M1 reverses logo to promote safe social distancing

Local telco M1 has switched up its logo around to promote social distancing. Developed in partnership with Dentsu Singapore, in an animated video, the telco reverses the positioning of its M and 1, to read 1M. This is in line with the one metre safe distancing advised by the government. According to M1, this was done as part of its #M1for1M campaign as well as a public service initiative to maintain and encourage social distancing.  The spot will be amplified across all of M1's online and offline platforms. 

In a statement to Marketing, a M1 spokesperson said COVID-19 is impacting people and communities in so many ways, and the telco wanted to lead by example and do its part to support physical distancing measures. "M1 aims to remind members of the public to temporarily change their behaviours and overcome the health crisis together," the spokesperson said. 

M1 joins a slew of brands and agencies which altered logos to promote social distancing as well.

McDonald's Brasil for example, pulled apart the 'M' into half, but the move divided netizens with even the likes of Senator Bernie Sanders tweeting about the company's policies for employees.Other brands such as Coca-cola and Audi also pulled similar moves.  Closer to home, Malaysian telco Digi changed its network identity to "Digi-Stay Home" to remind users to adhere to the Movement Control Order imposed. According to a Digi spokesperson, it thought that changing the network identity will be a simple yet effective way of reminding Malaysians to stay at home, since all 11.3 million subscribers on Digi’s network have the network identity label.

Recently, Slovenia-based creative director named Jure Tovrljan also decided to get creative and redesigned certain brand logos, reflecting the new trend of social distancing. 

On his Dribbble page, which is a social networking platform for digital designers and creatives, Tovrljan recreated iconic logos and said it was "just an idea of how logos should look like in these difficult times". Here are some examples and ideas behind his work:

12 iconic logos redesigned through a COVID-19 lens
Designer behind viral COVID-19 redesigned logos grabs attention of major brands
8 famous TV series posters recreated through the COVID-19 lens