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Hi Martin,
 
I've been following this discussion. Please allow me to add my two cents.


First of all, considering the expense of a logo change, I think there are two very important conditions to consider: that there is a real, actual need, and that the change be done with style and class.


As an example of a first class logo change, consider the Big Ten football conference. When Penn State joined the conference, the Big Ten then had eleven teams, which provided a real need for a change. The new logo resembled the old, but with a very cleverly concealed “11” within the words “BigTen.” A need and a very classy new logo. Both conditions are satisfied.


Then let's consider a company I once worked for. Through the 20 years I worked for them, they had 4 logos. The first change was essentially incidental. The second was made because of allegations that the original logo was sexist in that it bore a resemblance to a boy, so it was changed to a new one – that bore a resemblance to a girl. How did that solve the problem? The final (till now) change did away with any humanity and substituted a symbol that was very similar to one found in another major corporation's logo. Were any of the changes necessary? No. Were they pulled off with class? Arguable. Were the changes expensive? Yes, and the corporation is now in dire financial straits (not just because of the logo changes). If you're to the point that you're laying off staff and closing centers because of finances, then you don't have the resources for a logo change. Clearly, the earlier changes hadn't turned things around. (What do they call a person who does the same thing repeatedly and expects different results?) And finally, the company's biggest competitor has stuck with its original logo through all of this, and has been gaining substantial ground at my old company's expense.


Do such changes affect attendance? The frequent changes haven't helped that company. An international association to which I belong recently changed its logo. Coincidentally, our annual dues rose 25%. I really have to wonder how much any organization wants members who are so shallow as to base their membership decision on a logo. I understand that young people might prefer a more modern, upbeat logo, but how many of them are even aware of what the logo is? How much influence does it have in their decision to visit? I have a very hard time imagining anyone being excited about a trip to a science center, then at the last moment saying “Oooo, look at their logo. I'm not going.”


As science people, I would think we would all be somewhat averse to change for change's sake. Just because Newton's Second Law has said, in its simplest form, F=ma for hundreds of years is not a reason to change it.


Please don't get me wrong. There certainly are circumstances under which a logo change is necessary, in which case it should be done, and done with style and class. But before you consult a marketing company that has a financial interest in your acquiring a new logo, be really sure you need such a change.

-- Bill Moser



-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Fisher <[log in to unmask]>
To: ISEN-ASTC-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Nov 15, 2011 11:03 am
Subject: logo changes


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
ncorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
****************************************************************************
Does anyone know of a science center/museum that considered changing their logo, 
nd went through in-depth evaluation researching if they should make the change. 
'm less interested in whether or not they actually did change their logo, but 
ather that there was serious internal discussion and how they came to their 
inal decision. 


hanks,
artin (not Weiss)

 
 
Martin S. Fisher
Executive Director
Science Central
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