was the simple black background and silver “u” the company previously identified with for four years. The new logo, which took two years to develop, has two different versions, one for riders in green and one for drivers in red. Both logo designs are a backwards “c.” Several drivers who did not like the new logo were worried about riders recognizing the new logo when looking for the app on their phones. The new logo has everyone from Cosmopolitan to Mashable sharing their thoughts on the new design – a lot of people are upset and disappointed with the new design.

Making Uber More Human

Both drivers and riders alike criticized the new logo and were confused why Uber decided to rebrand away from the well-known “u.” Uber’s co-founder and CEO, Travis Kalanick explained he wanted to redesign the logo to “bring out the human side” of the brand and add “color and patterns.” He also called Uber a “transportation network, woven into the fabric of cities and how they move.” While some people, especially business and financial professionals thought the old black and white logo was classy others thought the new logo came off as cold.

Why is Everyone Concerned Over a Logo?

Many times when a company redoes its logo, it sparks a lot of conversation, both positive and negative. Logos are valuable to people and evoke emotion. Some logos make people smile, and others make them feel safe and secure. A logo is not simply a graphic with a brand’s name. It holds purpose and is “the face of a company.” Uber’s original logo represented the brand’s identity, and some say the logo contributed to its business success because users recognized the black and white app on their phones as a company they could depend on to take them home after dinner or pick them up before a concert.

The new logo will take some time getting used to but seems to be here to stay. How do you feel about the new Uber logo? Would you have done anything differently to debut it?

Shaun Luberski is a Junior Public Relations Associate at Flackable, a national public relations agency supporting the communications needs of registered investment advisors (RIAs) and other forward-thinking financial services firms. To learn more about Flackable, please visit www.flackable.com. Follow Shaun on Twitter at @sluberski94.