Starbucks, the most famous place in the world to grab a cup of Joe, unveiled a new logo today. The new design has done away with the words that for years have encircled the company's iconic Siren, and they've spruced up the lady herself. Why the decision to eliminate the words? Starbucks feels that they are one of the planet's most recognizable brands, so no longer needed to reinforce its name on every sign, cup, and coffee bean bag.
According to Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, the new logo is better suited to the company's expansion beyond coffee, and into international markets. "What is really important here is an evolutionary refinement of the logo, which is a mirror image of the strategy," Schultz said "This is not just, let's wake up one day and change our logo."
What do you all think of the 2011 Starbucks logo? Is the new, simpler design an improvement? Or a Gap-esque mistake?