Change is hard and the internet can be, well, let’s call it, “judgmental.” From the knee-jerk hatred for any and all of Facebook’s usability updates to Instagram’s recent algorithm change, there seems to be an immediate and impassioned push to slam even the proposition of change in the social media apps we use every day. The designers behind the new Instagram logo must have said some prayers, taken a swig of something strong and practiced a few mental relaxation techniques before the big unveiling.
You have no doubt seen much ado about this new design. Everyone, from professional designers to, oh, I don’t know, your mom, seems to have an opinion, critique, praise or four-letter word for this simple, gradient redesign. Of course, you don’t have to be a designer to have an intelligent opinion about the new Instagram logo — but it sure doesn’t hurt. That’s why we asked our creative director, Andy MacMillin for his take now that the smoke is clearing on the initial controversy.
3 Thoughts on the New Instagram Logo
- It’s neither bad nor groundbreaking. Instead, it is simply on-trend with modern logo designs, ditching the outdated, skeuomorphic logo.
- The controversial, bold gradient is actually a good design choice, since the rest of the design is a textbook, flat design.
- The need to stay relevant probably sparked the Instagram logo redesign — something important for an app as popular as Instagram. Though keeping to current trends is helpful with relevancy, a designer must also find a way to make a design stand out.
Overall, I think we can call Andy’s overall opinion of the new Instagram logo something along the lines of, “meh.” The bold addition of the colorful gradient is a plus, but the design itself falls a bit flat. On the other hand, if the goal was to modernize Instagram’s logo, it seems to have done just that.
Though not everyone is so happy with the change, the internet outcry, at least for now, seems to have dulled to a sneering whisper. Change is hard, especially for big brands with a lot on the line. The lesson that we can pull from all of this is that change can be painful, but is always necessary in order for brands to remain relevant to their audiences. As long as your design is well strategized and represents the soul and essence of your brand, you should go into a redesign with confidence — come hell or heavy internet criticism.