People hate Uber’s new logo and this Australian startup thinks it can fix it

Denham Sadler / Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Uber unveiled its new logo and design overhaul last week and the feedback was swift and merciless.

Gone was the iconic black icon with a grey ‘U’, replaced with a whole new colour palette and cog-like logo.

Instead of using outside designers, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and a crack-team of 12 employees redesigned the logo internally, and many think it shows.

The general public have not reacted kindly to the changes, with many pointing out the various things that the new logo looks like:

Hmm I thought the new Uber logo reminded me of something… pic.twitter.com/suwqrvCqe4

— Jonathan Shariat (@DesignUXUI) February 3, 2016

Ok, I think I’ve finally discovered the inspiration for Uber’s new logo. pic.twitter.com/wwJBEQU3gh

— Gabe Rivera (@gaberivera) February 3, 2016

Now an Australian startup wants to make it right with a cheeky new competition.

Creative design marketplace DesignCrowd launched a contest for its network of freelancers to come up with a new and improved logo for Uber, and is even offering a $1000 cash prize.

The competition has already unearthed some promising designs, DesignCrowd co-founder Alec Lynch says.

“We think we’ve received at least a dozen ideas that are better than Uber’s new logo and icons,” Lynch says.

“It’s such a shame because Uber is an amazing brand and company, and there would be millions of designers around the world that would’ve loved to have worked on such an iconic brand.”

The contest eventually received 485 new logos with the judging process now underway.

Uber isn’t involved in the idea at all, but Lynch says he’d happily pass the new icons on.

“We’d be happy to donate a new logo to Uber if they want it,” he says.

While Lynch joins the masses in criticising Uber’s redesign, he says he’ll still be using the ride-sharing app.

“I will continue using Uber, I just won’t update the app so I can keep the old app icon,” he says.

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Denham Sadler

Denham Sadler is a former editor of StartupSmart. He was previously a journalist at the publication and has worked as a freelancer for the Guardian, the Saturday Paper and the ABC. In his spare time he likes puns and jaffles.