This post was written by Jeff Fan, Lead Designer at Quixey. He graduated from UC Berkeley last year and joined the Quixey team in December. He was the architect of the new logo design, which launched September 1st.

When we first sat down to discuss the possibility of redesigning our logo, we recognized that the project would present a number of challenges. We had already built strong brand recognition with the original logo, and we knew implementing a revamped design would require a lot of time and effort. Still, we wanted to move forward with a redesign that would not only fit comfortably with the evolving company culture we’re developing at Quixey, but also with our partners’ and developers’ products. Furthermore, we felt that the time was right for a new logo, anticipating our move into a bigger office in Mountain View. Now as the new workspace changes with each day, we’re channeling the simple, clean design of the logo into every aspect of its growth.

Although we love the original Quixey logo, and it will always hold a special place in our hearts, we all agreed that a new design was necessary to capture the bold, forward-thinking feel of our company. We wanted to maintain the impact of the “Q” in Quixey, but do it in a way that wasn’t overpowering. Although distinct, the large Q limited our flexibility from a UI standpoint. As we inserted “Powered By Quixey” below more and more search bars, we needed the whole Quixey logo to be legible to consumers, not just the Q.

Basically, we wanted consumers to associate the powerful search they used with a logo that embodied its strength. So in the early stages of the project, we tried a variety of approaches. Some designs implemented multiple colors, some toyed with different icons. Eventually, all signs pointed toward a design that kept things simple.

We settled on the design you see today because it’s the perfect balance of all our needs. It’s fun and friendly, yet very strong. It has character, but isn’t too loud. And most importantly, it’s easy to read while still maintaining the personality of our beloved Q. A little known fact about Quixey’s logo is that the uppercase Q is meant to double as a magnifying glass, highlighting the most fundamental aspect of our company—search. The new Q, bold and sharp, holds onto that image without throwing the full design off balance.

In developing a new logo, and in turn, a new image for Quixey, we made sure to carefully analyze the dynamics of our industry and where we see ourselves within it.  We’re confident that the end result is a fresh, yet timeless design that can easily evolve with our rapidly growing company.  In other words, we think it’s going to help take us to some pretty awesome heights. We hope you agree!