Shocker. Sometime, somehow, under cover of night, Dell has put a new logo on its homepage. Out with the grim logo of darkness, in with a happy blue Dell-in-a-circle.
Who knows what this means for Dell’s long-term logo plans. But this kind of logo-shifting is a living reminder of one of Dell’s uglier problems. In fact it’s ugly enough that it could easily become one of the longer nails in the coffin.
I’m talking about Dell’s longstanding inability to create a consistent, compelling brand. Rather than invest in raising the value of their brand, they’ve chosen to compete with the Acers of the world to see who can make the cheapest PC (a fight they’re losing). They need to stand for something beyond candy-factory colors and me-too phones. Something that might make a customer feel smart for paying a little more for that Dell logo — whichever logo they settle on.
What are Dell’s chances of getting there?
Well, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Plenty of companies struggle to build their brand. But I’ve never seen a company that can’t even figure out how to use a single logo across all of its divisions. For years, Dell has used one logo on the business side and another on the consumer side. Any first-year marketing major can see the absurdity in that. Dell acts as if those who work in an office have no computer at home, and vice versa. Just… plain… ridiculous.
The problem is, Dell focuses so intensely on making this quarter’s numbers, there’s little left for something as esoteric as brand building. If immediate returns can’t be proven on a spreadsheet, it doesn’t make the cut. And then, of course, one division couldn’t care less how another is doing.
The sad part is, this is one of those things Michael Dell could fix with a snap of his fingers. But he’s too busy focusing on this quarter’s numbers too. He’s sticking with the business model that changed the world — even though the world around him has long since changed.
You know, it’s been three years since Michael returned to the CEO role at Dell, and things have not gone well. If I were him, I might start fearing the Ides of March. I know it’s tough to fire the guy who started the company — but hey, Apple did it.
Tags: dell, dell logo, ken segall
