NOTE: This is an archived version of the first incarnation of Brand New. All posts have been closed to comments. Please visit underconsideration.com/brandnew for the latest version. If you would like to see this specific post, simply delete _v1 from the URL.
Grupo Bimbo, one of the largest food corporations in the world based in Mexico City with a strong presence in Latin America, and famous for its delicious snacks and ubiquitous bread, has been making headway into the baked goods market in the South American country of Uruguay by purchasing El Maestro Cubano (“The Cuban Craftsman” could be a proper translation in meaning), a leader in that category. The new, revitalized logo has been executed by Uruguay-based Kabala, who had previously done packaging for Bimbo and are now heading the design of the packaging. The brief was as simple as it gets: Make the logo fresh and relevant, stick with the same elements. With the complicated discussions around vaguely disclosed strategies we read on press releases, it is rather nice to just be able to look at a no nonsense graphic execution. The old logo was charming and the typography most likely the result of an original sign painting outside of the first store — I’m just romanticizing here, I don’t know the story of the logo — while the new one fits perfectly in today’s world of consumer good packaging and icons. The typography — set in Myriad Pro Black Italic (I never would have guessed) — is clean and friendly, and pretty much the same can be said about the baker. The elements are well integrated and the colors more in tune with the flagship brand of Bimbo. A very hearty update for this purveyor of (what I’m sure are) delicious treats.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
Kristoff’s comment is:
Lovely indeed. I like the negative space to the right. Simple but effective touch of detail.
On May.21.2008 at 06:47 AM
Alfonso’s comment is:
Indeed, that negative space to the right is a nice touch. Not sure I'm entirely loving the lighter shade of blue around the shadows of the baker, though. Looks a bit messy, and I'm guessing that it'll only look messier at a smaller size.
Also, I think the letters could have a used a tad more space in between. Not a whole lot, just a little bit to avoid that "crammed together" look (also present in the previous version). Finally, I would welcome a little extra space (again, just a tad bit) between the type and the portrait.
Still, I agree that it is a nice execution. The color choices seem friendlier than the original to me, and I find it kind of charming that the new baker portrait looks like a mature version of the older one (which, look a bit like a child).
On May.21.2008 at 07:52 AM
Anonymous’s comment is:
the uruguayos are going to be really happy to learn that their country is now a city...
On May.21.2008 at 08:55 AM
Eli’s comment is:
I like the illustration on the new, and I think it's a nice modernization, but I agree with Alfonso that it seems a little cramped. It looks like to me like there was a constraint to keep the shape just the same as the old (maybe to fit on existing packaging?), which squeezed the elements together vertically. I think the letter spacing is pretty solid, just the space between the type and the image that bugs me.
On May.21.2008 at 09:02 AM
Eli’s comment is:
I like the illustration on the new, and I think it's a nice modernization, but I agree with Alfonso that it seems a little cramped. It looks like to me like there was a constraint to keep the shape just the same as the old (maybe to fit on existing packaging?), which squeezed the elements together vertically. I think the letter spacing is pretty solid, just the space between the type and the image that bugs me.
On May.21.2008 at 09:03 AM
Richard’s comment is:
I really dislike the new logo. They've stripped all of the character out of the original, quirky type treatment. The new baker is Pillsbury Doughboy-esque - too soft and cutesy. The type is cramped and the way the character illustration is wedged into the larger oval is awkward. I prefer the original.
On May.21.2008 at 09:11 AM
Armin’s comment is:
> the uruguayos are going to be really happy to learn that their country is now a city...
City... Country... all the same. Thanks for pointing that out.
On May.21.2008 at 09:13 AM
Jake’s comment is:
Am I the only one that thinks in the illustration that the head is positioned a little far to the right and the body a little far to the left? The position of his head and body just don't seem natural.
It seems like if they just bumped the head and neck to the left a few clicks it would be perfect.
On May.21.2008 at 09:29 AM
Joel32’s comment is:
I totally agree Richard. Who wants soft and cute baked goods? Pillsbury screwed up big time too. We want our baked goods hard, crusty and old! (sarcasm)
I think this was a good redesign. For those calling for more kerning space..you're probably also bothered by Nike and FedEx logo designs.
On May.21.2008 at 09:31 AM
Anonymous’s comment is:
It's so KFC looking. Ain't it?
On May.21.2008 at 09:55 AM
g-sppud’s comment is:
Indeed - total KFC rip-off. The older one was better.
On May.21.2008 at 11:18 AM
c-lo’s comment is:
At least they tied all the wording together. That script and changing lowercase to title case drove me up a wall.
On May.21.2008 at 11:37 AM
josh’s comment is:
I feel like the face illustration is a little "off". his mouth and nose seems a little disproportionate. otherwise a nice mark
On May.21.2008 at 11:58 AM
Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:
The old mark did a really interesting thing by disembodying the Baker's head; His neckerchief created an implied line that sort of completed the blue oval. It's a nice, subtle integration that is sadly missing from the updated version.
I also find it unfortunate that the new character is looking off into the distance, while the old one was engaging the consumer with a friendly, direct gaze.
Oh well, the type is better I guess.
On May.21.2008 at 12:58 PM
ScottS’s comment is:
I see how this is an improvement over the former, but I think it could have been "revitalized" even further. I'm not sold on the choice of typeface and I think the red oval is too strong, distracting and unnecessary; it would look as good or better without it. The rendering of the chef is OK, looks a little cartoonish to me; not sure if the light blue shading is necessary either. Overall, this update is a step in the right direction, but to me it's just a baby step.
On May.21.2008 at 01:03 PM
Spencer Cross’s comment is:
I miss the script "El."
On May.21.2008 at 01:22 PM
agrayspace’s comment is:
he looks like he has no neck. Should meet jaw. Hello. And the mouth bothers as well. It's not articulated to have any personality. Just bland and vague happiness. The old seems to be pursing its lips which gave a realistic feel. Something that actually resembles the way light hits human lips and gives them shape would have worked better.
On May.21.2008 at 01:48 PM
Jeff’s comment is:
The typography is an upgrade, but I can't help but think that the old illustration is better.
On May.21.2008 at 04:37 PM
stock_illustration’s comment is:
The original face illo was much more friendly...the new one appears to be vacant and a bit shifty. Also, the left (viewer's left) cheekbone seems too prominent on the redo. About all I really care for is the new hat. I vote for the old.
On May.21.2008 at 06:01 PM
dg3’s comment is:
Haven't read the other comments, but I actually prefer the older one. Looks more retro and less modernized.
On May.21.2008 at 06:26 PM
Alfonso’s comment is:
For those calling for more kerning space..you're probably also bothered by Nike and FedEx logo designs.
That comparison is irrelevant, at best.
While both the Nike and FedEx logotypes feature extremely tight kerning, neither is presented inside a container element. In both cases, the type is presented by itself, and thus its tight kerning works because it suggests a very tight space.
The "El maestro cubano" logotype, on the other hand, does have an encircling container element that leaves considerable space around the type. This space is so loose that it throws the tight kerning into sharp contrast. To me, the type looks uncomfortably tight, considering the generous margin that the oval provides when compared to the kerning.
Try again.
On May.21.2008 at 07:15 PM
Von Glitschka’s comment is:
Yeah the new incarnation of the baker illustration is lame. Looks like a cleaned up auto-tracing. His protruding cheek looks like he's chewing on a ball of dough. Overall it looks like a well executed comp to get approval of client to hire an illustrator to then do it right. But they obviously didn't hire one. Ugh.
On May.22.2008 at 12:34 AM
Jason’s comment is:
Like Darrin it also struck me how the character is now looking away. I wonder what the rationale for that was...
On May.22.2008 at 02:56 AM
Bendy’s comment is:
Awkward illustration... he now looks goofy, uncomfortable and not at all like a baker.
New logo has zero personality... It's been completely steamrolled of any individuality or quirky-ness it had. Shame.
On May.22.2008 at 01:20 PM
Xeelee’s comment is:
What I find interesting is the fact the logo designers are leaving behind a face that could easily pass off as someone of cuban descendency (dark skin, thin body and face) into someone whose face you'd associate with being of european descendency (light skin, chubby body and face).
That's marketing for you. They're only expecting people who are able to afford bread to buy their product, which likely has a high price tag.
On May.22.2008 at 04:56 PM
Alfonso’s comment is:
The race card?! Really??!!
Seriously, though, I think the "darker shade" in the previous baker's skin (visible only in the close-up) is due to the medium, and not to design. Look at the "before" image at the top of the article and you'll see the previous baker was just as pristinely white as the current, newer, much-hated baker.
Again: Am I the only one that sees that the "newer baker" is a more mature version of the previous one? The previous portrait looks like a child, while the newer one looks more like a young man. I'd say there's a huge chance that this is due to the "child" becoming a "man", having gained experience, maturity and a little thing we like to call fat. This, of course, makes perfect sense with the more controlled (mature?) typographic treatment and less predictable (less "black & white"-ish? less "red is red; blue is blue"-ish?) colors.
On May.22.2008 at 07:42 PM
Mich’s comment is:
This redesign seems to be inline with the Bimbo logo, which features a bear wearing a chef's hat, so my thoughts on making the head bigger was to create a resemblance to the parent company's logo... that's just a thought.
I prefer the old logo a lot more. The lighter colors, larger figurehead and cramped lettering makes it feel more old fashioned and faded, not to mention the awkwardness of the character. The old logo has the varied lettering, which gives it a homey feel, maybe closer to how the brand started, and the colors are a lot clearer. It has a pleasant vintage style.
On May.22.2008 at 10:09 PM
Prescott Perez-Fox’s comment is:
A competent re-tooling of the old logo. But should they not have kept the original colours? After all, they are the colours of the Cuban flag, not simply chosen at random.
On May.22.2008 at 10:44 PM
Andrew Boardman’s comment is:
To me, the original has more graphic "oomph" and a feeling of trust about it. The colors are stronger, the character looks resilient yet friendly, and the type has a nice amount of blue space around it. I do like how the new logo feels more tightly integrated but it's almost too much and the whole thing looks like an Archie cartoon.
On May.26.2008 at 05:18 PM
mongoose’s comment is:
The new logo is good for 2008! Er, but...
In 2028, it'll seen just as tired and outdated as the one with the script does now. 'Myriad Pro Black Italic', was it? It's very in the now, and for baked goods, all you need is a 'now', untired logo. Retro on bread doesn't work unless it's Wonder or Sunbeam.
The head's a push. I kind of liked the 'floating head' look but can't complain about adding a torso. If you're running TV commercials, it'll be nicer for an animated figure that talks about the delicious goodness baked into every bite, just before he reverts to sit on the package. Y'all know exactly what I mean.
So, I give it a A- for redesign. Good work on updating a brand while preserving the overall feel and identifiability, very key. Points off for the crowdedness of the space (that M is *way* too close) and the now-but-not-tomorrow font.
On May.27.2008 at 03:38 AM
AL’s comment is:
The 'old' character is lost here IMO.
On May.27.2008 at 07:52 AM
Sean Williams’s comment is:
I like the old illustration better (less is more?). But my first impression was wow they redesigned the Elmers Glue logo. Colors and layout remind me of that logo.
On May.27.2008 at 05:11 PM
jessica’s comment is:
kfc and elmer's glue had a baby and it's name is grupo bimbo.
On May.27.2008 at 05:16 PM
flashy’s comment is:
----------
Xeelee’s comment is:
What I find interesting is the fact the logo designers are leaving behind a face that could easily pass off as someone of cuban descendency (dark skin, thin body and face) into someone whose face you'd associate with being of european descendency (light skin, chubby body and face).
------------------
Although its called "Cuban baker" the product is uruguayan, which are all European descendants
On Jun.06.2008 at 10:10 PM
AdamM’s comment is:
Not to sound like a jerk, but "maestro" translates into "teacher" in English. Although you maybe making an inference on the meaning it still seems possible that the name of the brand could translate over to mean "The Cuban Teacher". It would seem odd for the company to not use the word "artesano" which is often inferred as meaning "craftsman".
As for the logo; the bone structure added to the face and the shading add a great aspect to the new logo.
On Oct.24.2008 at 02:26 AM
Armin’s comment is:
Adam, yes, teacher is the literal translation. But for many latin americans, calling someone a "maestro" is saying that they are the best at what they do.
On Oct.24.2008 at 08:25 AM
Menk’s comment is:
wow, they ruined the type treatment.
On Dec.11.2008 at 12:28 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
