Instagram has launched a colorful new logo and said goodbye to its skeuomorphic camera icon that users have come to know and love. Why would the company behind one of the most recognizable app icons of all time decide to update their image? The company said that its old logo felt “dated” and opted for a more colorful and minimalist design that Instagram feels is more in line with the aesthetic of its app’s users. Instagram has evolved from a place to share filtered photos to a much larger global community of interests where users share more than 80 million photos and videos every day. According to Instagram, the updated logo reflects how vibrant and diverse the storytelling on its app has become. While this may be true, I feel that the new icon is too far of a departure from the charming icon that takes you back to the days of instant polaroid photos.
When a company rebrands itself or simply updates its image, there is always bound to be pushback from the community. Do users like the old logo better than the new one, or is it strictly a visual shock from the status quo? I believe it’s the latter, and after users get past the jokes about the new logo and get used to seeing the new icon on their phones and tablets, they will soon begin to forget about the outdated skeuomorphic design of the old logo. Our attention spans are short, and our phones and tablets are crowded with competing app icons. Although I feel that the new logo is a little generic and lacks the charm of the original design, I do believe the bright and bold redesign will function to distinguish itself from its competition and grab your attention.
What do you think about Instagram’s new logo? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Tweet @grafikdotcom.
