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Burger King's nostalgic rebrand was a huge hit.

Burger King announced its first total rebrand links to an external site. in over 20 years in January, including a return to a logo with a classic look and an emphasis on the whopper. The new logo is a modern version of the classic BK look, putting the restaurant name between two buns. All the branding was redesigned in colors inspired by the whopper, too, including yellow, brown, red, and orange with a new "Flame" font.

The chain is slowly rolling out aspects of the design that take longer to change, like employee uniforms in new brand colors, and logos and signage that emphasize the flame-grilled whopper and open kitchens that show off the broiler.

Around the time of the 1999 logo design, the Burger King brand was sufferingLinks to an external site.. Sales were declining and the chain was trying gimmicks to bring in customers, from adding new menu itemsLinks to an external site. to briefly hosting an internet cafeLinks to an external site. in dining rooms.

Steven HellerLinks to an external site., who has written and edited more than 100 booksLinks to an external site. on design and popular culture and cofounded the MFA Designer as Author programLinks to an external site. at the School of Visual Arts, was more critical of the former design. Heller called the design "kind of awful" because of "color combinations that don't work" and "that swirl or swoosh made it look more like a sports logo than a food emporium."

"Blue isn't a color that food companies use as a rule," Heller said. Burger King's chief marketing officer Fernando Machado agreed. "There's no blue foodLinks to an external site.," he told Insider about the rebrand.

"The redesigned logo reflects a new era for Burger King and its commitment to fresher, cleaner ingredients is best represented by looking back to simpler, less processed times," Machado said about the rebrand.

Heller felt similarly, noting that the new design nods back to the original concept. The new logo is "suggestive of real meat," and "much more tasteful and tasty than that more corporatized old logo."

"A good logo is a refined logo. Refinement is everything. If the concept isn't rendered well, if nuances aren't there, it won't work," Heller told Insider.

Question 1: Why did Burger King recently adapt its logo after 20 years? Discuss in relation to the importance of enduring brands being both consistent and adaptable.

Question 2: What points-of-difference (PODs) is Burger King trying to convey with the new logo and other associated brand elements (such as employee uniforms in new brand colors, and logos and signage that emphasize the flame-grilled whopper)? Evaluate these PODs in terms of their desirability by the customer and the company's ability to deliver them.