I remember a few months back, noticing a sudden change in most country style coffee shops. A new, modernized logo appeared. Even the menu and the inside of the shop was redesigned. It was now not only a "country style" coffee shop, but a deli as well.And although in some ways the logo was beter than the previous, it no longer portrayed that country style. Moreover it seemed to pretend to be something it was not. Perhaps if the changes were introduced gradually or if some of the old style and feeling was maintained, it would be a great solution. Now, im not so sure.
Country Style; the old the new or neither?
4 comments:
I remember first seeing the change in the brand I had to take a double take. Country Style has some major competition, but i'm not sure if redoing the logo and brand identity will help them competitivly. Tim Hortons, Second Cup, and Starbucks customers are not going to switch their coffee suppliers beacuse of a snazy new design. Unfortunately life doesn't work that way.
The colour of that new logo and the centered placement of the steamy coffee cup above the type instantly remind me of the Second Cup logo. It looks simpler and less polished but the idea is the same. I am wondering why Country Style didn't make a decision to differentiate itself from its competitors instead of making itself look like a copy.
Its funny how the meaning of the brand "country style" has no relevance to its look and feel. Its all about upgrading a logo so that it can try to fit in with its competitors. This tells me that they do not have a strong platform or mission statement established in which they can improve or build upon. Perhaps they decided that the result of changing their look would increase their sales or at least level with the marketplace today. From what I know, they've been around for awhile...if this franchise was branded 'Country Style', because their coffee had a distinct taste, then I guess it would make sense that they would convey it in their brand, but perhaps they don't, which to me shows their vulnerability or insecurities of a dying franchise. I'm not sure where I'm getting at this, but to end off my thoughts I'd like to ask whether having different a contrasting identity (look vs. meaning) has a negative impact on a brand. In this case, I think it does.
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