Microsoft’s Retail Logo?
Posted August 18th, 2009 / By Beth LaPierre in Brands, Buzz, Creative, External, Movers + Shakers, News, Strategy
Earlier this year Microsoft announced that it would open retail locations to compete with Apple and ‘transform the PC and Microsoft buying experience’. Microsoft COO Kevin Turner has also announced that ’some retail stores opened up right next door to Apple stores this fall’.
Microsoft has supposedly created a new logo for its stores that has been filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The document states that the logo is intended for “retail store services and online retail services featuring computers, computer hardware, software, computer games, computer peripherals, portable music players and accessories, personal digital assistants, cell phones and accessories, video game consoles and accessories, webcams, books, clothing, back packs, messenger bags, computer bags and novelty items”.
The Logo
According to Microsoft’s application the logo “consists of four squares arranged in a rectangular grid. Each square is colored to form three square-shaped regions within the square, with the color of each region gradating from dark to light toward the center of the design. The upper left square design is red, the lower left square is blue, the upper right square is green and the lower right square is yellow. The squares are separated by blank space.”
Store hours have yet to be determined, as it appears that every so often stores will shut down for no apparent reason.
Beth LaPierre is a Brand + Creative Strategist. When Beth is not helping build brands she’s on her snowboard, spray painting something, or drinking copious amounts of espresso. Follow Beth on Twitter.
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“Store hours have yet to be determined, as it appears that every so often stores will shut down for no apparent reason.” Haha! Good one!
I second Tim’s comment. Everything in the article was so serious, that the ending really cracked me up.
Will be interesting to see how Microsoft set them selves apart from other retailers already selling their products? i.e. pc shops and computer game shops. Why go to a Microsoft store for an xbox 360 game for example when you already have a choice of many other well known video game stores? In the UK you can only buy Apple hardware from registered retailers and Apple stores, but you can get Microsoft PC’s from every other computer related store out there from large retailers to back street traders. I really can’t see this working.
That’s a horrible logo.
I thought the idea was to compete with Apple?
Not to display a weaker and more feeble attempt as per usual? hahaha
@Matthew, I am wondering the same thing. I imagine that they’re hoping to show off a large community of Microsoft evangelists like Apple has.
I don’t see it working either, but it will be interesting to see what the stores look like the first week…
In my opinion, Microsoft is neither relevant or cool. The Xbox has its own branding (apart from MS), and its own culture so it doesn’t even really count as supporting the MS brand. Most people don’t have a huge compelling reason to be affiliated with Microsoft. Everything about Apple’s brand however (including iPods, etc) supports the company and works very hard to remain relevant and cool. I totally agree with @Matthew and @Dan…. how could this possibly catch on!?
Lets hope this is a beginning rather than a fait a complis.
The all powerful Apple brand, as @Doug has said, includes products, environments, advertising, web to create the overall Apple experience. If MS want to get people interested in their brand in the same way they need to be taking a more comprehensive and cohesive approach than simply presenting us with a new logo and a shop!
nice one!