Mastercard Drops Its Name From Its Logo

[left-of-center2012]

New logo will feature just those two interlocking circles.

What's in a name? For Mastercard, not enough to keep it in the logo. The company is removing the word Mastercard from the pair of interlocking red and yellow circles where it has resided for more than 50 years, the AP reports.

Mastercard Inc. joins a small stable of brands like Nike, Apple, and Target that rely on an image and not a name in most marketing materials. It also points to the changing nature of exchanging currency.

One of the original major credit card companies, formerly known as Master Charge, Mastercard has attempted to rebrand itself in recent years as a "technology company in the global payments industry."

The company said Monday that 80% of people recognize the Mastercard logo even when its name isn't present, with an exec telling the Wall Street Journal the company did 20 months of research to make sure that was the case.

http://www.newser.com/story/269604/mastercards-new-logo-no-name-just-2-circles.html

[unblock]

1. good move, what with the rising cost of text these days.

[Sherman A1]

4. Agreed

All those letters add up!

[unblock]

7. technically, no, numbers add up, not letters.

but i see your point

[Lindsay]

2. Looking to be a big winner

in a post-literate society, I guess.

[hlthe2b]

3. Really?

[Owl]

5. That's kinda goofy.

[PJMcK]

6. My bet

They're going to change the corporate name. Keep the logo so people will continue to identify with it.

Could be a smart move.

[FakeNoose]

10. If so, they'll pick a name that translates to other languages

It seems a lot of international companies are doing universal branding now. The thing is that so many brand names are available in some countries, but already taken in other countries. Also it's hard to select a name that will translate into Asian languages.

[unblock]

8. looks like a venn diagram, ripe for mocking....

[matt819]

9. If memory serves

The Nike, Apple, and target names appeared outside the logo. The MasterCard name appears in the circles. The circles just look naked and incomplete. I’m sure we’ll get used to it,but it seems silly.

[marybourg]

11. I must be one of the other 20%.

[cyberswede]

12. I remember when it was MasterCharge