Taco Bell Rebrands

Everyone’s favorite late night drunken fast food joint is getting rebranded and some people aren’t happy.

The old Taco Bell logo was hardly sophisticated, but goddammit: it was proudly 90s. The decade of Chester Cheetah, of Wayne’s World, of Clinton Sax, of OK Soda and leopard-print leggings. It had a defiantly Double Dare aesthetic that double dared you to Make a Run for the Border on Cheesy Gordita Crunches and Bacon Cheeseburger Burritos. It was joyful and colorful, fun and innocent, and it didn’t care if you were judging it—which is the perfect quality for a fast food chain in America to have.

The 90s were a decade when a large, recognizable brand could get away with a pastel color palette and a custom font family. Logo design was easier back then (I should know). A designer didn’t have to take into account device responsiveness or use a font family that could sustain usability across web and print mediums.

Every brand cares how they are judged and any brand manager who tells you different is lying to you. Fast food is seeing a massive design renaissance. Wendy’s rolling out ultra-modern restaurants is a prime example.

I appreciate the minimalist approach Taco Bell is taking with their new logo. It shows they are paying attention to trends and not listening to critics.