As reported, yesterday at the Mega Launch event, Xiaomi launched its new foldable phone series, the Mi Mix Fold. Notably, alongside this, the company also announced their new logo identity.
It is known that the brand repositioning project, which includes the logo redesign, was initiated by Xiaomi back in 2017. After years of selection and hiring Japanese designer Kenya Hara for 2 million yuan (approximately 7 billion VND), Xiaomi officially unveiled the new logo only yesterday.
However, despite the considerable effort and money spent, many comments suggest that the new Xiaomi logo is… no different from the old one:
– Wow, looking at it again, it seems the same; I just realized they changed the outer square.
– The new one clearly looks smoother and more pleasing; the rounded corners are a piece of art worth “2 million yuan”!
– His talent isn’t in designing logos but in convincing the company to feel satisfied.
– Absolutely fantastic, the new logo reflects a new level with impressions just like before.
– Indeed, the new one gives a better feeling, it’s the feeling of having money haha.
– If you guys are so good, go design something identical and persuade Xiaomi to accept the product. You guys are as humorous as clients who always say “I could have done that” when receiving work from designers/copywriters.
In fact, many netizens even expressed skepticism that this is a marketing “trick” by Xiaomi:
– This is just a trick to create a brand wave, everyone.
– A clever marketing ploy, whether it’s ugly or beautiful is debatable, but that 7 billion is enough to spread the effect to millions, even billions of people worldwide, so it’s actually not expensive.
– Xiaomi is smart, spending little yet getting branding across the globe haha.
– A marketing campaign that was highly successful at a very low cost.
For his part, right at the introduction of the new logo event, CEO Lei Jun received this question:
“Are you disappointed with the new logo, is it just rounder than the old one?”
CEO Lei then replied: “Don’t worry, Xiaomi isn’t just changing the logo from square to round but also transforming the ‘internal spirit’ and brand thinking. Rest assured.”
CEO Lei Jun further explained that the new logo emphasizes a new identity that the company will bring in the future.
With the new design, the corners of the logo have been softened, resembling smartphone app icons.
Additionally, designer Hara mentioned that: “The new logo isn’t just a redesign of the shape; it also reflects Xiaomi’s internal spirit. This design essentially embodies the concept of being alive.”
Regarding the name “Alive”, Kenya stated that this phrase can convey and visualize Xiaomi’s operational perspectives and methods, bringing a new identity that means: Humans living (alive) in harmony with technology – something created by humans themselves.
This makes technology feel more soulful and an indispensable part of meeting human needs. The talented designer emphasized that this idea is entirely fitting for Xiaomi, a brand that has brought many conveniences to humanity through its numerous technological innovations and inventions.
Especially to create a new logo with such profound philosophy, Xiaomi’s designer had to use numerous technical processes. He employed the mathematical formula of “superellipse” for the new logo and adjusted variables to achieve optimal dynamic balance visually, resulting in perfect harmony between square and circle.
A superellipse is a shape similar to an ellipse, possessing some properties akin to an ellipse but fundamentally different. This shape is not flat like an ellipse but is closer to a circle. It was discovered by a French mathematician named Gabriel Lamé, and the formula allows for transformation from something like a four-cornered star to a shape resembling a rounded square.
Xiaomi stated that they will continue using orange as the primary color. However, some black and silver variants of the logo may appear on high-end products in the future.
Source: Compilation