While few would be interested to know the name of the typeface that forms Ikea’s signature logo, many have long ago considered it as part of the Ikea brand.
But of course Ikea’s ad agency did not think much of this customized version of Futura.
For its 2010 catalogue, they chose a more functional typeface, Verdana. When the catalogue found their way to mailboxes and related ads were printed on people’s favorite newspapers, an outrage begun.
An outrage that can only happen on the internet.
Online users hate the new font, they do not like the new branding, and they are going to make sure Ikea hears about it.
Branding is Sensitive Business
Branding remains to be sensitive business in the business world. The Ikea management might not have seen this coming but this shows that changing something as small as a typeface is a big deal to loyal fans.
Imagine Nike changing its signature “tick” or Apple replacing its bitten apple icon. I’m sure many of us are going to be upset too. The brand represents us and it speaks of who we are. Through others’ association of the brand, they can tell what kind of a person we are by the brand we carry.
Changing part of a brand could cause it to lose its soul. When it fails to define who we are, we would have to give it up.
Social Media Outrage. Again
This outrage has not gone on Twitter’s trending topic yet but it has certainly created a ripple big enough for Ikea and other businesses to learn from. Social media has again been used to convey consumers’ dissatisfaction and anger, with the last case being Whole Foods.
If these many cases still can’t convince you that social media has given consumers a voice strong enough to make a difference, I don’t know what can.
