Instagram's Rebranding Disaster
The social media platform is treating itself to a new logo - and is met with incomprehension.
Instagram has unveiled its new wordmark. A strange mix of semi-italic and block letters replaces the old handwritten font. "The logo hasn't changed in ten years, so it was time for a refresh," writes CEO Adam Mosseri. The new lettering is "simpler and more modern, with nods to the original as well as to the simplicity and craftsmanship that have always defined Instagram."
Okay, Adam. But why does it say Instagzam?
Reactions are mixed. Numerous comments point out that the "r" looks like a "z". Others mourn the old handwritten font. And still others find the new wordmark successful.
Modernizing wordmarks often fails
Rebranding popular brands is always a risky undertaking. The desire for modernization often clashes with customer nostalgia. With its failure, Instagram is in good company.
In 2022, the South Korean car manufacturer Kia changed its lettering. The new logo connects the three letters with a single zigzag and only one additional stroke, which is supposed to mark both the K and the A. The only problem is that many people read the right part of the logo as an inverted N: After the rebranding, there were 30,000 Google searches per month for "KN car".
Jaguar made a real blunder in 2024. The British car manufacturer launched a comprehensive rebranding, banished the characteristic big cat from the bonnet and presented a wordmark with a minimalist look. On closer inspection, this consists of a mixture of upper and lower case letters of the same height. The reactions of fans and the press to the modernization of the traditional brand were devastating.
My fingerprint often changes so drastically that my MacBook doesn't recognise it anymore. The reason? If I'm not clinging to a monitor or camera, I'm probably clinging to a rockface by the tips of my fingers.
From the latest iPhone to the return of 80s fashion. The editorial team will help you make sense of it all.
Show all
