The Associated Press Rebrands with New Look, New Logo

By Bob Marshall 

Before:

 

After:

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The Associated Press, the 166-year-old news wire co-op responsible for filling in the gaps in the failing newspaper industry, is refreshing its brand with a new website, logo (pictured above) and overall “look.” This marks the AP’s  first significant changes in brand strategy in 30 years.

As Tom Curley, AP president and CEO, said in a statement,  “This new look, from logo to color system, translates to AP’s growing portfolio of digital products and platforms, and distinctively relays our role as the definitive source for news.” It its defense, it’s certainly a more colorful solution than the Gap had with its 2011 logo debacle.

If you’ve even been subjected to “formal” journalistic training, you probably have a strong opinion about the AP one way or the other. Sure, you might be mournfully noticing that your local paper is almost totally covered by AP-supplied stories. But, even as you curse AP Style for looking poorly on usage of serial comma, just be happy that it’s now correct to write “website” instead of the AP’s formerly more favored spelling, “Web site.” Watch a video from Mr. Curley about AP’s new look here.

The AP worked with New York-based firm Objective Subject on the rebrand.

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