The Snapchat Logo Update: Why Bold Might Not Be Better

As of Q1 2019, the social app, which debuted in 2011, had 190 million daily users. However, Snapchat recently implemented a tweak that might potentially cause that number to decline.

My Snapchat logo is bold—why?

In order to stand out among the other social media icons, Snapchat modified its logo in the middle of August 2019 by adding a bolder outline of their recognizable ghost. It’s a brand-new design, not a bug.

It’s been challenging, to put it mildly, to find any favorable responses to Snapchat’s new logo. We cannot say the same for identifying the adverse responses.

Even though Snapchat’s new logo probably didn’t cost much money, changes like these sometimes have unintended consequences. The level of user happiness this time around is low; some users have threatened to completely uninstall Snapchat due to the new look. User contentment is another element that developers and designers must consider.

The reason behind the reaction

This new logo’s shapes and colors all remain the same, so there isn’t much to consider. The sole distinction is in the outline’s weight, and it is unmistakable. Without a doubt, Snapchat succeeded in capturing the user’s attention as soon as they unlocked their phone, if that was the company’s goal.

Why then is there such a strong backlash? The risky decision made by Snapchat could have been a bit too risky. Snapchat users may be reacting adversely to the move rather than accepting it for a variety of reasons.

First, sentimental ties.

There is a subconscious emotional attachment to the way things seem and feel to us, even if you don’t think you have an emotional connection to Snapchat. Their emblem was recognizable, nostalgic, and secure; with the alteration, those positive emotions are erased, and we must start anew.

Second, the game “one of these things is not like the other” is strongly incorporated into the new logo.

The minimalist aesthetic is one of the most well-liked styles in graphic design. People are settling for less and deleting details like outlines and extra frills. The opposite of overwhelming, minimalist designs are straightforward to interpret and pleasing to the sight.

Snapchat might have gone even further in the direction of minimalism by doing away with their outline entirely. Instead, they went against the grain and stood out loudly on a user’s phone, deviating from the fad. Which is most likely what they intended to accomplish.

While not appealing to the general public, the daring design fits in nicely with their marketing for the new Spectacles, which is aimed squarely at original creatives who dare to be daring. Could they be changing the audience they target?

The potential for Snapchat

Snapchat’s dramatic step might go either way given warnings from its own users to remove the app from their own cellphones. Snapchat’s new logo may fast become popular with users because it is comparable to (but less striking than) Twitter’s new interface design. However, people may leave Snapchat within 10 seconds or less if the new logo is used Time will only tell.