Slack’s emblem was one of the most instantly recognizable symbols in recent memory. Within half a decade, the communication platform has become as integral to work life as email, boasting a staggering $8 billion worth of esteem.
It came as no surprise that Slack’s updated emblem, launched this week, sparked immediate reactions, especially among design enthusiasts. Despite protests, it’s a fact that adjusting to newness is met with reluctance by the majority.
Previously, Slack was personified by its beloved, grid-like hashtag. Indeed, it was flawed—muddled colors where lines intersected, and it wasn’t the epitome of adaptability, as corroborated by Slack’s own explanatory article on the rebranding.
Obviously, the former emblem had issues, yet they weren’t insurmountable. If refinement in readability and color versatility were the only goals, selecting ‘Slack’ in a vibrant blue set in Gotham could’ve sufficed.
The redevelopment of the emblem was a collaborative endeavor between Slack’s internal team and Pentagram’s Michael Beirut (who seems to be omnipresent), alongside a host of unnamed contributors mentioned only in passing within the press materials.
While the resultant emblem is neat, sleek, and technically impeccable, it is devoid of the charm that underscores iconic brands. It embodies an academically sound rationale, yet misses out on distinctive personality.
In contrast to the former logo’s representation of a hashtag and a tight-knit group intertwined together, the new emblem suggests a picture of detachment. Regardless of what the official statements suggest, this emblem doesn’t quite succeed in evoking the essence of collaboration as effectively as the old hashtag did.
Lacking insight into the original brief, one can only ponder personal reactions to the transformation. If this update is a true reflection of the initial intention, then perhaps the brief itself was in need of reevaluation. The impersonal and indifferent vibe of the new emblem places it worryingly close to generic logos often handed out as freebies for startups.
Accompanying the emblem refresh, Slack’s typeface also received an update. With Slack on the verge of going public, one might jest that a mysterious regulation mandates public companies to forsake their unique sans-serif fonts in favor of geometrical ones—a trend which has seemingly become a staple for larger corporations.
The new logo has drawn parallels from a variety of sources: from bath toys and early millennium aesthetics to Joomla’s branding and, more controversially, a swastika. However, the outcry over Slack’s new logo is, if anything, a testament to the affection held for the prior design. Given some time for our eyes to adjust, it’s likely we’ll soon overlook and accept the rebranding as part of the new normal.
