Then & Now: The History of a Brand |

Maybe you've already seen it, or have read about it, but Wendy – of Wendy's Hamburgers, that is – is getting a makeover. The cute redhead has stepped out of her traditional box on the old Wendy's logo and stepped onto a cleaner, brighter white background with updated lettering.

Updating a logo is just one way organizations begin building and updating their brand, or what they want to be associated with.

If you're on this website, or have glanced at anything library related recently, you'll most likely recognize our beloved Toronto Public Library logo. But did you know it had a long ways to go before it ended up looking like what you see today?

Then…

…and now.

Before the Toronto Public Library was one large system, there were actually a group of smaller library boards that were based in different parts of the city. The East York Library Board was created in 1967, along with boards for the York Public Library, Etobicoke Public Library and Metro Toronto Library. Recognize any of these logos below?

And, yes, there was a Scarborough Public Library too which would've included the Cedarbrae area!

Almost 30 years later, all these individual libraries teamed up – and the Toronto Public Library we know and love today came to be.

Updating a brand can begin with revising an old-fashioned looking logo, and sometimes, it can begin with the idea to bring together like-minded individuals to better the whole.

Have you placed an item on hold today? Or maybe you've returned a book you borrowed at one branch to another on the other side of the city. These are just some of the basic features that came around when the Toronto Public Library broadened to include all parts of the city.

Interested in more history of the Library? Check this out!

And – don't forget: October is Small Business Month, so be sure to consider some books that discuss brands, logos, marketing and more.