Now that its merger with SBC is under way, AT&T wants to be called at&t - in its logo at least - because the little letters create “a more welcoming and accessible image”, apparently, and not because the typesetters ran out of capitals. As well as the timid lettering there is a new version of the familiar AT&T globe. As the firm itself carefully highlights, the globe is “one of the most recognised corporate symbols in the world” and currently appears on 50,000 vehicles, 6,000 buildings and 40,000 uniforms. So what better business move than junking it for something that people won’t recognise? The new, unfamiliar globe looks more 3D-ish, “representing the expanding breadth and depth of services” offered by the firm, allegedly, and also has an element of transparency “to represent clarity and vision”. Appropriately, the new globe also appears to be rather hollow and lacking any real substance. Still, it’s not all bad. At least it no longer looks like the Death Star.

23 Nov 2005