A quiet change to Amazon’s beloved smartphone shopping app has left consumers confused.
The familiar cardboard colored box logo with a black arrow has undergone a subtle change in the latest update to the app.
The small square, which symbolizes the tape that closes Amazon packages, has changed from the familiar light blue to dark and light green stripes.
“Amazon’s recent update to its app icon is an example of its ongoing strategy to refresh its brand image,” said Bryan Fowler, president of the Amazon division of marketing agency Intero Digital.
“This change may be confusing to some at first, especially since apps are recognized via visual cues that build muscle memory over time,” he explained.
The new Amazon logo has replaced the blue tape with light and dark green stripes
“These types of design updates are intended to evoke a feeling of joy and excitement, as if you were receiving a package.”
He added: “It’s possible that Amazon wanted to change the color of the tape to a color more closely associated with the holidays, as millions are shopping for Amazon gifts.”
DailyMail.com was alerted to the change by a confused reader.
“I panicked for a moment when I couldn’t find the app and order sports equipment for the kids,” she joked.
“I guess, like most families, we rely on Amazon a little more than we should. When you need something quickly, just open the app and a few taps later it’s on its way to you.
“I’m a swiper on my iPhone, so I scroll until I see the app I’m looking for. You get used to the shapes and colors, so when they change like that, it can throw you off.
‘My husband is a searcher: he searches for apps by typing in the name and the phone calls them up. So he didn’t even realize it.’
For those who don’t like the new design, there’s good news.
It’s clear that Amazon is only making the change for the holidays. Then it will return.
This isn’t the first time Amazon has made a change to its logo, although it is much less controversial than last time.
In 2021, the retail giant was forced to scrap the jagged edge of the blue tape on its logo after consumers said it resembled Adolf Hitler’s infamous moustache.
‘Unfortunately for Amazon, the visualization of their parcel tape on the original logo will immediately be associated with a Hitlerian mustache, as that shape is forever embedded in our subconscious minds as such – not the best association for a brand looking to create joy for the door,” branding expert Vicky Bullen said at the time.
Brand designer Laura Weldon praised the company for responding quickly to the criticism.
“Brands are constantly changing and adapting their logos,” she said at the time. “It reflects well on Amazon that they listened to their customers.”
Amazon has faced controversy online after a company executive wore a controversial necklace in the shape of Israel decorated with the Palestinian flag.
Intero Digital’s Bryan Fowler said the change could catch users off guard
A 2021 rebrand had to be changed after Amazon customers said the icon looked like Hitler
Ruba Borno, vice president of Amazon Web Services, was spotted putting on the chain in a video promoting a business conference in Las Vegas.
The map Borno hung around his neck was Israel, including the West Bank and Gaza Strip – areas that the Palestinians have claimed as the basis for an independent state.
Yet Amazon still continues to gain an edge over struggling rivals in many sectors.
While drugstores in the US are struggling, Amazon has plans for 20 new pharmacies next year.
It contrasts with Walgreens, which said earlier this month it would close 1,200 stores over the next three years.