Today chip giant Intel unveiled its new-look logo – bringing its letter ‘e’ back into line after thirty seven years of letting it skulk along below the rest of the typography.

Sneak is no fan of this kind of brand meddling, and cannot see what merit there is in ditching a highly recognisable symbol in favour of an unfamiliar one. Companies only change their names when they have a history to hide, and they only switch logos when they fear being perceived as a has-been.

These attempts at whitewashing rarely work of course, but that doesn’t stop marketers from applying pots of paint.

Take, for example, the new motto: “Leap ahead”.

It is of course basic marketing to take a real weakness and portray it as a strength, to get in a deflecting counterpunch before a rival can even attempt to launch a blow. Hence the desire to portray Intel as a company capable of making leaps ahead, when in reality it has spent 2005 catching up.

Nimbler rival AMD beat Intel to market with x86-compatible 32bit/64bit chips and with dual-core processors, to name but two important milestones.

Buyers swayed by Intel’s new makeover should remember that it’s always wise to have a good look around before leaping.

03 Jan 2006