Google's new Gmail emblem says goodbye to the pink envelope
All images courtesy of Google
While physical workspaces are not a thing of the past, most of our communication, whether with colleagues, companies, or even family and friends, is now online. With this in mind, Google decided to introduce Google Workspace, a complete renaming and repositioning of the previous G Suite.
All the usual productivity apps from Google such as Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Documents, Sheets and many more are stored in Google Workspace. The belief is that bringing its apps together in one central area can better compete with Microsoft Office and Outlook email.
The rebranding is not only a new home for all of these apps, but also provides an update in both the function of some of these apps and the appearance. The main change is a new design for Gmail, saying goodbye to its recognizable red envelope.
In its place there is now a soft M made from the core Google colors blue, red, yellow and green. Without the envelope, the new logo fits better with the other Google logos such as Maps, Chrome and Google. However, this makes it harder to differentiate between them, especially since Google has also updated its calendars, documents, sheets, and meetings logos to match the new Gmail look and feel.
The updated icons from Google Workspace, including Gmail
Speaking to Fast Company, Margaret Cyphers, Google Creative Director, said the need to create something new that is still recognizable is the biggest challenge as the logo hasn't really been updated since it was launched. "It's sure to be a tough balance. When you have strong brand equity, you have to be very respectful and careful," she said.
Although the user interface of these individual apps remains largely the same, the goal is to better integrate the apps so that they can be used together rather than separately. For example, in Google Chat there is a plan to insert a document or spreadsheet and work on it in real time without opening the connection apps.
For the past decade, Google has developed apps to increase productivity and solve specific challenges. Workspace continues to encourage the use of these apps while highlighting their new and improved flexibility.
"Our new Google Workspace brand reflects this connected, helpful and flexible experience," writes Javier Soltero, VP and GM of Google Workspace, in a Google blog post. "(It) represents our commitment to creating integrated communication and collaboration experiences for everyone, all of which are supported by Google."
workspace.google.com