Rebrands inspire outrage, and this one really stands out. The Met completely redesigned its logo and visual identity system and the drama it inspired was something to follow. Created by our friends at Wolff Olins (who do a lot of museum branding it seems), the new identity is now just “The Met.” The two words are stacked, and the new logo leverages little equity from its previous incarnation – a curly, classic woodcut-styled mark designed by Luca Pacioli.
To have a successful rebrand (or more accurately put – to minimize the backlash), the way it is rolled out both externally and internally is equal and if not more important than the strategy or execution itself. In this case, the launch was mishandled when the museum sent out press materials with the new logo before it was announced. Because it appeared to the public without explanation or context, the bandwagon of opinion went haywire.
Nevertheless, we like it and we look forward to seeing it continue to come to life.