GAP recently received a ton of flak for the unveiling of their new identity.

Like many others in the design community (and elsewhere) I am not a fan of the new logo. I don’t know what they paid for it, but I would ask about the return policy. (No really, I don’t want to know what they paid.)

I have a great amount of respect for identity design. It requires an intimate knowledge of the brand, strategy, research, validation, exploration, and executional craftsmanship to do it well. Most designers can find fault with any design, so I refrain from being overly critical of their new logo design.

However, I am disappointed and insulted in GAP’s response to the backlash.

Here is a quote on their Facebook page from their President of Gap North America,
Mark Hansen.

Thanks for everyone’s input on the new logo! We’ve had the same logo for 20+ years, and this is just one of the things we’re changing. We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding! So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to… see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project. via Gap’s Facebook page

For cryin’ out loud this is a global brand that’s been around for 20+ years! You don’t just go window shopping looking for the first available freelancer with the latest version of Corel Draw.

I have spent weeks crafting a new logo, on rare occasions, a few days, and I’d be lying if I didn’t also include a few hours. Time expended does not constitute a successful mark, but talent, experience and strategic understanding sure do.

There is a chance that a qualified designer or agency will take up this challenge and deliver the goods. There is also a chance that a less than qualified designer will do the same. By the look of things I don’t think GAP will know the difference.

In the meantime I’m calling NASA to see if they need any help with rocket propulsion; I have a few ideas to run by them.