
Introducing Watsi's new logo - nettatheninja
http://exposure.watsi.org/introducing-watsis-new-logo
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revx
I hate doing this to a new, exciting brand launch, but... it really looks like
a pair of underwear (briefs) to me.

~~~
Theodores
This would not be the first time!

"A Brief Problem"...

[http://blog.rjmetrics.com/2013/10/09/our-logo-looks-like-
und...](http://blog.rjmetrics.com/2013/10/09/our-logo-looks-like-underpants-a-
case-study-in-internationalization/)

~~~
Tyrannosaurs
It's not something you'd have thought was a common problem but some things
surprise you...

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RobAtticus
Maybe not a huge deal to most, but the use of "OCD" in this sentence made me
wince a bit: "They put up with our OCD tendencies and pulled long hours to
make sure we walked away with a perfect mark."

Not sure it's good form for a company dedicated to healthcare to misuse a
medical term like that.

Edit: They've since updated the post. Thanks for doing that!

~~~
ripb
Likewise. I've mild OCD and I wouldn't wish it on anyone as although it
doesn't interfere with my life all that much, it's an incredible annoyance.

Being picky over details or striving to make something perfect (in your view)
is not obsessive compulsive disorder.

~~~
gracegarey
You're 100% right. Edited.

~~~
prawks
Still makes a similar OCD remark in the image halfway down the page.

Not to _nitpick_ :P

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gracegarey
Swapping out the screengrab too, will be updated soon.

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mmcclure
If you're going all in on responsive design, make sure your images still look
passable on a decently sized monitor. I'm on a cinema display, and every image
of that logo on the page looks atrocious...so much pixelation it's hard for me
to even judge the logo itself.

This is the unveiling of months of work and debate that went into a new logo.
Feels to me like the absolute worst time to decide to skimp on file size.

~~~
benburton
This is truly puzzling. If you spend that much time on logo design, you ought
to at least devote some effort to ensuring that it doesn't look pixelated
across a smattering of typical displays.

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danso
The problem with logos, for outsiders, is that if they're well designed, they
just _work_...and it's hard to discern _why_ without a frame of reference and
comparison. So even a matter of fact description ( _" In the final version, we
connected the individual triangles and unified the mark with color."_) is
really interesting to a typography/design-layperson like myself, so thanks for
posting this!

(in the case of that last step, the reason for the change isn't fully
described, but I imagine at least one person thought, like me, that the
previous iteration looks like an angry bird looking right at you)

Also, here's what Watsi's original logo looked like, which they had to change
because of an infringement claim by Blue Cross: [http://teespring.com/watsi-
blue-logo](http://teespring.com/watsi-blue-logo)

Did anyone else order this t-shirt and get like 3 shirts or more? I think they
had a surplus or something...

~~~
RobAtticus
They sent out an email about it. They had some goof ups in printing them
(wrong material, wrong color) so they ended up sending out multiple shirts. My
first was on Gildan cotton instead of AA, then I got the right one, and then I
got an additional one in darker grey. Only got charged for one so not a big
deal, just kinda funny.

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fistofjohnwayne
Two thoughts:

1) More work could've been done on the rounded edges. They don't flow very
well and after seeing the W + bars graphic, the problem stands out more.

2) Why are such low-quality images being used on the page announcing the logo?
[https://exposure-1.imgix.net/production/users/23251/avatar/o...](https://exposure-1.imgix.net/production/users/23251/avatar/original-1400215009.png?1400215009&w=200&h=200&fit=crop&q=95)
I realize they've chosen to host this on Exposure and can't control how they
compress files so maybe the question is why did they go with Exposure?

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afternooner
Yup, it totally looks like underpants.

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morbius
Looks like the "thermal core" of the Mac Pro.

Or Darth Vader's breathing piece.

Or a sharp, fanged trapezoid with extremely menacing eyes.

Or a pair of underpants.

The old logo was decent, but yes, it did look too much like BlueCross' logo.
This... I don't really have much to say. It's unremarkable. Uninteresting.
Just... uncreative. I think a simple W would have sufficed.

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toggle
Unfortunately, all I can see is either 1) a pretzel, or 2) the mouth area of
Darth Vader's mask.

I don't usually over-think logos, but this one looks strangely angular,
aggressive, and kinda mean-looking, considering Watsi is a non-profit
healthcare company.

~~~
prawks
It's very angular and bold, which I agree is unusual considering their goals
and message.

First thing I thought of for some reason when I saw the images of people with
the logo imposed over them was a company similar to BP. Not 100% sure why.

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justinpaulson
I think I like the second one in the iterations better. It is more abstract
for the W and it doesn't make you immediately jump to underpants. Though I
really didn't see the underpants until someone else mentioned it.

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notwhyships
It's close to being good, but currently looks to me like a diaper.

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unfunco
I like Watsi, an interesting and downright good company, but this post
reminded me a little too much of W1A[0].

[0]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EySLuYWTy0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EySLuYWTy0)

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wodenokoto
What was the old logo?

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gkoberger
Before/after here: [http://blog.watsi.org/post/85923886351/introducing-our-
new-l...](http://blog.watsi.org/post/85923886351/introducing-our-new-logo)

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sparkzilla
Underpants logo fail.

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jradd
Phase 3: Profit

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gjvc
Why is this hackernewsworthy?

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usuk
If you need to do a post in the blog to explain, the logo is not good.

~~~
_broody
On the contrary, rebrandings rarely come without an accompanying press
release, and this is a rather nice presentation.

