Why google changed their favicon?

By pachi | Jun 5, 2008

Last week Google changed their favicon, from “Big G” to “small g“. It was a surprise! Why would google change the “Big G” which is recognised all over the world!

Lots of questions filled my head…
• Why would google change the “Big G” which is recognised all over the world and create a dip in its brand recognition.
• Is this one of the google’s marketing trick to create buzz(as if it needs one!)
• Is it trying to re-brand? (why would it do! everything is working more the fine for them)

I liked the old “Big G” than the newer “small g”.

Search Engine Land has an official position from Google:
“We recognized there was a need for a Google icon that would better work across multiple applications including web, mobile and client applications. We felt the small ‘g’ had many of the characteristics that best represent our brand: it’s simple, playful, and unique. We will be looking to improve and enhance this icon as we move forward.”

My guess is right! re-branding it is! Re-branding for the future when everything is working for them is not a bad idea. But still I like the older “Big G”.

The “small g” is positioning itself to invade the small devices. Should wait and see if microsoft will also rebrand itself by changing their “Butterfly” into “caterpillar” and Yahoo… well, it has already become a question mark!

Update: Google’s blog about the new favicon - http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/one-fish-two-fish-red-fish-blue-fish.html

5 Comments so far

ecoli June 7, 2008 12:07 am

I’m not sure I totally buy that, but at least its an official response. Thanks for letting me know.
Favicon Revisited June 7, 2008 12:23 am

[...] still would like to report, however, that pachi, of Arbitness has informed me that Google has published an official response about the change: “We recognized [...]
aditya June 8, 2008 11:45 pm

lol @last line!
Tobias June 12, 2008 10:56 pm

The new favicon looks like a toilet
Perhaps in some twisted way it’s related to their TISP April-fools joke >_>
Aditya kavoor June 20, 2008 11:09 pm

They copied it from Madhu

http://madhusudancs.info/google-copying

Aditya kavoors last blog post..FireFox 3 Certificate