Quark's "New" Look
A few days behind the curve on this, but behold Quark’s new logo:
“It’s fresh, inviting, and open,” said Glen Turpin, Quark’s director of corporate communications. “It’s radically different from our old logo. That’s why it’s the perfect symbol for the new Quark. Our company has changed dramatically. Like our new logo, once people catch a glimpse of who we are today and where we’re going, we’ll be impossible to ignore.”
[…]
The logo was designed by SicolaMartin, a division of Young & Rubicam Brands. “This really was an incredible opportunity for us, as an agency. We specialize in high-tech clients, so usually we’re doing work that speaks to IT professionals. To get to actually target designers, art directors, and creative professionals was a really fun challenge for us,” said Steve Martin, senior vice president and executive creative director at SicolaMartin. “Not only that, but to have the freedom to re-brand such a well-known company as Quark — and to create a new logo for them, as well? We were excited.”
Only one problem: that logo has already been used.
Heheh. We love Quark — whose original press release was titled, “Show everyone why I’m different.” They did reply to questions:
We appreciate your concern that it is similar to that of the Scottish Arts Council’s logo. After doing trademark searches domestically and internationally, we are surprised that our logos look alike in some ways. The similarities were unintentional.
Comments:
”…we are surprised that our logos look alike in some ways”. Yes, the ONLY difference is in the color.
Actually, if you look closely, you can see that Quark’s hole is bigger.
Interpret that however you want…;)
I assume those geniuses in suits at Quark headquarters didn’t pay too much for that logo. That’s what a company deserves when they opt for identity services from a lowest-bidder marketing agency from Texas. Get what you pay for. Coincidentally, the word of the moment is: schadenfreude. It’s well-deserved considering the hoops I had to jump through two years ago to get that piece o’ shite otherwise known as QuarkXPress 6 installed with no less than 4 calls to India, natch.
Praise be the joys of InDesign CS.
http://www.artworkers.org/
http://www.sterlingbrands.com/
http://www.alcone.co.uk/
http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/
That’s what a company deserves when they opt for identity services from a lowest-bidder marketing agency from Texas.
Ouch.
Thanks for the URLs.
The sad truth is that they probably paid a lot for this new identity. Interesting also that the very same symbol is being used for a “q” as well as an “a”.
That symbol isn’t good. It isn’t good as an a or a Q. And it’s sad that it’s been used so much.
Their new logo seems a little stale and the shape is almost too simple in form. The organic feel seems overused and not unique to their brand. Close but no cookie IMO.
http://www.fountain.nu/catalogue/girl.asp
Its also identical to the a in the font called “girl” by Dirk Uhlenbrock. So for 49.00 Quark could of had the same results.
You can’t expect to get something ORIGINAL if you hire Republicans.
The only thing they know how to do is steal, we see that now in the current administration.
Stolen oil, stolen country, stolen elections, theft is their milieu!
Design Arliss. DESIGN! Please stay with the topic.
You can’t expect to get something ORIGINAL if you hire Republicans.
LOL!!
While I agree 110% that the current administration is a bunch of lying crooks, let’s not overdo it with the blanket statements, eh?
If you have something you know specifically about this situation and how being Republican plays into that, however.…
Thanks.
So all people in Texas are Republicans?
So all Republicans are mindless thugs?
So Democrats don’t steal?
And where is the stolen oil because we sure need it now, Arliss?
Anyways, Quark should be ASHAMED. This is so hilarious but worst than that is the answer:
“we are surprised that our logos look alike in some ways” - HAHA, yeah in like ALL OF THEM!
Go figure…
It seems Quark’s approach to due dilligence is, well… IDENTICAL in its approach to developing its software and serving its clients:
IT JUST COULDN‘T BE BOTHERED
And this from a company that sells its software in markets all over the world. Still, wouldn’t it be peachy if the SAC stationery were designed using Quark XPress?
Cheers for the laughs, Quark. Don’t let the door hit yer bum on the way out.
You’re all giving the Scottish Arts Council too much credit.
Do you think they Invented that symbol?
None of these examples are in any way first to use this look.
There’s a TON of examples on veer.com: http://blog.veer.com/archives/000829.html
With all the companies in all the world, I’m just surprised this doesn’t happen more often. It may not be cool, but it’s hardly surprising.
For those of you wondering about the “Republican” reference, my guess is that it had to do with the “… a division of Young & Rubicam Brands.” I first read Rubicam as Republican and maybe someone else did also? :)
Arliss,
You accidently included an r, an l and an i in the spelling of your name.
The depth, intelligence, elegance, timeless design/typography went out the window when every schmuck with some free and errant fonts plus a computer became graphic designers!!!!
amen,
JSK
“every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief all kill their inspiration and sing about the grief”
other “original” logotype…¿?
www.smartcom.cl
Whatever the branding says about being ‘different’, it remains to be seen if the actual approach to developing their software is different – and that that difference is reflected in the upgrade from the current version of QuarkXpress.
My opinion is that they’ve really wasted their time trying to develop QuarkXpress into a web authoring application, instead of concentrating on enhancing the typographic and image handling tools. Not to mention the fact that any ‘Xtra’ features such as the ability to create drop shadows, had to be purchased as XTensions, and upgraded for every version. Most of these ‘Xtras’ are ‘out of the box’ with InDesign.
I do hope (for their sakes), they’ve had a good long look at Adobe InDesign, though I feel that for most of the converted, Quark are going to have to give it more than a facelift to encourage designers back to the fold.
For myself, it’s too little, too late. Having been delighted with InDesigns capabilities, I just don’t consider Quark as a viable option anymore.