Leatherman retools its logo

For brands looking to update their image without losing their established reputation and customer base, a logo redesign is always a calculated risk. The refreshed logo has the challenging task of demonstrating brand continuity while simultaneously refreshing the brand’s identity. Thirty-five years after their creation, Leatherman Tool Group is looking to expand beyond the multipurpose tools that made them a favourite for customers, and their new logo aims to reflect this growth.

While the original Leatherman logo was unambiguous in its imagery, clearly depicting a pliers-based Leatherman tool surrounded by an arc, it undoubtedly made brand expansion difficult. The new logo is meant to convey the wide variety of possibilities provided by Leatherman tools, particularly through Leatherman FREE, the company’s new platform of multipurpose tools that aim to provide an elevated user experience.

“The new logo represents the brand’s stalwart commitment to multipurpose,” said Anthony Perez, global creative director of Leatherman. “Thoughtfully designed, our intention was to create something that celebrates Leatherman’s iconic history while also expanding what we can mean to people outside of a pliers-based tool.”   

However, while the refreshed logo creates space for brand and customer expansion and hints at the shape of the former pliers-based logo, it also looks enough like a simple ‘L’ to possibly remain ambiguous to customers unfamiliar with the brand. In this way, Leatherman’s redesign runs the risk of confusing potential customers and alienating existing ones with the suggestion that Leatherman is moving away from their traditional tools. Nevertheless, the choice to maintain the previous logo’s font is a clear attempt at brand continuity.

 Although Leatherman’s new logo demonstrates an interest in expanding its brand identity and offerings, its continued commitment to innovative problem solving and high quality products remains.