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Forums > Critiques
Written by Terri Stone on November 9, 2009
Online travel search engine Kayak.com redesigned its logo a few months ago.
The original mark:
The new logo:
Do you think the new logo is an improvement on the old one?
The video below shows explorations of the new mark:
Kayak Motion tests from Plaid Inc on Vimeo.
interesting concept
I have to admit, when I first saw the new logo I immediately thought of Scrabble. All that's missing are the point values.
Overall I think the original is the more attractive logo, just comparing them statically. But the animation of the flipping letters ending in 'kayak' is highly clever and works beautifully in an electronic realm.
Why Change a Good Thing?
The original is definitely more distinct and original. Conceptually, the second one is strong, but as another pointed out, only when animated.
A viable change
The original has good visual play on the name. But the new one has a bolder, tighter feel and play on a different travel based iconography, which has connotations of greater speed and efficiency. Now the only thin out of sync is the name itself "kayak". But it is short and simple, and no more out of place than "google", "Expedia", etc. With money they can make kayak as familiar a term as Expedia. So go for it!
Britt Griswold
http://www.science-art.com
Not all change is good change.
The first logo is a more obvious solution and in most situations I've found that the most obvious (simple) is usually the best solution. I'm not sure what the flip-flap of a train station sign has to do with kyaking. Cool solution, but maybe for a different client. Any change should be a change for the better.
One would hope that a brand could become strong enough to use only the image mark without the text. Having the letters overset the squares eliminates most chances of this happening.
One could've slightly tweaked the original logo to integrate the shapes, update the fonts or more elegantly "lock" the two together, but this completely new concept may leave a lot of people confused.
My favorite logos will forever be the ones by Herb Lubalin shown here. http://38one.com/cleverblog/mother--child They are the epitome of elegance, simplicity and type manipulation to create imagery. If the new logo locked up and made sense in such a way the change would indeed be a very good thing.
A better choice
Because the corporate name (perhaps chosen whimsically) suggests boating, the original logo -- simple and strong -- reinforced an erroneous image. The new logo, especially in its online animation, breaks that connection. So it works for me. I'm old enough to remember those twirling letters in the air and rail departure terminals, but they're probably as rare now as dial telephones -- when was the last time you used (or even saw) one of those? An even better solution for Kayak would be to change its name, not just its logo.
Muddled
The animation is cool, but I'm not convinced. It seems like the 'creative' has left the message behind as far as the name 'KAYAK' is concerned. In that regard I prefer the original logo.
But it may be that the name isn't very well-chosen in the first place: KAYAK sounds like an outward-bound-ish trekking and touring company... not a full-fledged travel broker.
The new logo is bold and--IT MOVES!--so as long as it doesn't slow down the web site it's okay. But frankly I'd go for the lean original and make the name more relevant by emphasizing the 'travel light' aspect, as in less-expensive and more ecological.
Better Branding
I like the link with the information display boards that were in most transport stations & ports. This ties in exactly with what Kayak is for whereas the previous logo, whilst having explorer overtones, only really links with the company name.
The animated effect which almost 'finds' the word Kayak really highlights the improved logo design.
A Kayak by any other name
I love the name kayak, it puts me in the driver's seat as the navigator who controls my destinations in a very deliberate and personal way. The old logo was a clever symbolic representation of a kayak and an "eye." The new one has cool retro letter flipping animation, but as a logo it's dull and generic. It loses the visual connection to its source and the gimmick will eventually wear out its welcome._ david@langtoncherubino.com
Neat concept for the new logo...
I'd have to say that since I am a kayaker (paddling on water and also a user of the kayak.com site) I have always found the name a bit odd for a travel agent kind of company. The old logo was nice with the icon, but again I think of kayaking on water, not travel... so I prefer the new logo. But, I'd have to agree with others if you don't know what the new logo is referring to because you weren't around to see those old style travel boards then it may not be the best resolve. The logo concept really works for the electronic version-- love their tv commercials.
Kayak Original Logo
The original Kayak logo, to me, was much better: Bird's eye view + the kayak design = nature. A great mixture, all about outdoors, and they all pull you in...
Kayak Original Logo
First one is best. Second is not original at all like the first.
They don't sell Kayaks?
It took looking at the video for it to even click with me... this company doesn't sell kayaks! Even though it was explained from the very first line that Kayak is an online travel search engine, when I saw the original logo, I still thought Kayak was a sporting goods company. (Even though the Kayak graphic looks more like an eye than a kayak to me). All things considered, my vote is definitely for the flip letters logo. It's very simple but sometimes simple is good, animated or not.
Don't like the name, like the new logo
I love reading these comments! I never understood why the company chose the name "Kayak," but the reasons some of you pointed out in these comments make sense.
Still, I think the name is a big stretch. So for me, the new logo is much more evocative of what the company does, if not its name. And in that way it's a success. Sure, the new logo works best in motion, but it's an online travel site -- motion is easy!
Terri Stone
Editor in Chief, CreativePro.com
As an icon, the older logo
As an icon, the older logo is far more memorable and distinctive. But I agree that it seemst to be reinforcing the wrong message. The old Kayak looks and sounds like a company that REI and LL Bean would be in league with. If that's not the case, the new logo breaks that link But it seems more like a campaign concept or a cool way to handle the site graphics than a strong brand identity. The whole thing seems to be a fuzzy, conflicted mess, conceptually. A nicely executed one, but there are termites chewing away at the foundation.
Modify the flip logo
I like the flipping logo, but I think the flip side should show the kayak. I feel there is more association with the Kayak and text separated.
Submitted by guest on Tues 11/10/2009 - 12:20
Kayak logo
Maybe I'm just a grump, but I'd be wondering about the longterm viability of this company simply based on its choice of names. Lately, it seems, company names are too often chosen solely on their "coolness factor" regardless of their relationship to the service or product at issue. Why "Kayak"? Why not call it "Go-kart"? Or pick any other random object? How about "Headstone" or "Toast"? You're naming a company for crying out loud, not an indie rock band. Leave the stoners out of the process.
To me, the original logo's design is preferable, although I would more likely associate it with kayak tours or some other kayak-related endeavor as opposed to an online travel search engine. I'm not sure the tile metaphor will resonate with anyone younger than 35 and, like an earlier post commented, my first reaction was "Why Scrabble tiles?" I can't remember the last time I saw flipping arrival/departure tiles in action...maybe back in the 1980s? When animated, the flipping tiles ARE a neat effect, but I think the conceptual value of it is lost on anyone not old enough to understand the historical reference. If you've never seen tiles like this in action, then it's just an effect for effect's sake.
New Kayak logo
I think the old logo needed a facelift, but not in the direction of the new logo. I fail to see what an old flip-flap train station display has to do with travel other than trying to retain some sort of retro feel to a dying way of traveling...maybe if they had a reflection image of a kayak incorporated into the new logo it would make better sense to me. I have to admit, the new logo looks like Scrabble pieces and I don't play that game. Changing a corporate identity should not take the audience to the opposite end of the 'recognizability' spectrum here, and for me it certainly has.
Since they don't sell Kayaks
Brazzell Marketing Agency: The new logo as shown in the static example has a slight flaw. The first A does not have a seam in the middle. The old logo supported the brand name better. If it were a brick and mortar company, I would have stuck with the old logo. However, given that it's an online company, the creative possibilities of the new design probably counterbalance the fact that the new logo does not support the brand name as well. The new logo will probably help make the website more interesting and memorable, so I say good move.
Home Health Care Logos
hmmm
Neither logo works for me. The first one emphasizes the name to me. The second does not make sense.
perhaps.....
I wonder if the 1st logo when reduced looks better, meaning that the symbol relates better to the text. It seems a little far away from the text as presented. That Y is sort of providential and could probably be made more of.
Its all got to be interactive now so in that case the 2nd is clever enough.
first impression
I am not familiar with the search engine but I am a kayaker, so my attention was immediately caught. My first thought was 'why change it', but I realize that animation is a good grab for attention, when a browser page is already a busy place. I would have tried animating the bird's eye view of the kayak, changing it from boat to a moving eye, & back... play with the tools & concepts that were already there.
...
Imagine a blinking kayak ...
(guest from no. 21, first impression)
Nope
It says nothing about travel. Flip signs have been replaced by L.E.D. so its redundant.
Making the original logo as an eye-shaped kayak at least had some semblance to searching.
Hmmm...
My first thought was Scrabble as well. Not sold on the old logo either, unless they offer adventure tours, but it is better in it's simplicity.
Kayak Original Logo
I concur with the comments already made in 1, 2, 11 & 14. I'd keep the original logo. My eye also says some simple proportioning of the elements might be in order. The outdoor and nature feel of the original logo are in step with the eco-friendly movement. The kayak would certainly work well if this online travel search engine specializes in outdoor trips. Regarding the split-flip display signs of old, who remembers that anyway? Or why does that even matter?
Ricky
Rebranding suggested
The logo and name does not fit the company business model in either case. Branding is not clear or sticky.
Unfortunate
When they originally picked a name that conjures up an image of a very specific short-range boat, they made it difficult, but not impossible, to connect it to a world travel service. They just failed to do it. This new design loses the valuable equity they already had in logo recognition, and now only succeeds in linking the word and not the image it conjures up, with travel...for baby boomers. Have they just limited their target audience for logo recognition to baby boomers who won't be able to figure out why it's named after a pointy boat?
Two things could've helped the original logo relate better to what they offer while keeping the equity they had in logo recognition: 1) a very simple globe in the center of the original kayak/eye image and/or 2) a simple tagline, like
"Smooth Point to Point Travel".
Michelle Twohig
naturegirldesign.com
ambigram
This would have been a great as an ambigram logo!
New Logo works for me
The new logo makes sense since Kayak.com is not a "kayak" supplier. But, out of curiosity I had to just take a sneak peak at the website. The old-style flip letters seen in transit areas back in the day (or maybe some still exist?) certainly can be seen in Kayak's logo, representing travel. But, just ever-so subtle. Oh, and for the animation it would be nice to see it in the logo while I am on "kayak.com". That would enhance the logo more. Hmm... or is is that going overboard?
Oh, dear. I really don't
Oh, dear. I really don't like either one of them. i'd take it back to the drawing board, though I do enjoy the orange color used.
newer is not always better
I personally believe that the original logo communicates much better than the redesigned logo.
new logo
I think the old one is far more readable and the eye/kayak says more in a much simpler manner. I might have changed the font on the old one, but legibility and name association is what I consider to be most important in a logo and the newer one doesn't quite do it for me.
The name is dumb. Why not
The name is dumb. Why not shorten it to YAK ?
Kayaks have nothing to do with the company.
Both logos are lame. The first one doesn't really evoke ANYTHING. The second relies on a historical association that most people won't get, and that'll be truer as time goes on.
Dumb. Lame.
Idiots
The new logo looks better, but what they need to change is the name of the site. Kayak.com is a travel search engine? Sheesh. It makes no sense. If I inadvertently landed there by typing kayak.com into my browser, I'd view it as one of the many scamming link farms set up to take advantage of mistyped keywords. I'd never give them my business.
New logo better?
Nope
Kayak logo
I really think the new logo shows no imagination what-so-ever. It's bland, boring and not at all eye catching. It seriously looks like something someone spent all of 5 seconds thinking about.
Kayak Logo
The new one is definitely better to my eye. Not only does the original convey an incorrect idea of what the company is/does, but it's flat, looks more like an eye than a kayak (birds' eye view notwithstanding) and feels as though it was thrown together in a matter of minutes. Oh, and the typeface is a snoozefest.
The new one has a depth, cohesiveness, and playful, retro quality to it that I like. It feels much more designed to me. Like someone took the time to think of a somewhat clever idea and craft it into something attractive.
Whether it works and whether Kayak is the right name for the company given what it does is a whole other matter....
New Kayak Logo
I prefer the old logo. New one is not as direct and simple. Animation is okay. I think this was a step sideways and then back.
New Kayak Logo
I saw a TV commercial tonight with the new Kayak logo, just after I'd seen it in the email blast. It was not animated. The messaging was flat. I've booked travel through the Kayak site (old logo in the past) and unless I had read the email earlier this evening wouldn't have gotten the brand connection. Change for the sake of change seems like a waste of marketing dollars, particularly when the old logo was a mark that could stand alone and still say Kayak.
Beats me!
New logo needs to be tweaked
Has anyone noticed that the first "A" doesn't have the same line effect through it like the others? That cannot be intentional - just sloppy. MzGraphite, Madison, WI
Well, is it a kayak or a train?
Without reading through the thread, my first thought would be maybe they should change their company name first THEN start a new identity project.