Dear Gap,
As you requested, I’ve redesigned your logo. It’s behind the post-it above. It’s unbelievably good. Fantastic, even. I’m convinced it’s what you need.
It draws on the deep history of the brand and evokes the simple understated elegance that the world has come to expect from The Gap. But it also reaches forward. It provides hope and just the right amount of desperate desire and anxiety brought on by fear of loneliness that the Twitter demographic wants. (Yes, men in their mid-30’s.)
Why am I so confident this logo is right for you?
Well, for one, I am very good at what I do. And, secondly, I’m a professional. This is my job.
I researched your customers. Talked to a variety of them, in fact. Asked them not only about The Gap, but about their own lives. Their needs. Anxieties. Their thoughts on the future. I took all that into account.
I also interviewed employees in a few of your stores. (They’re quite dedicated, you know.) I asked them how they felt about the company and about their interactions with customers. Because customer service may actually be the most important part of your brand. And the logo’s job is simply to help evoke those pleasant experiences.
Next I talked to your marketing department. We talked about ‘brand essence,’ sure. But we also reviewed all the practical applications of the logo. Online. Offline. From small print ads, to bus posters, billboards and corporate identity systems. We went over cost projections and risk analysis and forecasted future applications.
Man, that stuff took time. A lot of time actually. And a tremendous amount of effort, as well as expertise. Expertise that came from a combination of training, which I had to pay tuition for, and experience. I’m good at this because I’ve done it a lot. Sure, there’s some natural talent there, but by and large I’ve gotten good at my job the same way every other worker has. By experience, by focused effort and by learning from my mistakes.
Luckily I’ve been able to earn a modest living plying my trade by exchanging my efforts to clients for fair value.
So as much as I’d like to just show you the greatest logo I’ve ever made for anyone (…and trust me, if Paul Rand himself saw it, he would realize he was merely the Pippen to my Jordan.) I’d like to be properly compensated for it. Because I put a lot of time and effort into it. And it’s how I earn my living.
And that time and effort was used to make sure I delivered something that actually met your needs and objectives. You guys have numbers to meet. (I imagine at least a 10% increase to last year’s $14.5B in revenue, and $967M in net income.) And plans for the future based on meeting those numbers. So do I.
And for the sake of full disclosure I should let you know that I’ve also frequently shopped at your stores. You sell good stuff. But never in my experience has any of your employees offered me a free pair of pants because the ones I was wearing looked bad. I wouldn’t expect them to. Their job is to sell me clothes.
My job is to sell design.
I believe we understand each other. I anxiously await your call and look forward to negotiating a fair value for the greatest logo on Earth.
| 
175 comments so far. Add yours below.
Mike Wiebe says:
Bravo - well played sir, well played.
October 7, 2010 9:27 AM
Scott says:
Brilliant response!
Expecting designers to work for free is bad at the best of times, but when it's a mulitbillion Dollar company (who no doubt was happy to pay a fair whack for their current effort at logo design) to go about their business like that is a disgrace.
That they thought this would deflect the criticism they were already getting for their logo does appear to explain how those same minds thought that it was better than their original design.
October 7, 2010 9:28 AM
Omar says:
[this is good]
October 7, 2010 9:29 AM
Jennie says:
well said.
October 7, 2010 9:35 AM
Sayz says:
Instead of the devil Facebook like button, I'd prefer to write down my like in comment.
Nicely done, as if they think all the designers are stupid enough to fall into their stupid contest.
I hope most of the designers understand.
October 7, 2010 9:45 AM
Glenn Murphy says:
Dear Mr. Monteiro,
It's come to my attention that you've done some design work for us — "on spec," I believe is the proper term. My first thought is, of course, that I want to see it. It's really difficult to view what is no doubt the very epitome of cutting-edge visual thinking with that Post-it image over it, though, and I'm not seeing any clear CTA that allows me to remove it. Maybe if there was a huge "Buy Now" button with, you know, a PayPal link or something, I could compensate you properly for your efforts.
Until then, I'll have to stare longingly at that goddamned yellow scrap of paper that obscures the future of our great denim empire.
Regards,
Glenn Murphy
CEO, Gap Inc.
October 7, 2010 9:47 AM
Anonymous says:
funny!
October 7, 2010 10:12 AM
Tom J says:
How many Gap execs are right now looking *behind* their monitors in hopes of grabbing a peak at Mike's creation?! :)
October 7, 2010 10:16 AM
Erik Shultz says:
It is all about the sales pitch!
October 7, 2010 10:18 AM
Daniel Sroka says:
Gap will probably just assume that the sticky note itself is the new logo. "Oooo, so retro yet so innovative!"
October 7, 2010 10:18 AM
Mike says:
Nice pitch! Haha.. I love Glenn's response just a few comments above.
October 7, 2010 10:25 AM
dr34mc0d3r says:
umm - come on - nothing provided but words - im not sold.
October 7, 2010 10:32 AM
Kenneth says:
Is that really Glenn posting that?
I lol'ed. Thank you for this post.
October 7, 2010 10:34 AM
Simon H. says:
Brilliant.
October 7, 2010 10:40 AM
Brian Hoff says:
The best part is that more creative thinking went into this post then it did for the new Gap logo. Well said.
October 7, 2010 10:42 AM
James Mattison says:
You summed it up beautifully.
When brands like Gap or the Government of the United Arab Emirates start thinking that crowd-sourcing and logo competitions are OK, where does it end for the graphic design industry?
UAE Nation Brand Contest - http://bit.ly/aIEZK0
October 7, 2010 10:43 AM
Tony Dunn says:
I'm a professional photographer and I think you've expressed this better than anyone I know. Well done... and THANK YOU for saying what all professional are thinging.
October 7, 2010 10:51 AM
Lenny says:
Draper-esque
October 7, 2010 10:59 AM
Gary Pikovsky says:
Oh yes!!!!!! Damn this makes me proud. Tweeted you in @DesignTimes
Thank you.
October 7, 2010 11:01 AM
Brandon says:
Wow... bravo
October 7, 2010 11:01 AM
Michael Hubbard says:
just brilliant! Exactly what this is about, I am sure, thinking about it now, that this is just a media stunt, similar to Cell C in South Africa recently with their rebranding and use of Trevor Noah. It's all calculated.
October 7, 2010 11:02 AM
Dreamduke says:
Brilliant.
October 7, 2010 11:09 AM
chris says:
claps
October 7, 2010 11:10 AM
Matt says:
Simply, awesome.
October 7, 2010 11:10 AM
Mike Isaac says:
This is great.
Would've been interesting to see what you thought of the talks going on here on Monday:
http://crowdconf.com/index.html
October 7, 2010 11:13 AM
John Williams says:
I’m starting to suspect there’s not really a logo behind that sticky note...
October 7, 2010 11:16 AM
Will D. White says:
Crowd-Sourcing:
Losing millions in sales because professional is expensive.
There will always be cheap, ignorant companies looking for spec work.
There will always be mediocre designers who aren't good enough to obtain enough work willing to do spec work.
All we can do is continue to produce effective work, educate clients whenever possible, and point and laugh when larger companies get sucked into these mediocre design trends.
October 7, 2010 11:23 AM
Patrick says:
I'm just going to leave this here.. http://www.makeyourowngaplogo.com/logos/3776
October 7, 2010 11:24 AM
Lee Dale says:
I'd like to thank the Gap for their BP level mishandling of this matter, which helps us all be a little smarter:
http://yousayyeah.com/post/1263436922/a-handy-3-step-guide-to-cheapening-your-brand
Good thing they're just a cheap clothing brand and not, you know, killing people, animals and ecosystems.
October 7, 2010 11:24 AM
Marty Thompson says:
Good luck with the attitude.
October 7, 2010 11:25 AM
Andrew says:
I didn't really read your post above, but at a quick glance, I fail to see how the logo you're showing here is any better than the new Gap logo. In fact, your log doesn't even say "Gap" on it. You should take more time to research things before you just post something.
October 7, 2010 11:28 AM
George W. Buckley says:
When you are finished, I would like a moment of your time. We think that the Post-It® Notes line looks completely out of touch with modern branding (Canary Yellow is SO 1974). We would like you to head up the team in charge of reinventing the design of the Post-It® Note Brand, as well as the actual Post-It® Notes product line.
This setup will work perfectly. We will conference you in once you are finished so that you can remove the Gap Chino's to show us the future of 3M's innovative solution for wallpapering that HR asshole Derek's entire workspace while he's on vacation.
Thanks,
Post-It
October 7, 2010 11:35 AM
Christina says:
Woo hoo! Many high fives to you!
October 7, 2010 11:36 AM
Anthony says:
^^ If you had read the post then maybe your comment wouldn't make you look like an ass.
October 7, 2010 11:39 AM
Erica says:
Andrew, you should take time to actually read a post before you comment on it.
It might help you from looking as foolish as you do now in the future!
October 7, 2010 11:40 AM
Grant says:
Bravo.
October 7, 2010 11:44 AM
Jake says:
I don't have any spec work on the new logo, but I can show you spec work on the process that got us to this ugly little impasse today:
http://nofo.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-gap-logo-theory.html
October 7, 2010 11:46 AM
andrea says:
Better yet, GAP executives are asking their in-house creative team to use the new CS5 Photoshop to 'move the post-it note so they can see what's behind it'.
=P
October 7, 2010 11:46 AM
Josh R. says:
well said sir
October 7, 2010 11:49 AM
Tony Pinto says:
LOL Andrea
Well said, Mike.
October 7, 2010 11:55 AM
CodeMyConcept says:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Even if it is not the greatest logo on earth I'd buy it just because of what it stands for.
BRA-VO
October 7, 2010 11:57 AM
Jen @ Adrinah Design says:
I can't help but wonder what type of backlash the designer will get for this logo.
October 7, 2010 11:58 AM
Chloe says:
Brilliant! Why are art-based professionals one of the few occupations out there that people have no problem asking for free work from?
October 7, 2010 12:00 PM
jay ferracane says:
The gap turning this thing into a crowd sourced design exercise is complete bullshit. their just covering their asses. I think they are frankly shocked that people care about their brand, or are at least aware of it, and are recognizing the fact just because their clothes are made cheaply that their brand and the key identity that holds all that shit together can't be as well. So to Mike's point hire a pro, who cares.
October 7, 2010 12:06 PM
Brad says:
@Chloe Try talking to any tradesman (carpenter, mechanic, plumber, etc) and they'll tell you plenty of stories about how their friends/neighbors/family expect them to work for free. The life of a designer is no more tortured than the rest of us.
Now if you'll excuse me, my neighbor is calling to find out if I've fixed his busted PC yet.
October 7, 2010 12:08 PM
Get1pay2 says:
Hi Gap, be fast. I am totally convinced by Mikes arguments and will – if you hesitate any longer – simply buy the logo and ask Mike to moderately change it three times. Then i will sell it to three of my clients, with the triple earning. They saw this article and have been convinced. Mike, IM me for discussing some numbers, please.
October 7, 2010 12:28 PM
Lara says:
Classic! Such a good article, put a smile on my face
October 7, 2010 12:32 PM
Structivist says:
Wow. Fantastic work. In my eyes it will do more than you expect, as the logo (and this is the alive-and-kicking-effect) closes the gap (haha) the gap between the good old retro-logo and the WEB 4.0-world. The color - hm, can be discussed. but formally: perfect. May we show this in the new, not yet ready-but-planned 2011 Famous logos of the world-Collection book? If GAP isn't interested wewould also be interested to use it for the new late-night-show format Grappa (people dring Grappa and are beeing watched the whole night) in Germany.
Ok, you would have to add an R. I will tell you, where.
October 7, 2010 12:33 PM
Bob Sanders says:
Outstanding post, and thank you! You've done a great job out outlining the difference in approach to branding - brand advertising vs. branding companies.
http://sandersconsulting.com/newbusinesshawk/bid/52960/Following-Gap-A-Quick-Thought-on-Brand-Consulting
Thank you!
October 7, 2010 12:38 PM
Gap says:
Dear Mule Design -
Instead of asking you to ask my customers and employees, I'm just going to ask them directly myself.
Thanks,
Gap
October 7, 2010 12:38 PM
Charfish Charlie says:
Dude, you win. Excellent post. I just discovered you today, but I'm pretty sure I just fell in love with you and that we just got married.
Rock on!
October 7, 2010 12:47 PM
Amy says:
Fantastic!
October 7, 2010 12:59 PM
Bran Dougherty-Johnson says:
Nicely done! Let us know when they call.
October 7, 2010 1:11 PM
Vintango says:
Perfect. You nailed it, this is exactly what I was thinking when it started to look like they were going for a contest. If they actually go through with it, a horrible precedent will be set.
October 7, 2010 1:15 PM
John Proffitt says:
I don't know what's behind the post-it, but I know what's in your pants: a big 'ol pair of balls. Probably brass. Maybe gold.
And I love them.
October 7, 2010 1:20 PM
critical thinker says:
What is going to make Gap think that you have the greatest logo on earth behind that sticky post-it when your very own site logo is rather uninspiring? What is that, Gill Sans? I'm impressed.
Perhaps you would be better suited to re-design your own logo first. I mean really, it looks like one of those pre-made cookie cutter logos that you find on website templates.
October 7, 2010 1:20 PM
akrok design says:
hah...nice. to bad branding has gone down hill for a while, now.
October 7, 2010 1:24 PM
Cindy says:
Bravo!! A perfect response to their hideous new logo and subsequent request.
October 7, 2010 1:28 PM
seanjstearns says:
so very redeeming...I heart you, that's right...you, right there...you...
October 7, 2010 1:39 PM
Josh says:
I'm a fan of their logo, they just need to change their name to Crap, and it all works out. Read more: http://bit.ly/crmvDk
I love your dedication to the research you did in this post. I wear my El Vetica shirt as often as it can be laundered, too.
October 7, 2010 1:40 PM
Jessi says:
You speak for so many of us.....
October 7, 2010 2:06 PM
Phil Tretheway says:
amen
October 7, 2010 2:08 PM
Amy says:
Well said, polite and to the point!
October 7, 2010 2:26 PM
Rafael Casillas Jr. says:
Excellent work. Very eloquent.
October 7, 2010 2:35 PM
debbie millman says:
awesome. bravo!
October 7, 2010 2:37 PM
Michael P says:
To GAP: Please give this person a chance.
October 7, 2010 2:46 PM
Aimee Greeblemonkey says:
Agreed. 100%. A millionzillion percent if there was such a thing.
October 7, 2010 3:27 PM
Aimee Greeblemonkey says:
Oh and P.S. I work for 3M and would like to talk to about some copyright infringement of something or another.
Kidding.
October 7, 2010 3:29 PM
CitizenDrama says:
I'll pay someone $50 to design a logo for my wife's photography business. That's much more than the Gap is paying so far. Any takers? (hope not!)
October 7, 2010 3:49 PM
Gisela says:
WOW.
I wish you honkin' huge success because what you just wrote/did was BRILLIANT!!
October 7, 2010 3:54 PM
cak says:
Cool, Gap here. Just wanted to find out what sort of increase in income you can guarantee this logo will make? Oh, whats that, you can't. You don't deal in real work, only bullshit design crap? Oh, ok, then we might as have an online competition to get someone to design the logo, and pick one we like. At least that way, we get a little buzz. And bonus, do not have to deal with arrogant shits who don't know the first thing about business.
October 7, 2010 3:54 PM
SpeedRacer says:
Hey Mike,
that was quite the eloquent piece of prose that was extremely well written but as a keyboard hero all i can say is....
put your money where your mouth is:
http://99designs.com/logo-design/contests/design-better-gap-logo-community-project-54693/brief
October 7, 2010 3:57 PM
Tim says:
Hi. Just a thought. But what if. What if multinationals and, just perhaps, the population at large simply stops valuing design as much as you do? I mean, what then?
October 7, 2010 4:05 PM
racy_rick says:
Wow, Thanks for that. I am so sick of designers and musicians being the butt of jokes. Always told that if they do this one design, this one gig that then the will have legitimacy. It is all just a ploy from someone to get something for free. To bolster their own image of themselves, because they are the *valued* client, and why should they have to pay for ideas or time?
October 7, 2010 4:06 PM
Katey says:
Yes. I love this post so much. Thing thing, speed racer, tim, and cak, that we (graphic designers) DO know business. We base our livelihoods on it. And it's not about "valuing design" It's the understanding that what we do is more than just making pretty pictures.
I could build a house too. But would it stand up? No. Thats why we have architects. I could assemble random ingredients into something that looked like a cake, but I can guarantee you wouldn't want to eat it. Hell, I know basic math, maybe the Gap wants to hire me to do their financials for them?
And Tim, do you like to be able to understand road signs? Design is everywhere...and it's Not just about making things "pretty"
October 7, 2010 4:23 PM
cak says:
Thanks for the response Katey, but you can spout on about knowing design all your want, but it is not a tangible thing. Sure, you can con business users to throw $10,000 your way to create a new logo, but what does that actually mean? What do you actually guarantee.
If I get an architect to design a house, he can guarantee it will not fall down, will be livable, and will stand up to certain winds. When I go to a cake shop, they can guarantee the cake is edible, and possibly delicious. What do you guarantee, other than a new logo?? Nothing. That is why designers will not be taken seriously. That is why developers and smart people do A/B testing, which designers know nothing about.
And if all design is about understanding, as in your road sign example, then a child can do it a lot cheaper. People hate designers, because they just talk rubbish, and are full of themselves, as this post demonstrates.
Design is a joke, people are realizing this, so you better quit complaining and start getting some actual training in something worthwhile.
October 7, 2010 4:44 PM
Steve Stone says:
Very nice and thank you for writing this. I hope they see this and correct their mistake.
October 7, 2010 5:06 PM
seanjstearns says:
Many negative comments like these were expressed a few years back about public art, both from artists and the public alike. That is until several public artists stood up for the value they offer by crafting "An Open Letter to Public Art Administrators". It was a clear guide to best practices that was not only fair but affected better policy.
www.classic-sculpture.com/open_letter.htm
Graphic designers have a similar resource offered by the AIGA that also speaks to this: http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/standards-professional-practice
I think this post is humorous, speculative, and gets a solid point across. Kudos I say!
October 7, 2010 5:20 PM
Richard says:
You are on a seriously great roll lately, Mike. This is a cogent argument for why a professional designer should be hired in the first place.
As for cak and the other dissenters here, the process that Mike lays out in the post is what guarantees a better result. Understanding the client's business, both from inside and outside the organization, is what helps good designers deliver good results. It's not just about a/b testing. That's focus group stuff that works for some things, but not everything. At some point organizations have to put a stamp on themselves.
Mickey Drexler did that brilliantly for Gap, and now he's doing it for J.Crew. He would never have approved that new logo, and neither would he have resorted to crowd-sourcing a new one. That's a recipe for mediocrity, not greatness.
P.S. criticial thinker, if you had a better eye for type you'd know that the Mule logo is set in Emigre's Base.
October 7, 2010 5:41 PM
Satorical says:
That "design is a joke" comment, if it's not trolling, is a hoary viewpoint that will always be around. Obsessed bean-counters freak out when they can't quantify something.
Finance has often been at war with Creative, just as Operations has often fought with Sales. Instead of giving into this type of Us vs. Them thinking, successful companies realize they require the skills of all their people.
October 7, 2010 5:54 PM
Brad says:
From one designer to another. Thank you.
You would think a company that sells fashion and design would understand the value in paying for design.
October 7, 2010 6:03 PM
Bobby Carbn says:
cak: You are quite wrong. Good design, whether Industrial, Brand, or Graphic drives consumers to spend their hard earned money. Look at what Jonathan Ives did for Apple. People will pay higher then 50% more many times for a brand/product that is sexy.
Open your eyes my friend.
October 7, 2010 6:08 PM
Ben says:
Troll harder, cak.
October 7, 2010 6:41 PM
Anonymous says:
Thank you I feel very much the same way. This whole scheme is going to cheapen designers everywhere as if we were a play thing!
October 7, 2010 7:43 PM
Anonymous says:
AIGA position on Spec work
http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/position-spec-work#spec-history
October 7, 2010 7:55 PM
cak says:
Believe it or not, I am not trolling, I am expressing a view point that I, and a lot of other people believe.
Bobby, the success of Apple is not just due to ives, it is due to them getting so many things right, the software, hardware, ease of use and easy to buy. If there was some definite way to quantify good design from ok design, then yes, you would have a point.
But you can not guarantee a success, you are just going with whats fashionable, most of the time. Or something new that you have seen recently, or something you wanted to try out.
The fact that you claim to talk to all these people, and then come up with the perfect color for a logo is a joke. As if a logo can sum up all the different opinions of so many different types of people.
You just play with some things, get something that looks good, and send it off, maybe with a couple of other crappies versions. The customer ignores it all, and goes along with it. The only people it affects are the stationers and sign makers. You are all living in a fantasy world, and places like 99designs prove it. Anyone can make a logo.
October 7, 2010 8:59 PM
Richard Taylor says:
This makes the list of the two best responses I've ever seen to crowd sourcing or design contests. Along with this http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/den/1625610355.html
October 7, 2010 9:02 PM
Mike Monteiro says:
Cak, I usually stay out of the comments, but your trolling is second only to your ignorance, son. The reasons you state for Apple's success are absolutely spot-on. Great software, great hardware, ease of use. The combination of all these things to create a total experience is called design. And design is a multi-disciplined process that takes several people in several areas of expertise to pull off right. It goes beyond the cute girl with the pink hair at your last company who refused to go out with you. Let that go, man.
You need to be quiet now, as you are only make yourself look dumber by continuing to talk.
October 7, 2010 9:24 PM
volume2a says:
@cak
What you are talking about is called Bad design - A logo that has no concept, no good idea, no relevance and little/no consideration is just plain bad and does nothing for the company and its product/service.
99designs shows how to create 500 ill conceived, logos that do not have concept, ideas, relevance or consideration.
October 7, 2010 9:52 PM
Andrea says:
Excellent!
October 7, 2010 10:16 PM
Prerna says:
Simply awesome..ha ha
October 7, 2010 10:19 PM
Anonymous says:
Realy funny.....
October 7, 2010 11:17 PM
Andreas Becker says:
Go and get it ;-)
October 7, 2010 11:26 PM
gupi says:
Brilliant!
As reply to all people who think that bean counters don't value design or their company's logo: try to abuse their logo, and watch how quick they can crank out the millions of $ to sue you into the ground.
October 8, 2010 12:31 AM
tunaslut says:
Encore! Standing ovation.
October 8, 2010 1:16 AM
JiminyCricket says:
HA HA HA HA HA
How utterly pretentious and arrogant.
Trying being a software developer! Everyone expects your software to be free! Then they mutter some rubbish about "open source" and "make money from advertising. Oh but you still have to pay the design guy for the logo... oh yeah.
Jackass.
October 8, 2010 1:29 AM
smugpie says:
When I first read this post, I applauded. How DARE a mega-corp such as Gap scalp some free design work from 14-year-olds with a keygenned version of PhotoShop and ideas above their station!
But then I went, "hang on a minute...." Because hasn't really been touched on in your post was that Gap, before they even mentioned crowdsourcing, actually did go through the hoops you went through. They went to Laird + Partners, who presumably don't work for free and isn't a 14-year-old with a keygenned etc etc. Presumably they did interviews with customers and employees and the marketing department as you did. Presumably the logo went through numerous stages of approval, and tested in various contexts as yours did. But despite the entirely valid processes that they did (and you have subsequently done), people just didn't like the end result.
I don't disagree that a lot of hard work goes into distilling the essence and values of a brand into a logo. But at the end of all that work, people see a logo, which they have a gut reaction to - they either like it or not.
(An infamous example here - the London 2012 Olympics Logo which COMMUNICATES vibrancy, dynamism and energy but LOOKS dreadful.)
How can you guarantee that your logo won't evoke the same negative reaction? Thing is you can't.
And, from reading Gap's Facebook post, I'm not entirely sure they have said, "design us a logo for free". It appears to me that they're asking the community to come up with ideas, in a visual form, for the representation of their brand. How is that substantially different from your interviews with customers? Isn't there any value in this? Yes, there'll be a ton of dross, but surely there'll be some useful visual feedback from this exercise so that a design agency (and we still need them!) can get a true, real, visual sense of how Gap "feels" to people, which can, in turn, inform and refine their design decisions. Surely that's got to be useful?
October 8, 2010 2:04 AM
Samantha says:
I was horrified at the fact that Gap had their redesign done, and then still had the nerve to ask the public to submit further designs. What are they trying to prove? As far as i'm concerned, they probably had a re-look at the re-design and noted just how boring and flat Hel(l)vetica is. Anyhow, to each their own.
I loved your note Mike :) Well played!
October 8, 2010 2:56 AM
Joe V. says:
Re: "Losing millions in sales because professional is expensive."
To be fair, it was "professionals" what designed the terrible new logo, no doubt after a long process and at great expense. The fuckwits at Laird & Partners are not helping our argument.
October 8, 2010 6:49 AM
Eric Zentner says:
I am giving you a virtual Standing ovation.
Come to Montreal, and I'll buy you a beer.
October 8, 2010 6:52 AM
Lisa Ellwood says:
Class!!!! Wish I had come up with this!!!! Well played, Sir. I thank and salute you!
October 8, 2010 7:03 AM
biju cherian says:
Excellent piece of work.
October 8, 2010 7:06 AM
brandthinkmarketingdo.com says:
Awesome Idea..! http://brandthinkmarketingdo.com/?p=1555
October 8, 2010 7:31 AM
Alex C says:
More than saving a graphic design fee (which I'm sure they can afford), by crowd sourcing the gAP gets lots of free publicity for itself. Fulfilling the cheap & tawdry adage, "No publicity is bad publicity."
October 8, 2010 7:38 AM
DNA says:
@smugpie- AGREED!
October 8, 2010 7:40 AM
Melody says:
Great response.
October 8, 2010 7:52 AM
Ken Yamakoshi says:
applause!
October 8, 2010 8:03 AM
Sesa says:
From one designer to another. Thank you.
October 8, 2010 8:16 AM
chris says:
To people who think design is bullshit...Well haters gonna hate I guess. Design is, and will continue to be, an extremely valid and needed occupation worthy of compensation whether you like it or not! :]
Mike, a wonderful post. I love these types of responses!
October 8, 2010 8:38 AM
Joseph Maguire says:
Well done linking your post in my post over at adbrandetc.com
October 8, 2010 8:50 AM
Joshua Kahn says:
Sorry cak, you're arguments are rather illogical and your ire misdirected. You seem frustrated with bad design, not the value of good design or design in general.
Design is tangible, it's just more subjective than other things like the stability of a building, which can be pretty much proven or guaranteed. It's also tangible in a different way; one could say it's emotionally tangible.
As individuals, we all have reactions to design related things all the time, whether we're aware of it or not. Clearly the design for this latest GAP logo has evoked emotion. I don't think anyone with a nervous system would say that emotion isn't tangible. In fact, one could argue that there is nothing more tangible than emotion in some sense, it's what drives everything a human does, alone or in groups.
I'll grant you that the "guarantee" of design is much more difficult to pin down. This doesn't mean that design is less important. The "guarantee" is that design most definitely affects what people think of your brand, which most definitely affects what they spend on our brand.
October 8, 2010 8:54 AM
darth says:
cak got one thing right:
"anyone can make a logo"
October 8, 2010 8:58 AM
Joe H. says:
I think there's a trick here. I think the logo design is actually right there. On the post it note! Only problem is, they're already using it...
Alright, alright, all kidding aside, I do have a pair of GAP jeans at home right now, where the leather label on the back is blank. That is still an improvement over the new logo, though.
October 8, 2010 9:00 AM
C.J. Navas says:
And I thought you were just a photo on Merlin Mann's Inbox Zero deck...Bravo, Mike
October 8, 2010 9:05 AM
Jason Campbell says:
Oh Captain, my Captain.
October 8, 2010 9:19 AM
Craig says:
Your analogy falls a little short for me.
THEY would not benefit at all from giving you a free pair of pants. YOU would benefit greatly by being named to design their logo. Free or not you would still reap the benefits.
October 8, 2010 9:19 AM
babe magnet says:
right on, right on.
October 8, 2010 9:19 AM
Yari says:
Brilliant post Mike!
@Tom J, LOL! I can only picture that now!
October 8, 2010 9:28 AM
not a designer, but a fan says:
I think cak has confused "I don't see design as being tangible" with "design is not tangible."
October 8, 2010 9:35 AM
Nik Daum says:
Wonderful retort Mike.
I hope GAP puts all this logo nonsense behind them. The outcry got rid of that god awful Tropicana redo, hopefully it will do the same here.
October 8, 2010 9:43 AM
k a p l a n says:
Call to action for designers: poison the well of spec-work crowdsourcing. It's now about creating the most inappropriate / hideous Gap logo.
Go to your favorite crowdsourcing site and submit loads of total total crap.
October 8, 2010 10:22 AM
Andrew Fontana says:
Thank you for writing that and writing it so well.
October 8, 2010 10:34 AM
Dysentery Jerry says:
I thought the new Gap logo looked very nice, for a stock Microsoft Publisher template.
Applause Mike!!!… I couldn't have said it better myself… no seriously, i couldn't, i totally suck at writing. Awesome post!
October 8, 2010 10:37 AM
jd says:
Why are designers such douches?
October 8, 2010 11:05 AM
Jason says:
@jd: Because they have to deal with people like you every day.
October 8, 2010 11:12 AM
Emma says:
Well-played, sir, well-played.
October 8, 2010 11:23 AM
Manny Jasus says:
Actually, I reworked their new logo. Their attempt was close, but I think my slight re-work captures the increasing sentiments of their customer base perfectly :)
http://twitpic.com/2vomwk
October 8, 2010 11:24 AM
Anonymous says:
right on, brother!
October 8, 2010 11:25 AM
Shawn Levasseur says:
Hold on...
You're criticizing Gap for "crowdsourcing" and not valuing the work of professional designers. But didn't professional designers create the bad logo to begin with?
This is Gap's way of trying to make lemonade out of a lemon. More importantly, this is no longer about design, it's about public relations.
October 8, 2010 11:29 AM
Michael Ströck says:
Professional designers and photographers are the most annoying bunch of whiny bitches in the media business. Seriously, if you feel threatened by high school kids submitting logos to contests, maybe you're in the wrong line of work. Just ignore these contests and continue doing whatever it is you're good at.
Face it - if it's possible for GAP to get an awesome logo via crowd-sourcing the design like this, you're just a dying breed like the record industry. No amount of whining will change that. I don't actually believe that's true, but you sure seem to believe it right now.
October 8, 2010 12:03 PM
doug says:
http://www.27bslash6.com/p2p2.html
You guys should all take a look here if you haven't already
October 8, 2010 1:01 PM
Anika says:
Very well put!
To those who've pointed out that it was a professional design firm that created the godawful redesign in the first place, I don't think that's really the issue here. A redesign is a gamble. It puts brand equity at stake. At best, it can refresh and revitalize a stale or antiquated identity to appeal to a wider consumer base. At worst, it can cause debacles like this. The transaction between Laird+Partners and GAP was a fair one. By signing up for a redesign, GAP had to accept the possibility that the outcome could be a bad one, especially for such a huge and visible corporation as themselves.
A doctor could misdiagnose the cause of your stomach upset, an architect could design a dangerously unsound house, and a chef could prepare you a disgusting meal (perhaps causing the aforementioned stomach upset). But that doesn't mean that there is no need for what they do.
The issue here is not the design profession itself, but crowdsourcing- not a very smart move on GAP's part. If the most vocal critics of the new logo are graphic designers, then the worst possible way to win them over is by demeaning their profession.
October 8, 2010 1:01 PM
Craig Syverson says:
At the risk of getting too meta, Lenny's comment above, "Draper-esque" is the perfect comment for a great piece of writing.
October 8, 2010 1:08 PM
Robert says:
It seems pretty obvious to me that Gap is simply trying to deflect the negative reactions to the new logo. Do you really think they’re going to adopt something some amateur comes up with after paying professionals to design this logo? No.
This isn’t about getting a professional like yourself to work for free. It’s simply about handling the negative reaction.
I’m not saying that’s the right way to handle this situation, though.
Oh, and about Apple’s success not being just Ives and design: Apple defines “design” as “how it works” rather than just “how it looks”. (Jobs himself said that once.) Design is why Apple is being so successful.
October 8, 2010 1:20 PM
Russell says:
To me the new logo and website redesign says that Gap wants to compete with Express (trendy metro wear) instead of J. Crew (suburban yuppie wear). Don't know if signals a shift in who they are marketing to or if it's merely a case of poor design.
October 8, 2010 1:25 PM
cdp says:
hate to sound like a mcdonald's ad but
"im lovin it!" so simple and yet, mysterious. i woulda chosen a blue note to emphasize the Gap brand.
im just sayin'
cdp
www.5seven.com
October 8, 2010 1:48 PM
Christopher L. Jorgensen says:
I could help you redesign that mule.
October 8, 2010 1:49 PM
Jeffry Hipp says:
Awesome.
October 8, 2010 2:00 PM
JC says:
Well said.
October 8, 2010 2:05 PM
Chris Kerins says:
OK, so am I the only one who skimmed a bit and mistook the rant for an "Emperor's New Clothes " tale with the empty note actually being the proposed logo? It wouldn't surprise me if that's the way the process went for the Gap with the execs being told how great the logo is that was designed.
October 8, 2010 2:09 PM
Clinton Paquin says:
I wish I had time to read EVERY SINGLE one of these comments. I'll instead add my 2 cents of thanks to the author and his brilliance.
October 8, 2010 2:25 PM
rama says:
This entire page is fascinating. The post is well mannered and well written and the positive response reveals the passion and the concerns of the art community. I am even intrigued by the negative responses that say so much about the challenges that professional designers face. (It's interesting for example that good design requires a person to present ideas in a clever way but that same quality is perceived as sneaky or smartass by some people outside the design community.)
My only addition to the debate is this:
Don't be concerned by the argument that an industry lacks value if it cannot offer a guarantee. That premise is flawed.
There is no guarantee that medicine will make you healthy.
There is no guarantee that education will make you smart.
There is no guarantee that Gap clothes will make you more attractive or even protect you from the elements.
But that doesn't negate their value.
It doesn't even mean that their value can't be measured.
It just means that those investments carry some risk.
In many ways, graphic design is a lot like fashion. It helps a company to look its best. It communicates something about what the company is and what it wants to be. At its best, it makes a memorable, compelling, and positive impression. Despite this contest, I doubt that leaders of the clothing industry really scoff at the value of graphic design. The fact that they even commissioned a new logo proves the point.
October 8, 2010 2:25 PM
rama says:
By the way, I should probably say that I do intend to invite my students to join the new Gap logo contest. It's a compelling challenge, $500 is A LOT of money to them, and - despite the fact that I value design enormously - I don't believe that the entire graphic design industry suffers when amateur artists take a stab at it. If anything, it might inspire and educate young competitors.
October 8, 2010 2:35 PM
Hrunga Zmuda says:
Here's a gap they can use...
http://gappedteeth.blogspot.com/2009/10/mike-tyson-gap-teeth.html
October 8, 2010 3:48 PM
Steven Clark says:
From an economics point of view this spec work reduces the industry profit pool, so it's not good for the industry as a whole.
Meaning that there is only X amount of paying customers out there who will pay Y amount of dollars for graphic design... in this case logos. It's not an infinite market with infinite dollars, in other words.
So even when students are encouraged to use this as a learning tool it still economically impacts... particularly as it becomes more and more common for companies to do this.
Nice post, enjoyable.
It's an issue of people being able to make a living at what they do so the world turns around. That graphic designer now not being employed won't buy a tv this weekend... will buy less groceries and bread from the local store... and those people won't spend money as it filters through the system. They will invest less in their children, for example, on education outcomes and health outcomes - again impacting the rest of society negatively. So it's got a wider economic impact on society than even the reduction of the profit pool.
Fundamentally we all have to agree that society works because people get paid a fair amount for their labour... and on that income they survive and educate their children.
Now look at the effect if that outsourcing is hiring a Bulgarian national or a Chinese or Brazilian at dirt cheap to zero...
October 8, 2010 8:45 PM
Christine Donnelly says:
I love this response. I am giving you a standing ovation from this side of the screen.
Over the past few days I have laughed myself silly over papyrus-plus-blue-block, helvetica-plus-blue block spoof versions of this new campaign, all the while feeling the underlying uneasiness whittle away at my gut. If the designer that creates the "newer" new Gap brand doesn't get paid - none of us will.
I would also venture that the result of this logo was not what Laird+Partners envisioned at the onset. Sometimes terrible taste and over-zealous marketing micro-managers make great firms do bad things.
October 8, 2010 9:59 PM
rama says:
I understand that there is an economic impact from spec work and from design competitions (which are different things) but I don't think we should waste our time being frightened of it. I don't think that professional farmers, for example, worry too much about the economic impact of home gardening or restaurants like Forage. "That's one more person not buying our tomatoes!"
I would venture that amateur participation might even prove the value of our professions. You KNOW that professional carpenters, plumbers, investors, and lawyers have benefited financially from the failures of amateurs. Professionals only make their work LOOK easy. People learn that when they tackle the job themselves.
With that in mind, amateur art contests have been around for hundreds of years and they have inspired the careers of many young artists. Lots of whom laugh now at their paltry winnings.
Businesses should know what to expect, and professional designers should know better than to participate in contests or spec work. That's why I applaud this post. But if the Gap is willing to open its business to amateurs, the enthusiasm that would generate in my classroom is valuable to me and to my students. Who are only in middle school, by the way.
And in the unlikely event that one of them stumbles upon the future Gap logo? That would be a priceless achievement for his art education, his confidence, and our school.
October 9, 2010 3:51 PM
RG says:
Wouldn't the professional designer that designed the horrible redesign have said the said sort of crap?
October 9, 2010 9:11 PM
Sam says:
Mike, comparing graphic design to industrial design is highly specious. It's like comparing writing ad copy to writing software code.
We work in an industry of making things pretty, not making things work. We pick the color of the office carpet, while better paid and better educated people make sure the actual building does not collapse.
Crowdsourced logos from amateurs might well provide a better end result than a multi-million dollar contract with professional graphic designers at Laird.
October 10, 2010 4:31 AM
Sam says:
"It's an issue of people being able to make a living at what they do so the world turns around. That graphic designer now not being employed won't buy a tv this weekend... will buy less groceries and bread from the local store... and those people won't spend money as it filters through the system."
Deyterkajerbs?
Graphic designers will always be employed. The probably just won't be able to charge millions for slapping Helvetica on a weirdly placed box of blue gradient because some marketing monkey can concoct subjective bullcrap explaining why said logo is worth millions.
We can still charge for actual valuable work that laypeople aren't equipped to do, by the hour. Like making an actual print ad or doing page layout.
Anyone can design a logo, and it can, through happy accident, be better than what Laird pooped out.
October 10, 2010 4:38 AM
Sam says:
"There is no guarantee that medicine will make you healthy.
There is no guarantee that education will make you smart.
There is no guarantee that Gap clothes will make you more attractive or even protect you from the elements.
But that doesn't negate their value.
It doesn't even mean that their value can't be measured.
It just means that those investments carry some risk."
Medicine is evidence-based. The value is statistically provable. X% of people will be cured by medical intervention Y. Education will make 99% of people literate.
The value of design, especially brand design, is entirely esoteric, subjective, and imagined. About the only thing we can lay claim to is knowing how to make things legible.
October 10, 2010 4:43 AM
andy says:
Brilliant!!
October 10, 2010 7:34 AM
lblasto says:
Might I suggest you take a cue from the software developers of the world ... which is what I did. Do what I do on the front of my proposals (because I understand the customer will want to know what's actually 'in' the design and what figures into the cost of same).
Something like this ... 'Removal of this Post-It Note to reveal the design contained thereunder constitutes your acceptance of the design and further your agreement to pay all costs associated with the design, development and delivery of said design. The design and all associated data remains the property of the designer and may not be distributed for cost quotation or cost comparison. Ownership of the design is transferable only upon full payment of the attached invoice.'
October 10, 2010 3:09 PM
Hey Roger says:
Amen. They want it, they can pay for it.
October 10, 2010 5:44 PM
Brian says:
It is apparently a flaw in my personality that I have little empathy for the plight of people in jobs that are easily crowd-sourced. I think it is perhaps because if y'all went John Galt on us, we might actually like it.
October 10, 2010 8:01 PM
GA says:
Three points:
1. As a copy editor, I had always believed that the world would always need copy editors. Surprise! (Unemployed after forty years in book and magazine publishing. The new model is speed and volume, not care and polishing.)
2. The importance of branding shows how empty our commercial culture is. To me, the importance of a brand is that if you find a company that produces a high-quality product, you know where to go for a replacement when it wears out. (I want jeans that are well made and fit me, not that tell me who I am.)
3. As a longtime publishing professional (see point 1), may I say that sans-serif is for display type, serif for body type. I don't understand why so many websites are sans-serif.
Pay attention to Tim: "What if multinationals and, just perhaps, the population at large simply stops valuing design as much as you do? I mean, what then?" It's not just design (or copy editing). A lot of white-collar jobs are basically useless, compared to growing food, fixing plumbing, and making things.
October 10, 2010 9:59 PM
Jona says:
@smugpie: You are 100% correct. Get a clue, designers.
October 11, 2010 7:39 AM
Anonymous says:
@GA
1. The world still needs copy editors.
2. Branding help differentiate your product from the competition.
3. Print & Computer fonts are 2 different things.
October 11, 2010 10:45 AM
Greg says:
Thanks for making me smile on a Monday! Well done.
October 11, 2010 11:21 AM
Nubzi says:
Hey GAP I have your new logo too. Here it is [ ]. Just fill the gap :)
October 11, 2010 4:40 PM
Max Bryce says:
Absolutely agree with your letter - but definitely don't think you are qualified to judge what is a good logo vs a bad logo after looking at your portfolio. Keep in mind down the line that you are much more talented in writing sarcastic letters than actually Designing. Maybe a career change is in your cards. We can always use a few good copywriters in the Advertising world.
October 11, 2010 6:16 PM
Shannon says:
@GA - Agree with you about using serifs for body copy, thanks to greater ease of long distance reading in most cases, however they aren't only limited to that purpose. And I definitely wouldn't limit sans serifs to display, although I probably wouldn't set an entire book in it.
Websites use sans serif because it's easier to read on screen. All the little extra bits in serif typefaces don't really agree with being translated to pixels in terms of legibility etc..
Comments have been interesting, and thanks Mike for making my day while I'm procrastinating finishing my portfolio at the end of my design degree ;) I think my tutors will forgive me, seeing as I'm reading this!
Could slap the cak person. Ignorant idiot.
Mike, regardless of the standard / perceived standard of your designs, your sentiments are most definitely valid.
October 11, 2010 6:50 PM
rama says:
The difficulty of these website conversations is that so many people are trying to make so many different points.
Medicine IS evidence-based. And yet, doctors still won't offer a guarantee that their treatments will heal you. I'm not arguing the value of medicine. I'm just standing by my original contribution: The value of an industry is not determined by its ability to offer a guarantee.
Subjectivity is a completely different animal.
Just because the value of an industry is subjective, esoteric, or imagined doesn't mean it ISN'T valuable. Our entire economy is based on the esoteric, imagined, and subjective worth of small pieces of green paper.
The worth of gold, medicine, education, graphic design, etc. is what we all - as a society - decide it will be. That is inherently subjective and it is changing every day.
October 11, 2010 9:25 PM
Charly says:
The logo not represent a clothe company, it looks more like a corporate sofwtare logo. It's definitly cold, something that a clothe brand never should represent. My opinion.
October 12, 2010 4:43 AM
Jeremy says:
I'm not in the marketing business but my girlfriend is and she is riled up on this issue. Can anyone help me understand her point of view (that of the marketers)? Didn't GAP just pay a lot of money for a marketing firm to come up with a branding idea / logo that everyone hated? Why would they pay more money to the same people after such horrible results?
Also, I don't understand why an aspiring marketer wouldn't take this opportunity to hit a career-making home run by coming up with the winning logo. Wouldn't coming up with the new GAP logo be a HUGE resume enhancer for a young marketer, allowing them to get business and make money in the future that they would never have had otherwise?
What am I missing?
Thanks!
October 12, 2010 8:30 AM
thimc imho says:
During the Winter Olympics™ in Vancouver the Olympic committee held a contest for the logo. Received thousands of entries and one winner received a small commission for her work. This is how the Vancouver Games ended up with the idiotic Inukshuk logo.
Let's see them try this sort of thing with other trades. They could have had one plumber do the work in one suite of the athletes village. Then pay the one they liked best!
October 12, 2010 3:30 PM
kim says:
Dangnabit Mike! That's a fine fabulous way of saying it true!
October 12, 2010 11:31 PM
Bill says:
Can't we all just get along? Scribble a G A and a P on that post it for them already!
October 13, 2010 7:19 AM
David Hoffer says:
Late to this but...could you make the Post-It bigger?
October 13, 2010 10:07 AM
Cooler Heads says:
the post it is still there, dammmmit!
October 13, 2010 10:08 AM
Sommar says:
I was hoping for a rickroll somehow.
October 13, 2010 2:10 PM
mreo says:
Absolutely RIGHT ON POINT!
October 13, 2010 11:04 PM
Richard Stephens says:
Fantastic comments - I hate the idea of free designs too....but, why are we all talking about it?? I quite like the new Gaf logo!
PS
gaf
gaffe, gaf 1. A clumsy social mistake or breach of etiquette; such as, an insensitive remark. 2. A clumsy social error; a faux pas. 3. A blatant mistake or misjudgment. 4. Etymology: the meaning of 'blunder' is from about 1909, from French gaffe, 'clumsy remark'; originally, 'boat hook' from Old French gaffe, which came from Old Provençal gaf.
Found on http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/inf
October 14, 2010 5:24 AM
Jay Wilkinson says:
Your industry has been devalued by the market place. As much as you would like to sell your logo, which you put so much into, you will not be able to. This is because of simple supply and demand. When the world is graduating millions of design students and "logo makers" into your market you have to face competition. The actual market value for a logo has been on decline since the days when Paul Rand commanded top dollar and took years to deliver. With this level of market competition why pay top dollar when others will do a satisfactory job for less? Your response will be because you are awesome and more awesome than anyone else. This may be true but sadly the world and your clients can't actually tell much of a difference. To them times looks like helvetica with some stuff hanging off it. The artisan level value you are hoping to bring to the world will not be appreciated because natural competition has made it obsolete. ;)
October 21, 2010 1:42 PM
Alexander says:
Agree with Jay Wilkinson!
Any proof you can provide to justify your price premium value is simply "words".
Why, i, as a top marketing executive in a large company should pay you the price you are proposing? When i can arrange a contest pay 500 bucks and let some young desing guru, make me my logo? As well as give this designer a chance to get world reknowned?
You see, by me offering the job just to you, i am stuck with just yourself and your absolute factless presentations of your versions of the logo. In the internet, i can get millions of ideas, from which i will, myself, without your help, choose the logo that I think suits me best. I agree, my brand, does not belong to me, it belongs to my customers, but no doubt, if a contest on the internet is open to public, where my potential customers can vote, then public chooses their own logo - hence, they will then be happy and i will get my logo pay 500 bucks to the winner.
its a win-win situation.
So, yourself, can either participate or walk away and bury yourself in your oversized value - that you are the best and all companies must que-up to get a logo from you. Its life mate, you've got to fight for your buck. I am not going to bring my money to you, just because you think i should!
November 23, 2010 10:54 PM