Cisco Builds New Bridge To Market
When Cisco Systems went shopping for a new logo, it didn't stray far from the image of the Golden Gate Bridge. In fact, you could say the vendor accentuated the icon for its next era of converged communications.
Gone are the thin cable lines and the horizontal deck of the classic Cisco logo. Replacing it are thick vertical lines and a rich "Cisco" underneath, in fat type. The logo is bold, making it easier to recognize on everything from products and packaging to TV commercials.
The new logo is part of a campaign to help embolden the Cisco brand beyond the enterprise-networking market. Cisco has lofty ambitions as it continues to roll out its converged communications platform, through which the vendor will become more about trafficking data, voice and video. Ultimately, Cisco wants its corporate image to be every bit as recognizable as Apple's, IBM's and Intel's.
"It's going to help partners by positioning Cisco as more than a routing and switching vendor," says Keith Goodwin, senior vice president of worldwide channels at the San Diego-based vendor.
Cisco is accompanying the new logo with new channel initiatives. Goodwin says the company is doubling its investment in partner enablement and support, although he couldn't provide specific dollar amounts or expectations for partner returns.