HMV is Waterstones

I have worked on both Waterstones and HMV accounts. I did the previous Waterstones Card and have done cards and posters for HMV.

Here are some brief thoughts on the new Waterstones logo.

1. Old logo - looks good and most importantly if you didn't know what it was it says 'reading' with use of the serif.

2. New logo - Is this HMV all over again (they are part of the same company I think). I think it looks ok, nice and clean, like the font but the serif on the old logo really pushes the notion it's about books to me. Which is lost in this cleaner, more modern one.

3. HMV Logo - does this look similar?

4. HMW - morphed. Upside down 'm' - sorry but what is going on?

Conclusion - I have no idea what they are trying to do - be one company? Seems like it. They should have kept the old one as feels much more about 'reading'.

I also noticed that many of the guidelines that HMV use are similar to what Waterstones are doing - based on what I have seen so far. I wonder if they should just become 'one' and redo all their shops.

Maybe that's the idea after all?

Ultimately I think it all looks good, use of photography and typography - but it has left me confused and as much as I think the HMV brand works, I am not so sure it works for Waterstones - by pushing it to the 21st Century it has lost something. It's character or put bluntly - the serif.

I am sure all will become clear. HMWaterstones anyone?