Designing the Facebook Company Brand • Hacker News Board

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#31

Post by duncan-donuts » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:53 PM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #25

jawns wrote: post #7

Although a post about updated branding may seem benign, this is, I believe, a response to critics who believe the company should be broken up. For example: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/opinion/facebook-antitrus... https://www.wired.com/story/tim-wu-explains-why-facebook-bro... https://www.cnet.com/news/can-facebook-be-broken-up-what-you... Facebook is hoping that by differentiating its company brand from its fl…

Why is the government itching to break up tech companies? I feel like it's a bad idea for them to get involved at all.

Seems like the common theme is they own too much data on us and it’s not clear that any number of apps might just be a subsidiary of a larger org.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#32

Post by pron » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:53 PM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #25

jawns wrote: post #7

Although a post about updated branding may seem benign, this is, I believe, a response to critics who believe the company should be broken up. For example: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/opinion/facebook-antitrus... https://www.wired.com/story/tim-wu-explains-why-facebook-bro... https://www.cnet.com/news/can-facebook-be-broken-up-what-you... Facebook is hoping that by differentiating its company brand from its fl…

Why is the government itching to break up tech companies? I feel like it's a bad idea for them to get involved at all.

Because democratic societies generally dislike so much power concentrated in the hands of undemocratic institutions.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#33

Post by ForHackernews » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:54 PM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #25

jawns wrote: post #7

Although a post about updated branding may seem benign, this is, I believe, a response to critics who believe the company should be broken up. For example: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/opinion/facebook-antitrus... https://www.wired.com/story/tim-wu-explains-why-facebook-bro... https://www.cnet.com/news/can-facebook-be-broken-up-what-you... Facebook is hoping that by differentiating its company brand from its fl…

Why is the government itching to break up tech companies? I feel like it's a bad idea for them to get involved at all.

Because big tech companies are now at the point where they can pick the winners in democratic elections, if they choose to do so.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#34

Post by wodenokoto » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:54 PM UTC

saagarjha wrote: post #20

I’m all for more explicit disclosure of Facebook’s involvement in Instagram and WhatsApp, but aesthetically…I’m not sure I like it. What was wrong with the original logo and the “Facebook blue”?

That is kept for the Facebook app.

I think that is a really good idea. Changing Facebook the social network to a different color would be disastrous. Keeping Facebook the company blue would defeat the purpose of separating the two, by branding them far too similarly.

EDIT: Reading some of the other comments, it seems like facebook the company logo is supposed to be blue, when shown together with Facebook the social network, rainbow coloured when together with Instagram, etc.

In that case, I don't think the new branding will help convey that there is a social network and a company called facebook anymore than the old branding does.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#35

Post by lm28469 » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:57 PM UTC

CharlesColeman wrote: post #23

notjustanymike wrote: post #17

The "A" and the "K" are fascinating. Almost imperceptibly bent, they round and soften what would otherwise be quite an authoritative logo. The "B" also has a belly. The whole thing is definitely meant to look a little friendly and approachable.

> The "A" and the "K" are fascinating. Almost imperceptibly bent...The "B" also has a belly. What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that. The logo looks like a generic san-serif block letter logo, and I only noticed those details after they were explicitly pointed out. Even after looking at it several times, the bent lines register as defects to me rather than as an aesthetic design choi…

> What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that.

They probably spend millions in design per year and have to keep their designers team working. At that scale nothing is left to chance, they A/B tested their logos for months &. If it makes them looks .1% better and improve signups by the same amount they're golden.

> I only noticed those details when they were explicitly pointed out.

And that's exactly how it should be, good design is imperceptible, bad design sticks out like a sore thumb.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#36

Post by saagarjha » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 5:59 PM UTC

lm28469 wrote: post #35

CharlesColeman wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The "A" and the "K" are fascinating. Almost imperceptibly bent...The "B" also has a belly. What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that. The logo looks like a generic san-serif block letter logo, and I only noticed those details after they were explicitly pointed out. Even after looking at it several times, the bent lines register as defects to me rather than as an aesthetic design choi…

> What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that. They probably spend millions in design per year and have to keep their designers team working. At that scale nothing is left to chance, they A/B tested their logos for months &. If it makes them looks .1% better and improve signups by the same amount they're golden. > I only noticed those details when they were explicitly pointed out. And th…

FWIW I noticed the bend immediately as something being slightly “off” about the lettering.

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#37

Post by hellofunk » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 6:01 PM UTC

MuffinFlavored wrote: post #25

jawns wrote: post #7

Although a post about updated branding may seem benign, this is, I believe, a response to critics who believe the company should be broken up. For example: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/03/opinion/facebook-antitrus... https://www.wired.com/story/tim-wu-explains-why-facebook-bro... https://www.cnet.com/news/can-facebook-be-broken-up-what-you... Facebook is hoping that by differentiating its company brand from its fl…

Why is the government itching to break up tech companies? I feel like it's a bad idea for them to get involved at all.

If they are undermining the fundamental purpose of government, then why wouldn’t the government want to do something about it?

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#38

Post by lostgame » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 6:02 PM UTC

tantalor wrote: post #21

saagarjha wrote: post #20

I’m all for more explicit disclosure of Facebook’s involvement in Instagram and WhatsApp, but aesthetically…I’m not sure I like it. What was wrong with the original logo and the “Facebook blue”?

Blue is generally poor choice for logos, it is hard on the eyes. Red is better.

I can’t stand blue logos. Not sure about red, but anything else is better. Makes it feel ancient to me (IBM, Microsoft in the 90’s...)

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#39

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 6:02 PM UTC

lm28469 wrote: post #35

CharlesColeman wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The "A" and the "K" are fascinating. Almost imperceptibly bent...The "B" also has a belly. What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that. The logo looks like a generic san-serif block letter logo, and I only noticed those details after they were explicitly pointed out. Even after looking at it several times, the bent lines register as defects to me rather than as an aesthetic design choi…

> What's interesting to me is why anyone would bother with tweaks like that. They probably spend millions in design per year and have to keep their designers team working. At that scale nothing is left to chance, they A/B tested their logos for months &. If it makes them looks .1% better and improve signups by the same amount they're golden. > I only noticed those details when they were explicitly pointed out. And th…

[deleted]

Re: Designing the Facebook Company Brand

#40

Post by lostgame » Mon, Nov 04, 2019, 6:05 PM UTC

Would’ve been better, IMHO; to pull an Alphabet and rename the company.

This reminds me a little of the ‘Apple TV’ vs. ‘Apple TV’ article running around recently.

If Facebook wants to differentiate their company from their service, a rename makes sense and also wouldn’t hurt their reputation when they create new products.