Maura Kelley, Editor-in-Chief
@mkellcourant
On May 11, 2016, one of the world’s most popular and prominent social media platforms took a big step in a new direction for its entire design interface, and I think both you and I know exactly what I’m talking about: Instagram’s new logo.
In my opinion, I hate Instagram’s new logo, and the entire update. It looks like they forgot to color in the lines by leaving everything white, with NO contrast. However, I do understand what they were attempting to do by switching from the dated multi-dimensional look, to the more modern “flat design aesthetic” as the New York Times put it.
The idea of the “flat design aesthetic” for the new logo is all surrounded by the trend of simplicity which is also used by many other well known corporations like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft.
In September of 2015, Google simplified the composition of its iconic logo when it switched from the serif1 style typography to the sans serif2 typography. This move got a lot of positive feedback, as we were all a little tired of the 2013-2015 logo. But the difference between Google’s move compared to Instagram’s is that Google kept its color scheme similar while Instagram threw the internet a curve ball by going from brown and beige with hints of red, yellow, green, and blue, to a gradient strictly of oranges, blues, pinks, and purples.
Along with its new logo release, Google added other branding forms by introducing “Google Elements.” These elements included Google Logotype, Dots, and the Google G. Google Logotype was its new sans serif logo. Dots are a “dynamic distillation of the logotype for interactive, assistive, and transitional movements,” as described by Google Design. Google Design continued to say that the Google G is “a compact version of the Google logo that works in small contexts.”
Instagram did this in a similar way by introducing the new looks of all of its corresponding creative apps: Layout, Boomerang, and Hyperlapse. All of its updated icons use the same color gradient, but in a reverse form where white is the background and unique gradient is the fill. Layout was given a collage looking figure filled with the colorful gradient, Boomerang was given an infinity sign filled with the gradient, and Hyperlapse was given a circle also filled with the new gradient.
It’s clear to see that the push for change was of great importance to Instagram, and with its co-social network, Facebook, already having done so, time for change was of the essence.
Facebook updated its logo on July 1, 2015. Although it wasn’t as drastic as Instagram’s, Facebook kept its renowned “f” logo as well as keeping the app icon the same. However, they made small changes in detail to their “Facebook logo”. This can be seen in the revision of the a in Facebook where they went from the serif “a” style to the sans serif “a” style. Moreover, they shortened all of the letters a bit while also getting rid of the sharp edges, creating a rounded aesthetic.
Because Facebook only slightly tweaked its logo, no one was all too upset about it. Most people didn’t even notice the difference!
When Microsoft redesigned its logo, and the logos of all of its corresponding applications, they too followed the “flat design aesthetic” and simplified its look.
Microsoft was one of the first to kick off the trend of simple branding designs in August of 2012. When they upgraded their logo from its previous black and italicized Microsoft to its new and improved unitalicized sans serif Microsoft accompanied by a four blocked, multi-colored square representing a window (another form of Microsoft’s iconic trademark), there was a great array of positive feedback.
While their previous logo still had the single dimension look to it, the simplified and unitalicized “Microsoft” was well-liked by the public. Adding the multi-colored window was aesthetically pleasing and was also used as a compact logotype, similar to Google G.
The world is changing, modernizing, and modern design changes are a big part of the contemporary and stylish society we are becoming. Having that social media is now a huge part of our ways of communication, big changes like Instagram’s’ update is a lot to take in all at once.
If Instagram had changed its logo to just a simplified flat version of the old and well loved design, I think the internet would have been more alright with the transition and not freak out nearly as hard as we did when we saw the new update.
Even though I’m not a fan of the new update, and still think that we need more contrast, through color, in the actual app, I know that I’m going to have to get used to the new Instagram, and I’m excited to see what new features my favorite social network will come up with next.
¹serif: one of the short lines near the top and bottom of the long parts of some printed letters. Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary Online
²sans serif: a letter or typeface without serifs. Source: Merriam Webster Dictionary Online
