By Laura Stampler

Some of the biggest brands in the country ditched their old logos for new ones last year.

Microsoft ditched its logo after 25 years, and Wendy's changed up its girl with the pigtails for the first time since 1983.

But even though a company's logo is one of its most valuable, and certainly visible, marketing tools, we're willing to bet that you missed a few of the major changes.

• <p> Domino's has ditched one major component in its newly-unveiled logo: The word &quot;pizza.&quot;</p> <p> The company also announced it's building what it describes as the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-dominos-logo-stores-20120814,0,3243583.story">&quot;store of the future,&quot;</a> in which consumers will be treated to a &quot;pizza making theater&quot; -- so all-things-pizza are not lost.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> &quot;We certainly remain a pizza company first and foremost -- but people can now get so much more from Domino&rsquo;s,&quot; a Chris Brandon, a Domino's spokesperson, told&nbsp;<a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/business-insider">Business Insider</a>. &quot;As shown by the way we have spoken to consumers in the past couple of years -- it&rsquo;s less about just a pizza and more about a relationship and an experience.&quot;</p> <p> The new logo, designed by CP+B, jumps on the bandwagon of a recent aesthetic trend -- dropping some, if not all, of a company's name.</p> <p> &quot;We'd like to reach the point where we're as recognized as the <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/nike">Nike</a> Swoosh or the Golden Arches,&quot; <span class="xn-person">Russell Weiner</span>, <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/dominos-pizza-unveils-new-logo-store-of-the-future-166149136.html?utm_expid=43414375-18&amp;utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CGEQFjAA%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.prnewswire.com%252Fnews-releases%252Fdominos-pizza-unveils-new-logo-store-of-the-future-166149136.html%26ei%3DpcMzULO1J6_R6gHpk4H4DQ%26usg%3DAFQjCNFIp2R4Y_sdsVS-p6T5n404ePYlRw">Domino's Pizza chief marketing officer, said in a press release.</a></p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In January 2012, JCPenney dropped this logo and created new branding.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> The new branding evokes the American flag but jettisons everything else that was familiar about JCP's last two logos.</p> <p> The marque is part of a massive overhaul of JCP, whose <span class="ccbnTxt">CEO <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ron-johnson">Ron Johnson</a></span> is &quot;<a href="http://ir.jcpenney.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70528&amp;p=irol-newsCompanyArticle&amp;ID=1652614&amp;highlight=">fundamentally re-imagining every aspect of the Company's business</a>.&quot; That transformation involves <a href="http://creativity-online.com/news/jcpenney-turns-department-store-retailing-on-its-head/232341">a new pricing strategy</a>, dubbed &quot;Fair and <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/square">Square</a> Pricing,&quot; in which there will be everyday prices; month-long values; and &quot;best prices&quot; on the first and third Fridays of every month.</p> <p> The new logo also plays off the &quot;fair and square&quot; theme.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Even logos that don't display the company's name got a makeover this year. Twitter dropped this logo in June 2012.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/twitter">Twitter</a> revealed a simpler, modified version of the popular blue bird.</p> <p> In <a href="http://blog.twitter.com/2012/06/taking-flight-twitterbird.html">a blog post</a>, the company acknowledged the bird itself is synonymous for Twitter, so the lowercase &quot;t&quot; symbol and text is no longer needed.</p> <p> As for the creativity and inspiration:</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"> Our new bird grows out of love for ornithology, design within creative constraints, and simple geometry. This bird is crafted purely from three sets of overlapping circles -- similar to how your networks, interests and ideas connect and intersect with peers and friends.&nbsp;Whether soaring high above the earth to take in a broad view, or flocking with other birds to achieve a common purpose, a bird in flight is the ultimate representation of freedom, hope and limitless possibility.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Not all comic fans were thrilled to see DC Comics change its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> DC Comics is set to <a href="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/dc_may_be_its_own_villain.php">unveil a new logo</a> (at right) that makes little reference to its comic book heritage -- and designers are already complaining.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p> <p> <br /> <br /> The new marque features a sans serif font underneath a stylized &quot;DC&quot; icon in which the D is peeling back from the C. The design appears to be a visual pun on the idea of turning a page or tearing off an outer layer to unveil a secret identity.</p> <p> It's a sharp break with DC's previous all-American past, in which the logo has variously featured stars, swooshes and even the word &quot;Superman,&quot; the company's greatest brand.</p> <p> <br /> Read more: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-everyone-hates-dc-comics-weird-new-corporate-logo-2012-1?op=1#ixzz2Gq1QaAW4" style="color: #003399;">http://www.businessinsider.com/why-everyone-hates-dc-comics-weird-new-corporate-logo-2012-1?op=1#ixzz2Gq1QaAW4</a></p>
• <p> After 25 years, Microsoft made headlines when it ditched its italics <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2018972097_microsoftlogo23.html">and unveiled a brand new logo.</a></p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Considering that <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/steve-ballmer">Steve Ballmer</a> dubbed the anticipated launch of <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/windows">Windows</a> 8 <a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/tech/news/a383135/microsoft-boss-windows-8-marks-rebirth-of-the-operating-system.html">Microsoft's &quot;dawning of the rebirth,&quot;</a> a new logo seems appropriate for the occasion.</p> <p> <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/microsoft">Microsoft</a> general manager, Jeff Hansen, told The Seattle Times that it &quot;signal[s] the heritage but also signal[s] the future -- a newness and freshness.&quot;</p> <div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"> <br /> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></div>
• <p> In October 2012, Wendy's changed its logo for the first time since 1983.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Gone are the boxy letters and circle-confined Wendy (inspired by founder Dave Thomas' daughter at age eight) in favor of a freer look with a softer font, brighter colors, and pigtails that burst out of the logo's frame.</p> <p> According to the AP, <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/wendys-pigtails-get-first-touchup-1983">the new logo will launch in March 2013 and is part of a restaurant redesign that will impact 6,000 North American locations</a>. Apparently, restaurants that have already undergone the makeover have seen a 25 percent increase in sales.</p> <p> Wendy's already launched a new advertising campaign by Publicis Kaplan Thaler (then just Kaplan Thaler Group) in April, swapping out its &quot;You know when it's real&quot; slogan in favor of &quot;Now that's better.&quot;</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Arby's followed suit, changing its logo too.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Arby's joined JCPenney to make all of its letters lowercase.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In February 2012, Quaker made a big change. This logo, made in 2010, Quaker adopted the font Archer (also used by Newsweek and Wells Fargo) for their new logo. It was an attempt by New York-based brand consultancy Wallace Church to make the packaged food look lighter and healthier.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Is it just us, or is he looking skinnier?</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Speaking of skinnier, did you notice that Weight Watchers changed its logo?</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p class="p1"> Weight Watchers just&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-weight-watchers-360-finally-a-weight-loss-program-built-for-human-nature-181621901.html">underwent a branding makeover</a>. Unfortunately <a href="http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/gradient_watchers.php">its new logo</a>&nbsp;kind of looks like it was made with <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/microsoft">Microsoft</a> Word Art.</p> <p class="p1"> According to the press release:</p> <p class="p1" style="padding-left: 30px;"> As part of the program overhaul and looking forward to the next 50 years, Weight Watchers also gave its brand a new, highly modern visual system that brings to life the transformation members experience when they adopt a new lifestyle that can lead to significant weight loss.</p> <p class="p1"> But while the 1.3 million member program says it's modern, we say that the chunky font with the fade to grey color gradients is reminiscent of what we'd slap on the cover page of an Eleanor Roosevelt book report to spice things up. If only the new logo came with clip art...</p> <p class="p1"> The typeface is based on a customized version of the font Fort and comes in five other bright color options.</p> <p class="p1"> <span>Paula Scher at Pentagram created the identity redesign&nbsp;</span><a href="http://new.pentagram.com/2012/12/new-work-weight-watchers/">and according to Pentagram's website,</a> &quot;The new identity features a friendly, accessible logotype with the Weight Watchers name set in lowercase. The logotype appears in a gradient that visibly lightens from left to right, embodying the idea of transformation and losing weight.&quot;</p> <div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></div>
• <p> USA Today changed its logo in September 2012.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Stephen Colbert<a href="http://shar.es/uyugj" target="_blank" title="Colbert on USA Today's New Logo"> revealed the new logo treatment</a> to the world, in a way only he could. Turns out USA Today is his favorite newspaper, and he&rsquo;s not a fan of change. &nbsp;But in the end, he embraces change &hellip; er&hellip; sort of, by using the logo itself to tell the story of how hard the USA Today graphics department will be working to execute our &quot;living&quot; logo each day.</p> <div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"> </div> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> On November 15, 2012 the prestigious Stanford University quietly, but officially, changed its logo.&nbsp; The question on many an alum's mind: Why?</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/business-insider">Business Insider</a> talked to Lisa Lapin, associate VP of university communications and the woman who oversaw the update, and it looks like the reason for the change was very Stanford-appropriate.</p> <p> It turns out that the university -- which is in the heart of Silicon Valley and has produced tech giants including the founders of <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/google">Google</a>, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/yahoo">Yahoo</a>, and <a class="skimwords-link" data-group-id="0" data-skim-creative="10201" data-skim-product="0" data-skimwords-id="1008643" data-skimwords-word="hewlett-packard" href="http://hp.com" style="" target="_blank" title="">Hewlett-Packard</a> -- was using a logo that just didn't work in the digital world.</p> <p> &quot;The other mark is very pretty and academic and classic, but it was designed specifically for print and stationery,&quot; Lapin said.&quot;The world has changed in the last 10 years.&quot;</p> <p> Lapin explained that the previous font &quot;didn't work digitally. It's too thin and fine. People were struggling with the mark online, and we were struggling even further when we were making mobile sites -- It doesn't translate to an <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/iphone">iPhone</a> screen.&quot;</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Shortly after Stanford's makeover, the University of California changed its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> On the heels of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-stanford-university-changed-its-logo-2012-11">Stanford University's new iPhone-driven logo change</a>, the University of California -- whose Berkeley and UCLA sites are perhaps best well-known -- adopted a new look.</p> <p> In its place is a new &quot;C&quot; logo sitting in the bottom of what appears to be a tulip, but turns out to be a stylized open book.</p> <p> By December 2012, The University of California, responding to criticism from alumni and students, suspended further use of the logo and now continues using the century-old seal.</p> <p> <br /> </p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In May 2012, Lifetime changed its logo for the 11th time in 28 years.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Lifetime Networks is trying to move away from its image as the purveyor of movies for women in which the husband always has a dark secret, and has unveiled a new logo and tagline, &quot;Your Life. Your Time.&quot;</p> <p> <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lifetime-new-logo-your-life-your-time-tagline-318793">Lifetime president Nancy Dubuc, told the Hollywood Reporter</a>, &quot;You only have one shot to do this ... It's not like you can go out and put a stake in the ground and claim a brand position and redo your on-air look every two years.&quot;</p> <p> That, in fact, isn't true. The new marque is the company's 11th rebranding in 28 years. So if you don't like it, don't worry -- the company will roll out a new one soon.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In February 2012, Jaguar changed its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> A Jaguar spokesperson said that the &quot;dramatic alteration, including significant changes to the brand symbols of the 'leaper' and 'growler,' is the most extensive change Jaguar has made to its visual identification in 40 years.&quot;</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In September 2012, eBay changed its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> We think <strong><a class="skimwords-link" data-group-id="0" data-skim-creative="10201" data-skim-product="0" data-skimwords-id="874148" data-skimwords-word="ebay" href="http://ebay.com" style="" target="_blank" title="">eBay's </a></strong><span class="skimwords-link" style="">new</span> <a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/after-17-years-ebay-tones-down-its-crazy-logo-143666">debuted logo</a> looks a lot more grown up than its old cRaZy one.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Avis changed its longtime tagline, &quot;We try harder,&quot; to &quot;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-the-new-tagline-avis-will-use-after-50-years-of-we-try-harder-2012-8">It's Your Space</a>,&quot; and the car rental chain snuck in a logo change, too.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p> <div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"> </div>
• <p> If the new logo looks familiar, that's because it is. Ever since <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/apple">Apple</a> launched the first <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/ipod">iPod</a> in 2001, the blank, spare look -- and particularly <em>san serif</em> typefaces similar to Helvetica -- have become all the rage in corporate America. (In fact, one <span class="itxtnewhook itxthook" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; border: 0px none transparent; padding: 0px; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; display: inline;"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap" id="itxthook0p"><span class="itxtrst itxtrstspan itxtnowrap itxtnewhookspan" id="itxthook0w" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; text-decoration: underline ! important; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; border-style: none none solid; border-color: transparent transparent rgb(0, 204, 0); padding: 0px 0px 1px ! important; color: rgb(0, 153, 0); background-color: transparent;">design </span></span></span>site has collected at least <a href="http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/03/40-excellent-logos-created-with-helvetica/">40 corporate logos that all rely on Helvetica</a>.)</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Comcast's logo changed in December 2012.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Here's Comcast's new logo on the company's <a href="http://corporate.comcast.com/">corporate web site</a>. Look familiar? Of course it does. It's a mashup of the company's previous logo with NBC's current logo. <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/comcast">Comcast</a> has every right to do this of course -- it acquired 51 percent of <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/nbc">NBC</a> universal in 2011.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Beer lovers' logos also weren't safe. In March 2012, Miller Genuine Draft 64 changed its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> MillerCoors has launched a bold redesign and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/millercoors-is-totally-rebranding-its-ultra-light-beer-to-fight-off-anheuser-busch-2012-3">relaunch of Miller Genuine Draft 64</a>, its light beer add-on brand.</p> <p> MGD 64 is now Miller 64. Drinkers were already calling the beer Miller 64, so the company doesn't feel that the renaming is much of a leap.</p> <p> Nonetheless, the renaming and redesign -- along with an ad <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=qV9f45ryCU0">campaign by Saatchi &amp; Saatchi</a> -- is a rare total brand relaunch. Companies don't usually overhaul their brands from top to bottom like this, which is what makes the redux so interesting.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Universal Pictures also changed its logo in 2012.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> The new logo was created for its 100th anniversary.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> In February 2012, the Red Cross changed its logo.</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> The American Red Cross commissioned a redesign of its logo -- the iconic red cross from which the nonprofit draws its name -- to give itself a more modern look.</p> <p> The new logo isn't that different from the old one: The red cross is now represented on a &quot;button&quot; and the black typeface is now gray. .</p> <p> But the Red Cross also commissioned a version of the logo <em>without</em> the cross, and recommends that the cross be dropped entirely in some situations. The <a href="http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/BrandStandards.pdf">Red Cross's style briefing document</a> says the non-cross logo should be used:</p> <p style="padding-left: 30px;"> &quot;For use in disaster situations, as well as times when a marketing-oriented button logo is not appropriate. Can also be used in marketing pieces.&quot;</p> <p> By <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a></p>
• <p> Next From <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>:</p> <p> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-famous-logos-will-look-like-in-50-years-2012-11" target="_blank">What The World's Most Famous Logos Might Look Like In 50 Years</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/money-habits-to-drop-by-age-30-2013-1?op=1#ixzz2HJZfcF3p">13 Money Lies You Should Stop Telling Yourself By Age 30</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/morgan-stanley-best-ecommerce-companies-2013-1">These 16 Companies Are Leading A Retail Revolution</a></p> <p> <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-important-charts-of-2012-2012-12">Wall Street's Biggest Geniuses Reveal Their Favorite Charts Of 2012</a></p>

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