Last Monday, the YMCA of the USA finally launched its new logo design and branding campaign. This is the first time in 43 years that the YMCA has relaunched its logo design and in my opinion, it was long overdue. For fear of looking dated and alienating the communities that they seek to support, the YMCA finally chose to brighten up and invigorate its old logo design. The organization hopes that their new logo design will help to spark new interest in the YMCA while also presenting itself as contemporary and modern non-profit organization that is still very much committed to helping communities grow.
The YMCA worked with an internationally acclaimed branding studio, Siegel+Gale, to create its new logo design and brand image. Neil Nicoll, the president and CEO of the YMCA of the USA is very happy with the YMCA's new image and he was quoted saying that “This is a very important, exciting time for the Y”. I completely agree. With their new logo design, the YMCA will be able to move away from its tired, rundown image and instead move forward into the future. I think that the YMCA’s new logo design will indeed help the organization reach more people, both young and old while still being regarded as a responsible organization committed to strengthening communities all across the USA.
Personally, I think that the Y’s new logo design is one of the best logo designs that I have seen in a long time. It is a classic example of how a company can breathe new life into its old logo design turning it into something new, exciting and very modern. This logo design clearly demonstrates how important it is for a company to reassess its logo design every few year and decide if it is still relevant and pertinent. A logo design truly is an invaluable marketing tool and it does have a strong impact on the overall success of a company. I really do believe that the YMCA has made a fantastic decision and that yes, this new logo design will reach more people across the USA. I also really like how the YMCA has chosen to embrace the name “the Y” which has been the way that most people have referred to the YMCA in their daily lives for years.
I can’t really say enough about this new logo design. It is smart, fresh, contemporary and bold. I absolutely love its simplicity and I especially love the fact that the design includes a hidden message. Some of the world’s best logos include subliminal message hidden within the design (think of FedEx’s brilliant logo design). Can you see it? An arrow is cleverly hidden in the logo design that eludes to the Y’s forward thinking and its commitment to strengthening and bringing communities into the future. Well done!
I also love the colours that the YMCA has chosen to include in their new logo design as well as their entire branding campaign. This bright colour scheme will definitely appeal to the younger generations for years to come. It also very accurately represents the overall joyful spirit and multicultural character of the YMCA. My hope now is that the YMCA’s of Canada will soon follow suit.
Do you like or dislike the YMCA of the USA’s new logo design?
Here are some other photos of their new brand image:
