Last week, the Girl Scouts of the USA revealed their new logo design, visual identity and marketing strategy. This logo redesign and visual identity overhaul has been long overdue for the Girl Scouts organization. Last updated by the world famous graphic designer, Saul Bass in 1978, the Girl Scouts logo desperately needed to be updated and modernized to meet the branding standards of the 21st century.
The Girl Scouts of the USA is the world’s largest organization for young women. Since it’s beginning in 1912, the Girl Scouts have been working hard to promote the growth and development of young women all across America. Perhaps most famous for their cookies, the Girl Scouts of America has helped over 3 million women become strong, confident and well-rounded individuals.
The Girl Scouts of the USA decision to relaunch their identity was prompted by their approaching 100-year anniversary. Laurel Richie, the Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President at GSUSA, said “we heard that our logo looked a little tired, weathered, worn and discolored. Like it has been out on the picnic table all summer.” In an attempt to enliven, rejuvenate and refresh their identity, the Girl Scouts teamed up with the Original Champions of Design, a NYC-based design company, to create their new visual identity package.
Here is both their old and new logo design:
This brighter and more inviting logo design is targeted at the new generation of American young women. The Girl Scouts are hoping that their new logo design will breathe new life into their organization as well as to help them move away from their camping and crafts image of the past.
The Girl Scouts new logo design includes a slight modification to their logo's classic trefoil shape as well as small changes to the faces of the women in the logo design. Bangs were added to the women, their noses were rounded, their lips were made fuller and their necks straightened. The typeface used in their new logo design was also changed as well as the colour of their new logo design.
The Original Champions of Design also created a completely new line of stationery and packaging designs for the Girl Scouts of the USA. This complete rebranding package helps modernize the Girls Scouts image and make it more appealing to the masses.
Although, I would have liked to have seen a complete overhaul of Saul Bass’s original logo design, I do think that this new logo design is a vast improvement on the old design. The blue-green colour of the old logo design made the logo design look faded and dull. The new bright green colour is much bolder and more vibrant. Using lowercase letters in their logo design was also a great idea and it really helps to make the organization look more friendly and welcoming.
I love what the Original Champions of Design did with the Girl Scouts new stationery and packaging design. The patterns that they created with the Girl Scouts trefoil symbol are very creative, attractive and eye-catching. These new designs are fun and I think that most young women would be proud of them.