The other week at work, I was walking past the vending machine thinking about how I've not had any reason to grumble about anything recently, when I noticed something a little strange. At first, I couldn't quite put my finger on it. And then it struck me. WALKERS CRISPS HAD A NEW LOGO!!!

In case you've not seen it yet, here's a comparison of the old and new ‘Banner Sun’ logo (as it is officially known):


Yeah, I know. It's rubbish. That's exactly what I thought too. I complained to Leicester-based Walkers via their website a week or so ago:

Dear Walkers,

I was wondering why you recently changed your logo? The new font you're using looks like an attempt at being modern and futuristic but, in my opinion, you may have devalued your brand by changing a well recognised icon. (Admittedly, it still looks like your logo, but it seems like this was just change for the sake of change.)

Not only that, but all the rebranding must be costing the company a fortune; unnecessary expenses which will probably end up being paid for by your customers. As a result, I'd be most interested in knowing what the associated costs are with making a change like this and whether you expect it to have any impact on your sales.

I look forward to hearing your reasons for redeveloping your logo and I thank you for taking the time to read my comments.

Regards
Tony Ruscoe

I got my reply today:

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Lineker *
Sent: 06 March 2006 16:07
To: Tony Ruscoe
Subject: Re: Walkers Logo

Thank you very much for your recent email.

We really appreciate hearing from our consumers who take the trouble to let us know their preferences regarding our products. Walkers would never make any changes or additions to any of its product packaging without conducting a tremendous amount of research. Feedback from the research carried out has been overwhelmingly positive.

We hope that you will remain a loyal Walkers consumer, enjoying many products from our range of Crisps and Snacks.

Thank you once again for taking the trouble to contact us with your opinion; it is very valuable to us and very much appreciated.

Regards

Consumer Care Team
Walkers Snack Foods Limited

Yeah? Well you didn't ask me! I'm sure that some of your annoying market researchers lured a few bored shoppers into a room purely on the premise that they'd receive some free crisps if they did a quick survey. Nobody tells the truth in those things. Least of all the market researchers, who were probably bribed by the new logo designer if they let him get his own way.

Anyway, I'm glad that you really appreciate hearing from me. I'm just not quite sure how I can remain a loyal Walkers consumer when I also like to eat Wheat Crunchies and Nik Naks. (Although they'll probably end up showing off the crap logo too if you buy them off Golden Wonder like you did with Wotsits.)

P.S. My mate Chris reckons that it looks like it says ‘Wankers’ now. And he's always right...

* It wasn't really from Gary Lineker; I just made that bit up to see if you were reading this post properly.

Labels: food, personal, rant

Be careful. Your age to complaint letter ratio is gettinga bit high. At this rate you will be a proper miserable old bugger who hates everything by the time you are 35. If you hear yourself saying "Bloody Kids" at some point you know it is too late.

I speak from experiance having scared my self with a couple of letters culminating in the "why do we need a pikey Netto round the corner?" Letter when plans to do so were announced. (I'm sure it will knock several thousand off the price of my house!)

P.S I think the new layout/lettering for the flavour is worse. A bit too "Buck Rogers".

P.P.S How comes you havent blogged about the Google Gdrive yet?

I agree with Chris. When I first saw it I saw the word 'Wankers' too.

Hello, looks like your rant may have had some impact, they've changed their logo again (June 2007)... not on their website, but I've seen it around, it's like a more modern version of the older logo.

Belated comment on the logo your ranting about, they may have chosen it because Walers is owned by Pepsi, and Pepsi has such a logo...