Google noodle their logo - love it or loathe it? #agencypublisher

After a decade of use, Google ditched their old logo this week in favour of an 'all new and improved' (?) version. Some of the reactions have been pretty extreme including a few that are not quite so complimentary... 

Firstly, what exactly have they done?  Well just a month after a major restructuring of the company, Google is putting on a fresh face to the world.  The new product sans typeface is designed to make it appear a little more modern and playful. Some say it's more like fridge magnets. Or that it shows us the way to Sesame Street...

Apparently the colours are also much softer hues than previously. It's indiscernable to my dodgy eyes though. I even put my glasses on but I still can't make out the difference. There is also a passing resemblance to the Alphabet logo (which is Google's new parent company). And of course it isn't a coincidence that their design language is remarkably similar as they are clearly seeking to maximise the synergies between the two.

Secondly, why have they changed it? Google are keen to explain. They say that the main reason is because technology has changed how we interact with its products and with the internet at large. Fair enough, that's a point I get. However, what I don't understand is why they needed to redesign their logo as a consequence. They go on to say that the new logo will better reflect the reality that Google is no longer a desktop destination, it's a humongous array of websites, mobile apps and other services that you visit on a multitude of devices. According to Google they believe that their new logo reflects this reality and it seemingly demonstrates:

"when the Google magic is working for you, even on the tiniest screens"

Hmm. All that said the question remains -  why do they need a new logo to convey 'the Google magic' on small screens. Frankly I didn't detect any issues with the old one. 

And finally, what about the reaction from consumers? Well for such an inoffensive, quirky, colourful and cute logo it has caused some interesting reactions on Twitter:

Some are amusing:

Some are a little odd:

So come on what do you think? Do you love it or loathe it? Either way, lets face it, you are still going to use it rather than Bing.