Over the weekend, Netflix snuck one past everyone and switched up its now famous logo.  The movie and television streaming giant quietly launched an updated icon with black and red tones that will be featured on their mobile apps and social media platforms; a spokesperson for the company confirmed this information to Mashable on Monday morning.  This move could potentially be a big step in how their branding is received by customers.

The New Logo

The new logo is a tall and narrow, capital “N” in a deep shade of red.  The letter almost resembles a ribbon that has been folded over itself a few times.  The sleek “N” rests over an all black background; overall the design is simple yet it demands attention.

Netflix isn’t completely ditching their old red and white “NETFLIX” logo it first launched just two years ago.  A representative of the company says the newer version is going to be used on “product integrations in the near future,” so it’s unclear what is going to happen to the original in the coming weeks and months.

Launching the New Logo

Just like the most recent launch, the streaming service didn’t say much about their original logo when they first introduced it as the icon of their company.  This is a big departure from the norm, as many corporations love to include a lengthy narrative that clearly explains the inspiration behind the graphic.

The Consumer’s Reaction

People on social media are divided in their responses to the unveiling of the new logo, those who noticed the change at least.  Some Twitter users went on to say that they “dig” the new change and the design “isn’t too shabby,” but like most big changes, there was some negative feedback as well.  Some Netflix users said “N is for NOOOOOO!” and “Netflix has a new logo and it’s ugly.”

Branding Strategy

It’s not uncommon for large corporations to switch up their logos over the years, but this move by Netflix is interesting considering their existing logo was just two years old.  Whatever the reason behind this change, the one thing that we’re sure of is that they’re taking a new step in their branding strategy.