The next time you pick up your smartphone, you may have noticed another significant change in Uber’s logo.
Uber got rid of its controversial symbol from its 2016 rebrand for a basic wordmark, as part of its new brand identity.
The collaboration helped to rectify errors made with the ride-sharing company’s confusing symbol that left many riders wondering, where’s the U?
That confusing rebrand was initiated by Uber’s former CEO, Travis Kalanick. Rather than keep its recognizeable black, white and blue, the company decided to incorporate bright vibrant shades – a light turquoise blue, a navy blue, and white.
Unlike the majority of companies, Kalanick wanted absolute control over the design and interface.
According to Uber’s communication of the rebrand, “Uber began life as a black car service for 100 friends in San Francisco—everyone’s private driver. Today, we’re a transportation network spanning 400 cities in 68 countries that delivers food and packages, as well as people, all at the push of a button. And thanks to services like uberX and uberPOOL we’ve gone from a luxury, to an affordable luxury, to an everyday transportation option for millions of people.”
Ever since the launch, there has been an ongoing controversy over the decision to rebrand the app. Traditionally, companies hire branding agencies for their guidance throughout the complicated process. For that reason, Kalanick may have ignored the importance in hiring experts for Uber’s rebranding.
There are many factors that go into creating the right logo for your brand, such as specificity in color and typography. Branding agencies understand the psychology behind colors, and the specific meaning they convey. For instance, colors have the power of portraying themes, such as strength, creativity, and eco friendliness.
Dependent on his own in-house team, Kalanick overlooked these common elements of branding in an effort to hold complete control over the design.
It is important to always work with an experienced logo designer. It will make all the difference when deciding on the future look of your brand. They got it right with the latest update.