The neuroscience behind the backlash to Snap’s new logo design
By Jack Herbert • August 22, 2019
When Snapchat updated its iconic “Ghostface Chillah” logo last week with a seemingly harmless tweak, they left the Twitter world incensed. At first look the change was nominal and aimed at making the logo more visible and eye-catching, however, some people on Twitter were threatening to leave the app. Updating visual assets is a routine but important process many brands periodically go through to keep up with the times, and avoid looking outdated or simply express how the company is evolving. Crucially, these are almost always the first interaction a customer has with the brand. It’s what your customers first attach to and over the long-term, may become loyal towards. When it comes to brand design, it is all about the detail. The thicker keyline may seem like a small change and onlookers may wonder what the big deal is, but the seemingly harmless thicker keyline in itself has meaning, and in this case, the shift in meaning from the thin to thick keyline is enough for people to reject the change.