While the name Hershey’s typically conjures notions of mouthwatering, milky-brown chocolate, the company’s newly-redesigned logo -- unveiled today -- is inspiring far less appetizing thoughts.
To create a “fresh and modern interpretation of the beloved Kisses icon,” the company replaced a photograph of a silver Hershey’s Kiss with an animated, solid brown version, Hershey's told graphic-design blog Brand New. A gray curlicue hovers above the brown Kiss to denote the treat’s famed packaging.
“The new branding will impact all visual aspects of how The Hershey Company presents itself,” the company said in a statement, “from consumer communications to websites to the interior design of its office spaces and the look of its retail stores.”
Related: Need a New Design? 5 Reasons to Crowdsource It.
But almost immediately, commenters began dumping on the redesign -- the majority of whom likened it to a “steaming pile of shit.” Others were quick to point out its striking similarities -- minus eyeballs -- to the much-beloved poop emoji.
Perhaps this is simply the way the cookie crumbles for established companies who dare to broach rebrandings in a seething social age. Last month, for instance, when Airbnb announced its new Bélo logo, the Internet had a field day, complete with Tumblr accounts reimagining the design as whole host of genitalia.
What do you think of Hershey’s new logo: Is it demonstrative and sleek, or does it leave you reeling with reflections upon excrement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Related: When Designing a Logo, First Comes Personality, Then Color
