<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3438" title="weightwatchers brand identity" src="/pullinc/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/weightwatchers.jpg" alt="" width="515" height="355" />
<h1><span style="color: #808080;">When big brands like WeightWatchers make significant changes to their brand identity in the marketplace, its cause for scrutiny– people don’t like change very much.  This logo may be a fresh new look but who cares?</span></h1>
Of course, anything said here about brand identity development and design will come across as biased (that’s because it is). Naturally, for us, we like to see big brands set the bar for leadership and innovation in corporate and brand identity design and management. Unfortunately so few big brands meet that high water mark when they undergo a re-brand – Gap, JCPenney, and most recently the UC California system, have all debuted new identities that failed miserably with their audiences upon their release. And now WeightWatchers has it’s turn.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-3439" title="weightwatcher-logo change" src="/pullinc/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/weightwatcher-logo.jpg" alt="" width="504" height="279" />Why do so many big brands (who spend tons of money with the biggest design firms with the best talent) turn out such mediocre, uninspiring work. Believe it– the firm that designed this generic masterpiece is considered the best in the world! Here’s what WeightWatchers shared about the new identity in their press release:

<strong><em>A Fresh New Look</em></strong>

<strong><em></em>As part of the program overhaul and looking forward to the next 50 years, Weight Watchers also gave its brand a new, highly modern visual system that brings to life the transformation members experience when they adopt a new lifestyle that can lead to significant weight loss.</strong>

<strong><em>The new visual system has been implemented in digital channels and on the cover of the January/February issue of Weight Watchers magazine. As part of the continuation of a phased approach to transforming the Weight Watchers store experience, which has been implemented in more than 65 percent of company-owned locations in the U.S., the new look will begin appearing at retail in late December.</em></strong>

<strong><em><a title="PR Newswire" href="http://s.tt/1vEiN" target="_blank">From PR Newswire</a></em></strong>

<em></em>Blah, blah, blah. We’re not going to share our aesthetic design opinion here…aesthetics are superficial and taste is usually found in one’s mouth. One could argue exhaustingly about the weight of the chosen font characters being too frumpy and fat, or the cliché aspects of the fading characters (oh I get it “weight loss”, very clever), and even the challenging aspects of readability in various digital marketing communications applications.  We’re confident the brand design consultants offered other approaches and creative explorations. Perhaps some that were even inspiring.

In our opinion, re-branding is about shifting customer perceptions from one condition to an improved condition. We also believe that the discipline of design is a very effective means to accomplish the shift. This design does nothing to support what this brand means to 1.3 million members: personal EMPOWERMENT.  It’s not about weight loss per se, this brand is about mastering a condition in your life with power and confidence, where before you had little or none.
<h2>Seems to us, the logo and the brand identity system that goes with it should at least energetically support the idea that ”you can do it!” Where in this generification does this higher ideal express itself?</h2>
“Modern” style design has nothing to do with the core essence of why this brand matters to people.  Creating a generic logotype will not shift more customer perceptions that this brand owns the idea  “improving your life condition” and only WeightWatchers offer the effective tools to help you get there.

Whether or not you feel the current logo was un-modern or outdated and in need of just being “cool”, at least the former version has a distinguished character and implies a sense of personal power and energy necessary to improve your life’s condition.

We hope management will (like the aforementioned brands at the top of the piece) re-assess the wisdom of their choice. Afterall, fifty years is a long time.

<strong>What say you?</strong>