Intel's big brand change: Leap Ahead.

"Intel Inside," RIP: 1990 - 2006

We try not to get too heavy on you with the branding and marketing biz, but we'll admit to it being of some significance that the industry's oldest, largest, perhaps most recognisable logo is officially dead after 37 years, as is its 16 year old catch phrase: "Intel Inside." We'd heard for quite some time that Intel was gonna be making some major overhauls to their marketing materials for the new year, not only in how they brand themselves, but also in their product naming and numbering schemes -- all of which makes perfect sense given their faltering position in the market place to AMD, their partnership-of-a-lifetime with Apple, and the fact that according to Moore's law they're running about 25 logo revisions behind. But like most classic brands that get a refresher, we're not sure that logo is a whole helluvalot better (UPS, we're looking in your general direction). One thing's for sure though, we as hell won't be shedding tears to see "Intel Inside" get quietly escorted from the building.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read

[Tom Biro @ Dec 30th 2005 11:33AM]

You mean you don't think it's "faster," like UPS' was? =)

[Tom @ Dec 30th 2005 11:41AM]

Just looks as cheap and tacky as the old one.



Nice non-relevent slogan, too.

[Daniel @ Dec 30th 2005 11:48AM]

All I ask is that the annoying jingle is dropped. It drives me mad that as soon as you say the word 'Intel' you have to follow it by the little tune. Please tell that it's gone.

[TheWakeUpCall @ Dec 30th 2005 11:54AM]

Intel inside was recognisable and known, isnt that what a logo is supposed to achieve? The logo was good. The logo wasn't the problem. The problem was that the intel name wasnt as highly thought of as it used to be, so I don't know why they would change the logo? Well, they probs got a huge number of marketing strategers at the top of their game, so maybe i'm wrong. We'll see.

[ipodman715 @ Dec 30th 2005 12:07PM]

O_O

[Brad C @ Dec 30th 2005 12:08PM]

"Leap Ahead" because we've been falling behind and that seems like a good idea

[Michael R @ Dec 30th 2005 12:11PM]

That logo looks like a cheap brand that sell camera cases in Bestbuy. Heres a link:



http://www.bestbuy.com/olspage.jsp?id=pcmcat68700050002&type=category

[seth @ Dec 30th 2005 12:11PM]

its wasn't like saul bass designed the damn thing anyways. and honestly the new one is such a minute branding change that well... who cares.



theres a reason that IBM and Apple have held on to their logos with little or no changes. they were good to begin with.

[John Doe @ Dec 30th 2005 12:13PM]

Considering the performance "leaps" that Intel is about to introduce with the core Duo and Conroe in 2006 and considering initial benchmarks point to the fact that the Duo is in the same ballpark in terms of performance as AMD�s X2 series "Leap Ahead� is a damn fine moniker.



I can't wait to see benchmarks on Conroe. If a mobile 2Ghz CPU can keep up with the desktop jones's what is a desktop CPU going to be able to do. Let alone Merom.

God 2006 is going to be a kick ass year for computers.

[Matt @ Dec 30th 2005 12:17PM]

Well, I find the new logo to be an improvement over the old one.

[doyouflip @ Dec 30th 2005 12:18PM]

Yet another logo with that damn generic ellipse/swoosh. It's easily the most over used, clich?raphic in the last 20 years. *yawn*

[Thermus @ Dec 30th 2005 12:35PM]

The catch phrase should be "Fall Forward". While capturing Intel's strategic approach, this, of course has the added benefit of describing which way to turn your clocks at the end of daylight saving time.

[Finished.Law.School @ Dec 30th 2005 12:44PM]

AMD has a better logo...

[Matt @ Dec 30th 2005 12:55PM]

Number 11 said:



Yet another logo with that damn generic ellipse/swoosh. It's easily the most over used, clich?raphic in the last 20 years. *yawn*



Check out the old Intel logo they've been using for the past 37 years (according to this article anyway). I think you'll find that damn generic ellipse/swoosh there too.



Personally I like the new logo. Catch phrase seems to be a bit strange - guessing that was the one they chose out of desperation after a 7 hour meeting in some board room somewhere! Yeah, so it might have some symbolism and whatnot, but who really gives a monkey's about that other than the marketting teams?

[Jacob @ Dec 30th 2005 12:56PM]

#10: I hate logo swooshes as much as one can, but Intel's kinda in a different position since their main branding logo has had a swoosh for a LONG time. Not like all these idiots who've simply tacked one on in the past 5 years. (How many damn swooshes do AMD's *product* logos have?)



I think the new revision looks alright, though they shoulda kept the lowered "e".

[james @ Dec 30th 2005 12:57PM]

"Catch back up"?

[Count Porkula @ Dec 30th 2005 1:01PM]

#7 is dead on. Looks like Intel just lifted this (lame) style off of that Best Buy line. They should go back to the drawing board on this one. Blech.

[Hans @ Dec 30th 2005 1:05PM]

FINALLY! The world is free from that horrid ad jingle! I was ready to kill the jingle-writer with my Powerbook.



...I just hope they won't hire some Superman-sounding voice actor to say, "Leap Aheeeeeeeeead!"

[Pip @ Dec 30th 2005 1:18PM]

They better not put this stupid logo on the new Macs.

[Beej @ Dec 30th 2005 1:22PM]

"Run around in circles."

[eugene @ Dec 30th 2005 1:23PM]

does this mean that now instead of an "intel inside" sticker i have to worry about a "leap ahead" sticker on my future intel macs?

[Russell Page @ Dec 30th 2005 1:36PM]

Here's the guy that designed the intel inside logo.

griggdesign.com



Pretty cool thing to have done if you ask me.

[Dan Rinzel @ Dec 30th 2005 1:44PM]

perhaps endgadget needs to introduce a copyright protection lawsuit over the font & color of the tagline - looks suspiciously familiar, and could cause severe customer confusion!

[henrik cort larsen @ Dec 30th 2005 1:47PM]

Think it is a cool make over for the old brnad.

It is Kim Young who is Intel new Marketing chief, who is leading the brand makeover, he was the guy who made samsung a cool brand. So Intel will leap us ahead again like it has done for 37 years

[Przemek G. @ Dec 30th 2005 1:48PM]

Haaaa Haa! (Nelson's Voice)

Thats the ugliest upgrade to a logo ever!

[Gary Peare @ Dec 30th 2005 1:54PM]

The lamest thing about this re-brand? The tagline. If it's true that FutureBrand wrote it, then their well must be pretty dry. Guess what FutureBrand's tagline is... http://www.futurebrand.com. Hmmmmm.

[carol @ Dec 30th 2005 1:58PM]

Does this finally mean we can make Idiot-Inside logos without getting sued?

[carol @ Dec 30th 2005 1:59PM]

Does this finally mean we can make Idiot-Outside logos without getting sued?

[WOV @ Dec 30th 2005 2:01PM]

My God, corporate identity types have really gotten a free ride for about the last ten years on that oval / swoosh selling to client after client. I think the new oval / swoosh, however, is actually the engadget expanding sonar waves - www.spotlightmobile.com, among others...

[TheUndertow @ Dec 30th 2005 2:23PM]

Funny that it has a "jumping reference" like the Xbox 360 - "Jump In" vs. "Leap Ahead".

[Drew Pickard @ Dec 30th 2005 2:26PM]

I think the logo is a very nice refinement and combination of both their old logomark and their commonly used 'Intel Inside' brandmark.



Realistically, the logo's appearance to consumer like us is only half of the motivation of re-branding. The other big chunk is using the logo and brand change to reflect an internal change in corporate culture and their corporate goals and attitudes; To motivate and inspire employees.



Being behind in the processor race was probably a humbling experience for Intel - so they're working on a new plan, as evidenced by their re-written processor roadmap, and also because the industry is changing and has changed so much that they want to rid themselves of the brand they were wearing: old crotchety processor company, kicked out of bed by Microsoft and now left out in the cold while getting a boot to the teeth from AMD's 64bit architecture trouncing.



Plus, their brand's gotta look slick next to Apple's because they're going to be seen next to each other a lot in the next year and beyond.

[Michael @ Dec 30th 2005 2:34PM]

I saw nothing wrong with the old logo. But it is typical that when someone is trying to change (improve?) their image, they also have to change what you SEE (the logo) as well as improve the product.

Or are they going to go the way of change the logo and their marketing but put the exact same thing in the box?

[doyouflip @ Dec 30th 2005 2:36PM]

"Intel Inside" had the swoosh, not their corporate logo.



I love the line of thinking in which people rationalize a new decision by saying it was relevant 10 years ago. Times change. Trends change. Things get old over 10 years. The swoosh is old and clich?Every $10 logo creator software package comes with standard templates for swoosh logos. And it's a default button on MS FrontPage, PowerPoint, etc.



If Intel wants to be seen as an innovator, their branding should reflect that, not pick up on the tried and true, which is this case is stale and run of the mill.

[Nobuyuki Idei @ Dec 30th 2005 3:17PM]

Sounds communist. Like in the "Great Leap Forward".

[John Doe @ Dec 30th 2005 3:22PM]

Wow the moron fanbois are out in force today.

[Steve Gates Again @ Dec 30th 2005 3:23PM]

since intel's joining with apple, why not glossify it?

sorry if it's really bad work but I did it in a few mins

[url=http://imageshack.us][img=http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/199/intellogo1hy.jpg][/url]

[Ricardo @ Dec 30th 2005 3:56PM]

#19, macs have a more st00pid logo...a apple on a computer case..LOL

[Tim S @ Dec 30th 2005 4:27PM]

#36, at least its not a st00pid window! apples > windows bcause tey tast g00d!







I for one find the logo pretty appealing on the design side, but I really don't get the slogan. It is a tad unrealevant. It could be because they are moving out of computer hardware into a more "family entertainment" style of company. Therefore they are leaping ahead into a new.... company... format?



They got me there. ^^



Now. Where this logo will appear on my future intel mac completely mystifies me. Will it appear side by side with the bootup apple logo? NOOOO.



Maybe on the bottom of the computer, perhaps? please? :D

[Gobber @ Dec 30th 2005 4:40PM]

The main logo is fine but the strapline "Leap Ahead" is positioned all wrong - makes it all off balance.



The jingle, by the way, is optional. Okay - it's annoying, but the reason computer makers put it on the adverts is because they get money from Intel towards the advertising if they do. It's probably one of the most recognised jingles out there so it does it's job, whether you dig it or not.

[Hippy @ Dec 30th 2005 5:00PM]

You guys are all nerdy. Stop complaining.

[Oregon-Boy @ Dec 30th 2005 5:09PM]

I like it

[grafix @ Dec 30th 2005 7:55PM]

i like the new logo, actually the new blue hue

i also do like the current ups design.



its not so inovative because it does have a strong resemblence to the old logo, and i think that was a good idea that its similar.



i can see this logo nicely engraved in stainless steel or aluminum much better than the old logo.



i wish it didnt have leap ahead. because i cansee leap frog suing.

[Bobak @ Dec 30th 2005 7:56PM]

it puts an end to the "idiot outside" jokes :(

[Chris @ Dec 30th 2005 8:07PM]

Sounds like one of those engrish non-sequitur marketing lines. Similar to 'Hitachi - Inspire the next'...

[az1324 @ Dec 30th 2005 8:12PM]

I suggest "Calculate Tomorrow Today"

[Dave @ Dec 30th 2005 8:54PM]

Intel: Leap ahead.



AMD: Okay.

[gogorani @ Dec 31st 2005 2:01AM]

God, can every1 stop bitching. you broke ass mofo's need to stop hatin on intel. odds are that your computer right now has it anyway. and if you got AMD, you cant hear me cause your fan is so loud. if you're a mac, then you already know what i'm going to say

[Nate @ Dec 31st 2005 6:06AM]

well, i rather liked the UPS logo revision

[Dave @ Dec 31st 2005 4:44PM]

lol, gogorani! I thought everyone knew that Intel's chips ran hotter? What decade are you living in?

[ConceptVBS @ Dec 31st 2005 9:27PM]

Check this out:





http://www.corante.com/goingglobal/archives/2005/12/30/intels_new_logo_via_samsung.php