Volvo using the Wordpress brand

Sep 16, 2008 in branding, drupal, wordpress

I was browsing through some online newspapers when I saw the Wordpress logo flashing by on one of the advertisements. I wondered if Wordpress was starting some pay-for service when I noticed it was actually a commercial for Volvo to launch their new campaign: Volvo Comfort Days.

It's really interesting how they use the crème de la web 2.0 to push the advertisements. More importantly, they're using the Wordpress logo as a means to make clear they also have a blog. I expect the average internet user to know what YouTube, Facebook and flickr is, but I find it astounding that they expect people to recognize the Wordpress logo as being a blogging application. Mind you that the other symbols actually include the name of the site while the Wordpress logo only includes the big "W". This is pretty much in the same way that someone recognizes the big "X" to be an Excel file.

This brings up some interesting points as to where we want to go with redesigning the Drupal wordmark and logo. Do we expect people to recognize Druplicon as the logo for our favorite CMF or should we keep it for internal use and use the wordmark for our branding?

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Comments

Wed, 2008-09-17 00:12 — John Forsythe (not verified)

fun mascot, poor logo.

I would guess that most bloggers (at least the ones in the market for a Volvo) recognize the Wordpress W. Either from having actually used Wordpress, or having read all the other Wordpress blogs out there that proudly feature the logo.

The Wordpress W can be seen as a membership card to an exclusive club. Displaying the W means you're in the know, you're a part of the savvy internet blogging crowd. Volvo recognizes this, and is exploiting that cultural connection to sell cars.

This is branding at its best. Great branding opens doors. Poor branding closes them.

Drupal's logo really fails at this level. Why? Well, it's a big blue cartoon character. Compare that to the classy, professional demeanor of that W, and you can see the problem. Druplicon is a fun mascot, but a poor logo for the Drupal brand.

Wed, 2008-09-17 16:25 — elv (not verified)

Mascot

I also had the hope that the Druplicon would be kept as a mascot only, and that a new logo -not just wordmark- would be created.
I can imagine websites using the new wordmark at the bottom of the pages, not the Druplicon.

Wed, 2008-09-17 16:46 — smoghat (not verified)

Agreed. I work in design and

Agreed. I work in design and even if Drupal is superior architecture, it is hard to get clients over the amateurish feel that Druplicon and the default Garland convey. Wordpress suggests that it has applications for grown ups whereas Drupal looks like its a BBS for computer enthusiasts. If I show them some of the things that have been done in Drupal, they're impressed. Drupal is great but it really suffers from poor branding. Keep the Druplicon as a mascot. Put him on Drupal Groups or something, but take him off the Web page, please.

Look at this (Wordpress) site for some great logos and a brief discussion.

http://www.logodesignlove.com/all-about-paul-rand

Wim Mostrey Engaging Drupal

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