Google has bid farewell to its beloved Gmail envelope logo, opting for a new image that more closely aligns with Google’s wider branding.
The new branding is part of Google Workspace, which is a complete rebrand and repositioning of what was previously G Suite.
The rebrand is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to remote work, which Google says has made time “more fragmented”.
Google Workspace is “everything you need to get anything done, now in one place” and includes all the previous apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, and more.
While the Google Workspace rebrand is a clear attempt from the tech giant to compete with the likes of Microsoft Office, it is the new Gmail logo that has attracted the most attention.
The original Gmail logo has barely changed since its inception and the red envelope served as a nod to the early days of email.
Speaking to Fast Company about the logo revamp Google creative director Margaret Cyphers said the decision to update such a well-known logo was “a hard balance”.
“When you have strong brand equity, that’s something you have to be very respectful of and cautious [about].”
As is often the case when there is a rebrand, some Google users have been left upset by the change.
Gmail’s new logo is a JOKE. A homogeneous color scheme for their entire suite of apps is a terrible idea. The red envelope stuck out much better. Now every app looks the same at a squint with the exact same colors. I hope they don’t touch up docs sheets and slides. SAD! pic.twitter.com/FdrlTayb7D
— Micah Fleischman (@micahcraft18) October 6, 2020
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