New Logo Look
You may have noticed new logos at the top of some of Google's web pages, including Google Labs, Google Moderator, and Google Code. These are the result of a new logo design we are rolling out. We hope this design freshens up our look as well as improves consistency and ease of use across our sites.
Context & Ripple Effects
Google had already updated its browser favicon in January 2009, establishing a broader effort to make its visual identity work across web touchpoints. The rollout to Labs, Moderator and Code extends that effort to product-facing properties, with consistency and usability as the stated goals.
First-order effects
- Google Labs, Google Moderator and Google Code receive the new logo treatment, giving users a more uniform visual cue across those sites.
Second-order effects
- Google’s individual product teams have a clearer shared design direction, reducing the scope for each property to present a distinct visual identity.
Third-order effects
- The change points toward brand governance becoming part of product usability: as Google adds web services, a repeatable identity system can make the portfolio feel more coherent.
The trend: Google is treating visual consistency across its expanding web-property portfolio as a usability and brand-management task.