"Y?" Why not?

Ah, branding. The subject of much navel gazing in organizations large and small.

Yesterday an iconic brand, changed its brand. The YMCA (Gee...I hear music) is now simply the "Y."

In business for 160 years, this is the first brand change in 43 years. A group that obviously takes its time when it comes to their brand.

My parents first bought me a membership at the YMCA when I was a kid. I learned to swim there and spent a lot of lunch hours there when I attended school nearby. We all called it the "Y."

Ultimately a brand is only as good as the organization it represents. BP's logo for example is an award winner. Not so much for their deep water drilling and PR. Nice logo, not-so-nice company. At least that's the perception.

The logo don't mean a thing if the company don't have that swing.

By any measure, the "Y" rocks. Always has. The logo change comes long after everyone else made the change themselves.

Sadly, I doubt that we'll stop hearing ""Y-M-C-A" at wedding receptions anytime soon. The Village People's reaction in fact, was, "Y?" Again, I say, why not?

Ok, play it wedding DJ.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"