Microsoft Ditches Iconic Windows Flag
Microsoft Ditches Iconic Windows Flag
Posted 02/19/2012 at 11:17am
| by Justin Kerr
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The Windows logo has evolved over the years, but has always followed a carefully crafted theme. The Iconic Windows Flag is one of the most recognizable logos of our generation, being printed literally billions of times on the stickers we find plastered to our cases and laptops, as well as the ever so handy start key on just about every keyboard made in the last 10 years. Love it or leave it, everyone knew it, and isn’t that the whole point? Apparently not, as Microsoft has now publically declared their intent to ditch it in favor of something new.
The new logo design isn’t a radical departure, sticking with 4 separated piece design, but it’s still a curious choice. Most companies pay millions to achieve the type of brand recognition Microsoft is voluntarily giving up.
Smart move? Or marketing disaster? You be the judge.
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jsilfies
March 06, 2012 at 12:57am
Paula Scher designed this at pentagram studios, they didn't just take a shot in the dark here. Scher is a design rock star, she's the closest thing we have to Hendrix. My only critique would be the small R and TM, they do not fit but that is probably something Microsoft added on it's own.
JLloyd13
February 28, 2012 at 7:51pm
I hate it. Now it actually looks like a window. Oh well, i use linux mint as my main os so that eyesore wont hurt me to much.
warptek2010
February 21, 2012 at 12:23am
On the one hand I could see how the classic logo does go hand in hand with brand recognition. On the other hand, if you carefully look at the classic logo it looks like either a flag waving in the breeze or a very warped window pane.
Keith E. Whisman
February 20, 2012 at 10:44pm
I say put a large white hexagram in the middle and color it to resemble the Israeli flag. That ought to piss off the antisemitic liberals in our country and around the world.
MicroSchwartz Windows Oy.
RUSENSITIVESWEETNESS
February 20, 2012 at 7:50pm
The new one looks like it was designed by a talentless hack new to Illustrator. Looks like crap. No flair, no life. Sterile and brain-dead.
Deviate
February 20, 2012 at 6:34am
I think they should go back to the 3.1/95 style logo. Since retro styling seems to be one of the more successful marketing schemes. And those versions are where what the majority of the present middle-aged generation first started using. That and I get very nostalgic. I remember using 3.1 back in grade/middle school, and using 95/98 at home and NT 4.0 in high school. Meeeemmmoriiieeessss.
Although they should hold that off for Windows 9, because I'm not really interested in 8.
jonnyohio
February 20, 2012 at 6:12am
But.....I liked the logo.....I guess the new one will be cheaper to print though
jth
February 19, 2012 at 7:53pm
A lot of people will be confused by it but I like it. It's simple. Pseudo-perspective; it's a window and it's metro UI tiles so it makes sense whether or not you like the metro UI.
jnite
February 19, 2012 at 7:21pm
This is very odd. They are getting rid of one of the most recognizable logos today. That's like McDonalds getting rid of their big yellow M as their logo. People would consider McDonalds crazy if they did that.
szore
February 19, 2012 at 6:36pm
What is it with MS? Why are they so good at somethings, and so utterly stupid in others?
Wingzero_x
February 22, 2012 at 1:13am
Ummm, we're talking about Microsoft here! You know Active-X, Registry hell, .dll hell, an inefficient uninstaller, bsod, rrod...Seems like the only thing they do particularly well is separate us from our money.
w2ed
February 19, 2012 at 5:27pm
I like it - it' simple and a lot more understandable than the flag. That said, I'd bring back the colors, just to tie it to the original them - sometimes it's easy to make things too simple and boring. (It is a logo, after all - not the actual OS!)
dracx619
February 19, 2012 at 5:14pm
not sure if you guys know this, but the color of the logo changes depending on your chosen theme.
thetechchild
February 19, 2012 at 4:44pm
The new logo is crap. They literally changed the whole thing to be one color, and the flag has been replaced with a tilted square of squares.
At the very least, a black "Windows" and the original colors for the flag (even in square form) would preserve the icon somewhat. Now, it's just a completely bland and unrecognizable image.
Led Weappelin
February 19, 2012 at 4:10pm
It's like Apple getting rid of the apple. How dumb would that be? This dumb.
Cleaver
February 19, 2012 at 4:47pm
Well it looks like Microsoft is getting rid of a flag, and replacing it with..... a window. Seems appropriate to me, especially considering that Apple's logo, is, you know, an apple.
mchype14
February 19, 2012 at 3:52pm
i believe this is going to be a marketing disaster...
While I understand the want to move to something new, they are leaving behind one of the most recognizable icons in the world...
Good luck to them after this...
Led Weappelin
February 19, 2012 at 3:10pm
I don't like it. They should at least incorporate the old color scheme IMO.
TheRyGuy
February 19, 2012 at 2:19pm
It's simple, but sends a message. I think it signifies a new direction for Microsoft. I like it.
misterz100
February 19, 2012 at 2:16pm
Problem is with people the way they are now nobody knows or cares about that old icon besides us. They say kids want macs and such, well kids also like Justin Beiber and other retarded artists and are doing worse in school than other generations. Changing the logo and making them look like something new and different is essential in today's world. That's just my 2 cents tho.
pglasc
February 19, 2012 at 1:22pm
If the is the best somebody could design they need to be put on the unemployment line. But they do need a change..I believe I will design one. Maximum PC should have a contest....
Engelsstaub
February 19, 2012 at 1:10pm
It's a photo-negative of Finland's flag!
The old logo is pretty iconic but Windows 8 is going to be a huge change. Changing the logo seems appropriate.
dubcek
February 19, 2012 at 6:03pm
Next thing we will hear is that Finland will sue them if they don't change it.
Bilbert
February 19, 2012 at 2:33pm
I completely agree that the colours should not be changed; they are the most iconic part of the logo.
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