ANZ – New brand and logo
Posted in Rebranding
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Woke up this morning to see the news of the ANZ rebranding and the rollout of the new logo which was announced a few months back. I take an interest in the decisions that lead to a company rebranding or repositioning themselves, and also the followup once they decide to go through with it.
So, the OLD (top) and NEW (bottom) logos
The idea behind the rebranding was explained in a nutshell by chief executive Mike Smith:
“In recent years, the ANZ brand has become fragmented,” Mr Smith said.
“To deliver on its growth strategy and regional aspirations, ANZ has to look like one bank and provide a consistent experience for our customers and our people wherever they come into contact with the bank.”
Good intentions, but will this actually work? I get the feeling it’s heavily focused on their plans to make inroads into the Asian market. The logo has been influenced by a lotus flower.
Firstly there has been a backlash of iSnack 2.0 proportions, with many people drawing similarities to that marketing failure. I’ve yet to see more than a handful of comments today indicating this is a successful logo. The logo is supposed to represent both a human living in the customers world, as well as the three areas of focus (Australia, New Zealand and Asia-Pacific).
Personally I find the font a little bit off-putting, and much prefer the original. The logo design itself I was ok with, until someone pointed out what it looks like upside down. I would think a bank’s logo is seen upside down quite a lot on teller desks and everywhere someone has a letterhead from the bank.
Kinda creeps me out. What’s your take on the new logo? I’ve seen a lot of designers that could communicate their intentions in a better way. It just looks half finished to me (even though they spent 18 months deciding on it). The font appears mismatched from the logo itself, and the spacing between the letters feels wrong. I’m not sure why they left the horizontal line through the letters, I guess as a shout out to their old logo, but I’m not sure how that contributes to the overall rounded feel of the new logo.
What does everyone else think?
mlambie
Oct 23, 2009
So, so bad.
The font looks childish and the logo, even the right way up, reminds me too much of the Vitruvian Man.
Worse that the Westnet logo change from several years back.
dwiese
Oct 23, 2009
Good for me ;)
Jack
Oct 23, 2009
The font looks to rounded, almost like it is in a painting or a cartoon. The logo looks like someone shouting with upturned hands, appropriate for frustration that many customers feel with a bank,
BankWest is the financial institution that annoys me most with their branding. I don’t want crazy people who talk to puppets and animals in charge of my money.
This is still my favourite logo failure:
http://adland.tv/content/uk-office-government-commerce-new-logo-wankers
Geal
Oct 27, 2009
Shocker. Looks like a fertility brand!!! In my opinion, the logoface and mark don’t compliment one another
Adam
Oct 29, 2009
Understand the dislike for the logo, dont understand the lack of research?
“I get the feeling it’s heavily focused on their plans to make inroads into the Asian market.”
All you have to do is type ANZ in to Google to learn more about the Asian expansion, as for your comments about the overall design, I cant understand why people would prefer the old logo, personally I think this fits in well with ANZ’s future plans, it’s not a massive change still maintaining the overall feel, modernised curves and smoother edges. Could be better…
I personally, would not automatically think it looks like a pig when sitting upside down on a teller desk. Although it doesn’t really look like a lotus flower to me either.
I think this article lacks value, possibly even pointless.
Better luck next time.
Michele | Logo Branding
Oct 30, 2009
The comments here are right. The font looks childish and the horizontal line is totally unnecessary. The designer, with the time and payment they were given, could have done better.
fitzy
Nov 1, 2009
Adam, not sure what you mean by lack of research. The articles I read directly pointed out the Asian expansion and the purpose of the logo, which I was referencing.
In terms of old vs new, as you say, just search in Google for 5 minutes and you’ll find plenty of articles and comments similar to this post. This is hardly an unusual or odd viewpoint.
Pointless article? It’s continuing a theme of companies rebranding over the last 18 months (and the responses to that), ANZ being one of them.
Thanks for the feedback though.
Wolfgang
Nov 10, 2009
The new identity is appalling. Im a designer and and ANZ customer. It’s enough to make me want to change banks. Which bank? W
Chris
Nov 16, 2009
check out how similar it is to the Arthritis Australia logo…
http://www.arthritisaustralia.com.au/templates/arthritis/images/style1/logo.png
anonymous
Nov 16, 2009
think this sort of thing is very subjective, and a brand identity, is not something to take at face value and judge within 5 minutes, how they roll it out and incorporate it into their new direction will determine its sucess
Pingback: The Story » Blog Archive » ANZ Bank adopts more humanised image
Daniel Freytag
Nov 19, 2009
I know this must have been a tough brief. However, for me there are too many religious connotations with this logo. It puts me in mind of a charity or church organisation. The result is something quite inappropriate for a bank. Unfortunately a missed opportunity.
Paul
Nov 20, 2009
Thats what you get when an Advertising Agency does branding, a half hacked job, after working at both advert and brand agencies, there is such a difference its not funny, I wouldnt be surprised one bit if this logo was done by the studio team rather than a creative director. Thats how they use to do it when i was there.
Disgrace ANZ, Richard Henderson should be spewing that something as timeless as his previous interpretation of the logo and brand has come to a halt by this amateurish attempt.
M&C Saatchi, you have no right to engage in brands, stick to advertising.
Peter
Nov 23, 2009
According to ANZ head of brand Louise Eyres “Unless we could be transparent about it (the fee), we removed it”
Obviously does not have any idea what ANZ cards is doing – they have introduced a fee for A$ transactions that have allegedly been processed offshore even though the transaction is for a service that was provided in australia and invoiced in A$. Just that the merchant processes the transactions offshore – information that is not available to the customer untill after the transaction is processed and the fee charged – and the fee will apply because ANZ has met all legal requirements in informing customers.
Transparency — what transparency – it is a fee and therefore revenue so if the ANZ knows whart is going on – it is regarded as transparent – even if the customer has no forewarning that a fee will be charged
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Chris
Nov 30, 2009
Oh… its supposed to be a human figure? Wouldn’t have figured this out on my own. This is the first time I’ve headed to the internet to figure out what a logo is supposed to mean.
Now the upside-down version which is a pig’s head would’ve been a cute piggy-bank logo. What are the odds vandles start going around to banks and painting on pig eyes and pig nostrils?
Lea
Dec 7, 2009
Go to the Corner of King and Bourke Sts in Melbourne – someones drawn Cross eyes on BOTH of the faces on the front of the branch – wish I had a Camera
Chris O’Brien
Dec 7, 2009
Call me crazy, but if you look at the “negative image” ‘aint this logo just some white guy with a giant afro wearing a cape?
Pingback: ANZ Bank adopts more humanised image
Candy
Aug 8, 2010
The logo’s colour is still nice. The logo itself says “Whatever” – hands in the air.
How much did ANZ pay for this logo? Should of had a competition for TAFE graduates to come up with a logo and the one picked wins a nice cash prize in an ANZ bank account.
Question, why does it cost your customers $15 just to get a printed statement in person from ANZ banks?? That is expensive!
Ben Williams
Oct 20, 2010
The new logo appears to me as some sort of Orwellian webcam with the other two pointing east and west, ‘Big Brother is watching you’ type iconography, a bit intimidating these days! It has bugged me for months, so finally today I googled the logo and was amazed to read up on the ‘lotus’ blurb.behind it. I wouldn’t have guessed it in a million years. Also I had never noticed the little man in the middle, it’s amazing how peoples perceptions differ. I am indifferent to the font, I think the ridiculous ’3 pronged attack’ of the logo renders the inadequacy of the font irrelevant.
SSutherland
Nov 19, 2010
I understand that banks are trying to brand themselves as being more approachable and customer orientated but this is ridiculous. It is not the professional looking image that a bank needs – looks more like a Web 2.0 logo.
Rick Thompson
Feb 3, 2011
I think this brand identity is Brilliant! Not just good, but brilliant.
It is simple and clean, yet distinctive and impactful. The brand mark also has meaning as the three components of the icon represent the 3 geographic areas they target. But even better, in the negative space in the middle, at the center of it all, is their customer.
The rounded curves on the word mark make the bank more approachable and friendly to do business with and the single line at the center is a significant improvement both visually and strategically. Visually, it takes the previous 4 lines that were a confusing and complex distraction and simplifies it to one single line. This line adds a distinctive flair to what could have been a somewhat plain wordmark and gives it impact, character and memorability.
Strategically, the straight line symbolizes that the bank is efficient and easy to do business — that is, they take a direct path to getting work done and not some complex, inefficient, circuitous route.
This brand refresh has all the elements of a well thought out, well researched, well executed, and well executed initiative.
Kudos to ANZ and their branding agency.
Tim.Nash
Sep 24, 2011
Epic fail.
This is almost certainly a WTF moment.
As a designer I can see this fails on many levels.
The first level is simple..why put a graphic element in? Do you need one?. Logos are about simplicty ..why add more than you need
And what the hell is that graphic..whats it got to do with anything?… oh it’s supposed to be human, well that makes me feel better because for a second there i thought it was a bagel and two breast implants.
The type face before was leaning forward giving the impression of speed and agility. The three lines further emphasized this and made the N look more stylish. Now it’s changed can’t see the point of even having a line anymore.
This is the worst design decision I have ever seen.