Nice Of Gap To Remember John Lennon – Power To The People

John Lennon would have celebrated his 70th birthday on October 10, 2010. Unintentionally, the Gap paid the former Beatle tribute. Last week, the company revealed a new logo on its Web site but since has taken it back due to an outcry of customer demand. The famous apparel maker, which has considerable market share in the casual pants and jeans market, indicated that it would revert to the original logo.

Two of the larger social networks, Facebook and Twitter, were abuzz with chatter after Gap decided to replace the original logo last week. The new logo had a small blue box placed above the upper right-hand corner of what is the trademark “p” in the company’s name.

Although protests and criticism had started almost immediately, the company did not budge from its plan of implementing the new logo. Gap believed the new logo was representative of the modern age yet had requested its customers pitch their ideas for design improvement. Gap retracted the new logo Monday after what appeared to be a major backlash on social networks.

Mistakes like this are costly. As I blogged last year, Tropicana moved forward on a new package design that eventually was axed due to a public voicing disapproval. The decision to pull the packaging was not made until sales hemorrhaged.

These costly missteps are avoidable with sound marketing research. If research had been conducted, then an internal review must take place to determine where problems are present. Among the areas of potential breakdown are design, sampling, implementation, and analysis. Poor decisions are being made and what were once grand brands are losing relevance.

Tagged: brand, Gap, John Lennon, social media

Posted in: Branding, social media