The first change to the Facebook logo since 2005 is so subtle that it’s not immediately obvious.
In fact, most people probably won’t have noticed that the logo has changed at all. The Facebook branding has never been particularly ambitious, with a logo and wordmark which are best defined as utilitarian, and this update does nothing to change that impression.
Minimal changes made to Facebook wordmark
Facebook designer Christophe Tauziet unveiled the updated wordmark on Twitter, and it gains the dubious accolade of being even less distinctive than the previous edition. Keen observers will spot that the “a” has changed from double-story to single-story, and the letters are thinner.
The latter change may be an attempt to improve the legibility of the wordmark on lower resolution mobile devices, as the back-lit glow of smartphones makes letters appear fuzzy. A font with more white space may improve legibility.
Josh Higgins, Creative Director at Facebook, told Brand New that the company “set out to modernize the logo to make it feel more friendly and approachable,” and ultimately decided to update the existing version rather than completely overhaul it.
Higgins claims that many different directions were put up for consideration, but the familiar look won out in the end and Facebook decided to build a new font around it.
“F” logo will not be changed
The previous wordmark uses a font called Klavika, designed by Eric Olson. He was asked to design a new typeface for the updated version. Changes to the wordmark were previously proposed by former Facebook designer Ben Barry, and were approved but never implemented.
Changes to the wordmark are minimal, and there will be no change at all to the “F” logo. The updated wordmark will be rolled out across Facebook’s various sites and apps soon.
However as users of the social network increasingly access it via smartphones and tablets, the visibility of the full wordmark is being reduced. Facebook is not the only company to have made minor changes to its logo. Spotify recently caused a social media sensation when it unveiled a new logo which featured a lighter shade of green.
