So, beyond the obvious stunting on ALL CAPS, it’s worth looking at what Facebook is trying to do with introducing this brand. First, it’s worth noting this *isn’t* really a rebrand — the blue app will stay the same. This is introducing an umbrella brand. underconsideration.com/brandnew/archi…
Two clear analogs here are Google creating Alphabet as an umbrella to hold its similarly disparate brands, and Uber updating its logo after similarly deserved brand damage. Notably, Uber went lowercase with only an initial cap, implying a humility or humanity. Facebook… DID NOT.
But after a few years, notice there’s literally no mention of Alphabet, whether in tech trade press or in finance trades, that doesn’t also add a clarifying mention of Google. It’s just sort of a weird liminal name representing a corporate structure. Maybe that’s useful? I dunno.
But in this case Facebook is still using the same name for its umbrella org and its flagship app/service. Almost nobody pulls this off well. Worse, they’re trying to siphon off goodwill from their apps that are mostly not hated (Instagram) to a brand that’s pretty gravely broken.
For contrast, imagine if Microsoft at its nadir of brand equity, post-DOJ, had made MS branding more prominent on the then-nascent Xbox. That’s what’s about to happen to Oculus. 🥴
Ultimately, brands are about what you *actually are* in the world. No amount of brand architecture is gonna make anyone talk about a Facebook camera in your living room without being creeped out. This reeks of a hope that billions of users aren’t ambivalent about these services.
It’s short-term thinking. Facebook *can* borrow brand equity from its subordinate brands. Exactly once. And it can never repay it. And when the brand is broken again, there won’t be any untarnished brands left under the umbrella.
Anyway, in two years, we’ve made @Glitch one of the most distinctive, meaningful & liked brands for developers, on our way to making it the most beloved brand in technology. It’s because of the substance, but if you want, you can also remix our logo here: fish-maker.glitch.me
