HP Logo Case Study
We all know HP changed its logo a few years ago to make it very minimalistic and premium looking. But get this…
HP only uses the new logo on their most premium range of products like “Envy or Spectre”. So, if you buy a brand new HP Pavilion (INR 80k-90k), you still get the old logo on your new product! This is a very debatable and unique strategy. Because HP does not see it as an “old” versus “new” logo. They are using both logos and are seeing the premium logo as a nudge to push the consumer to buy Envy and Spectre perhaps. But how will consumers see this? Will it work in favour of the brand or against?
Many companies change their mother brand logo to update themselves- #Mahindra did it, #Kia did it, #Pepsi and many more. But they change the logo across all products in the new lot manufactured. It is never inconsistent across the range of products. I could not think of another example where the mother brand logo is different for the different price segments.
Brands segment their premium products mostly through a Sub-brand strategy. Eg: #Dell XPS. Or #Samsung Galaxy or #Maruti Nexa. But the mother brand logo remains consistent everywhere. HP is trying to differentiate its Envy and Spectre range (INR 100-150k) by giving customers the premium looking HP logo, while other customers get the original look. Why? Won’t it lead to confusion and negatively impact brand salience?
It could send mixed signals to customers who buy a new HP product. They might feel they bought an old piece which might lead to some heartache. Especially in the tech industry, the product you buy cannot look or feel outdated. Funnily, the brand is not using the new logo even on the store signages and communication. So, essentially, it is a new HP logo created only for the top range of products. Not the brand overall.
If you were the brand manager of HP what would you do?
#strategyconsulting #