I saw this new commercial for Expedia.com over the weekend. The commercial itself was actually pretty cool but they've changed their logo. Instead of the tooney yellow plane flying around the globe, it's a white jet on a circle with a blue gradient. The memorable "dot cooooom" at the end has been re-recorded too. Instead of the barbershop quartet, it sounds more like a women's ensemble from church.

It's sad, really because I don't think they knew what they had going for them. Both of these things were unique, memorable and endearing. They gave Expedia.com some personality, something to relate too and remember.

But now their gone. Why? Apparently they wanted to grow the brand up a bit. Make it more sophisticated. May just be me but I think saying "make it more sophisticated" is another way of saying "make it more professional." Oh well, fine, I have no problem with that. It's to be expected really. We expect professionalism from any product or service we buy. That's nothing new. My issue is the tendency to think that an increase in professionalism is achieved through a decrease in personality and idiosyncrasy. Do you know what I mean? For example: It's why the great Frigidare script get's dropped for a triangle. Why Good Humor looses it's heart. And in this case, why the Expeida jumbo jet becomes "plane." The equation makes things boring. I think professionalism is something you prove. You say "we are professional" through good processes, organization, innovation and customer service. Ultimately proven in a good product. It's not something you design around. To hear people say "professional" should be a given, not an adjective.

Given the commercial, would you have felt differently about Expedia if they had wrapped it up with their old logo? Did you even notice the change? Did it make any difference?

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