When an establishment as old as The New York Times Magazine undergoes a rebranding, the new font and imagery has to be strong enough to keep the readership interested. According to a a New York Times article from the Magazine's editor-in-chief, this publication will use style elements that are familiar to readers while changing the lettering and display in order to keep the title new and engaging. It's getting lots of attention in the media, even though the Magazine underwent a redesign just for years ago.
All the same, this overhaul includes new features as well as differences in style. The print magazine has received a special update to the logo that changes the letters so they look marginally more attention-grabbing. It falls into a strategy to appeal to readers both in the real world and social media, as the new font style will be adaptable to different settings and bring the same detail to each one.
Though the naked eye might not notice the changes immediately, they are there and definitely made with a purpose. Fast Company's John Brownlee analyzed the changes in the letters, which still retain some of the old-school newsprint flourishes.
"It's still classic, but the logo looks a little more bold than it did before, a little more refined, and—thanks to some subtle changes to certain characters, like the letter 'a'—a little more modern," he says. "Which makes it a good metaphor for the magazine redesign in total."
Even the smallest revisions to a logo, especially one that will be seen by millions of people, could be noticed. The more time you spend perfecting the logo, the more you should invest in making it look the best, with the vinyl signs and other tools that make it stand out.