We’ve already written a bit here about the trend toward lower-case branding and visual identity:
Although I’d like to invite and actually welcome the far more professional wisdom of our trusted visual identity brethren and other learned branding and marketing types, until then, I’m guessing this trend has at least something to do with wanting to position a brand as being friendlier, less stiff and formal, more accessible, kinder, and gentler, etc. Perhaps a visual identity more likely to create a stronger emotional bond and connection between the brand and its consumers?
To the extent that is the marketing and/or brand identity logic behind the trend, what does that say about a world-famous medical and health care brand that moves in the opposite direction, leaving behind the lower-case visual identity in favor of an all caps type style?
(1976-2001) (2001-2010) (2011-Present)
For what it’s worth, my strong and favorable feelings toward the brand — as a patient — haven’t changed through these various transitions (honestly I never noticed them until this past week), but I’ll have to say, I do favor the current version for some unknown reason.
For more on the history of the various Mayo Clinic logos over the past century, check out pages 24-25 of Rochester Magazine’s December 2011 issue, here.