Google gets a new favicon
Mikey 14 commentsI only noticed this for he first time today, so if this is a few days old forgive my lateness. You might have noticed Google have a new favicon (the small icon that appears next to the URL in the address bar), and it's very colourful.
New year, new favicon, I get it. But the emergence of this multicoloured graphic reaffirms my position that Google don't care much for brand consistency, but at least this time they are using the right colours.
Google's first favicon. If the search in the upper right of your browser is set to Google you will still see this version there.
The previous version introduced last year, which apparently was always meant to be temporary.
The 2009 version.
They are drastically different from one another, but as mentioned earlier Google seem to have dropped the ball in regards to consistent branding.
Which do you like better?
Greg M
Saturday 10th January 2009 | 11:22 PMMikey, this atrocity jumped out at me and punched me in the face while I was sitting at work yesterday. The new favicon is far and away the worst of the three. The colors are overpowering and I really feel it is an eye-soar. Strong feelings for a favicon for sure but I would suspect better from Google who normally manages to keep things simple and clean.
Man Overboard
Sunday 11th January 2009 | 04:44 AMI'm with Greg on this one. Disgusting.
Bring back the old Cap G.
I like the lower case g the best, though none of them live up to the quality of the Google brand.
I'm for the latest, actually.
aaron
Sunday 11th January 2009 | 12:43 PMit reminds me of the windows 95/ms office logo
Mark
Sunday 11th January 2009 | 08:33 PMI like the latest one. Lower case is more fun, multicolours are more fun. It's definitely inconsistent branding, people say "it's just a favicon" but I actually think it will have a strong influence on a future branding alignment for Google.
the first one... definately
Jake Farr-Wharton
Monday 12th January 2009 | 07:25 AMThe most recent is the most creative. Branding consistence will never be an issue for Google as they are not a tangible product, what they offer will never need any advertising ever again, they are synnonimous with internet searching.
mario0318
Monday 12th January 2009 | 10:34 AMI dig the new one. I don't mind if they keep changing it every year either.
Besides, anyone who wants to link Google could always just use the classic G icon for familiarity.
Mike,
We should run a "design an alternative fav icon for Google" competition here. I think we'd get some interesting entries - and possibly better than the basic MS logo rip off that Google have settled on.
Not a bad idea mate. I will start something soon.
i like the "g or G " either one but use the googles colours for a colourful letter. not sure i like the new favicon.
Latest one but none are great...not that they have much space to work with though.
The Movie Whore
Saturday 10th January 2009 | 06:36 PMWith a company like Google that is slowly taking over the world, they can get away with doing things like this. When you are already a household nmae you can pretty much do whatever yo want with your "packaging" and people may not even notice.
I noticed the icon earlier today but really did not even think about it since I knew I was on Google.