Acer (2011)Copied

Acer changed its logo in April 2011, at a turbulent moment. TechSpot reported that former chief executive Gianfranco Lanci had resigned late in March after strong disagreements with the board about strategy, and that the chairman, who stepped in as CEO, wasted no time in showing the company a new face.

The previous logo had been in use for a decade. An Acer spokesperson told the Financial Times, as quoted by TechSpot, that the company had changed its corporate logo several times in its 35-year history, each time to face new challenges at a different stage. The last change came in 2001, when Acer spun off its contract manufacturing to focus on its brand. In this new stage, the company said, it would focus on creating customer value and strengthening its brand.

The new logo has a lighter, brighter shade of green and a cleaner, smoother font, which Acer said gave the company a younger, more active feel. TechSpot pointed out that most corporations choose blue or red, and that before the dark green logo Acer's had been purple.

Engadget was wry. It said the more rounded new shape looked a lot safer for kids to play with, doubted the change would make a big difference to the company's push to be more like Apple, and noted that at least there was now a visual marker separating the products made before the strategy shift from those made after.

TechSpot filled in the leadership story. Chief executive Gianfranco Lanci had resigned the month before after strong disagreements with the board about strategy, and chairman J.T. Wang stepped in, wasting no time in giving Acer a new face. It also observed that most corporations choose a shade of blue or red, while Acer ignored colour psychology to differentiate itself. Engadget doubted the change would do much for Acer's push to be more like Apple, but noted it at least marked a clear line between products before and after the shift. A logo as a timestamp for a new regime is honest, if not much of a strategy.

That is about the right reading. Softer lettering and a lighter green are a mood change, not a strategy. The 2011 logo is friendlier and less dated than its predecessor, and green remains a genuinely distinctive colour among PC makers. But it was a logo built to announce a new start, and a new start is only as good as the laptops that follow it.