RIP Akbar & speechbubbles, or the brand evolution trailer
Skype’s brand is one of our greatest assets. We’ve put a lot of work and love into it. A collateral of this is that we’ve sometimes also made it into various [top brands lists](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/en/2006/01/skype_is_3rd_in_a_global_brand.html). You don’t hear us boasting about it every day, but it’s kind of nice to know. We quite like our brand and we keep developing it.
As Skype itself keeps evolving, the brand should keep up. Maybe you’ve noticed that we’ve switched our tagline on skype.com, from “The whole world can talk for free” to “Take a deep breath”. That’s a sign of greater things to come. The brand team said they’ll do a longer post here about the transition, but until then, here’s a trailer for you in the form of an illustration. In short text form: if you’re working together with Skype in any shape or form, then, as painful as it may sound, please forget about Akbar and speechbubbles. ([Akbar](http://www.wobblymusic.com/groening/akbar.html) is the “handwritten” font we often used in speechbubbles.) They may have been cute at some point, but now they’re done with. Dealt. Gone. Finito.
Instead, you’ll be working with… er… other stuff. For those in our partner network, your Skype contacts will tell you all you need, ask them.
And while we’re working on that new post, why not check out the previous one from almost two years ago, about [how the bubbles came about in the first place](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/en/2005/07/a_new_face.html).
No more “the whole world can talk for FREE”???? God, this changes everything. No wonder they started charging:
1) The connection fee
2) Skype “pro”
3) more money to make SkypeOut calls.
Soon Skype-to-Skype calls will be paid! When Skype decided to change mottos, it changed an excellent motto to a moot one. I care much more about the price I’m gonna pay for my calls than how innovating Skype is. You folks had the balance between QUALITY (technology) and QUANTITY (price). And, quite frankly, now you lost it.
Tis’ the day to morn for Skype.
Oh, and let me add that I don’t think you’ll be in the “top brand lists” for long.
I think you should use this new logo: $kype or better, $kyp€
“The whole world can talk for FEE“
:O
That page about the origin of the Skype speech bubbles has the “introduction to Skype” flash movie on it!
I missed that sooo much!
Is there anywhere I can see the other flash movie, about SkypeOut?
Those rawked so much
yes indeed, skype is now proud to admit the whole world CANNOT talk for free anymore. they’ve lost a very appealing tagline in the process. but hey, it’s all about excessive fees now. and the new tagline is “take a deep breath”. why do we need to take a deep breath? because when we paid our money we had no idea what we got ourselves into?
I don’t believe that! Is it a joke? come on, don’t be so evident.
Guys, Ebay payed a lot for Skype, and now wants its money back and fast. It seems that Skype didn’t give as much revenues as they expected (just check ebay’s income statement) so, who is giving the money? us? I don’t think so!
YOU ARE KILLING SKYPE!
>>>>
Agreed.
>>>>
I believe that eBay expects too much of Skype, as it compares it to itself… It’s just pitiful. Sad, even. If all your comments are true, which I hunch are, Skype has no blame in this. I bet all the staff at Skype are crying right now. I also bet that eBay has already posted a notice: “Anyone who blabs about us creating these absurd fees will be fired.
Again, only if your comments are true… which makes it even sadder.
Philip, if you want to read more about Ebay having hard times with Skype check: http://www.nma.co.uk/Articles/31475/Ebay+disappointed+by+Skype‘s+revenue.html
Here are some quotes from other articles I have read:
“Whitman pointed out that Skype users collectively spent nearly 7.1 billion minutes skyping with each other in Q2, another strong indicator of Skype’s growing appeal. Okay, since eBay is a publicly traded company, it would have been nice to hear how much revenue has eBay gotten from those 7.1 billion minutes.”
“It took a softball question from some random analyst that prompted the CFO to say, “we continue to believe we can deliver $200 million for the full year.” No follow-up question, about profitability of the third leg of the business eBay is betting its future on. But then asking tough questions is not part of that analyst’s agenda.” (taken from: http://gigaom.com/2006/07/20/skype-all-talk-just-not-facts/)
How can you deliver 200M ?? Connection Fee (of course).
I hope I could clarify my point.
http://www.luisbenavides.com
Thanks, luis, it was very enjoyable! xD
Anyways, call me suspicious, but:
1. Has anyone noticed that one day after the connection fee notice was posted, another post came up? I say someone is desprate to hide something… but again, call me suspicious.
2. Jannus once again refrained from posting a comment (refering to comments on the connection fee post).
Phillip
Hey guys, check this out! In the “Terms of Service” it is written:
—————
Change of tariffs. Skype may change the tariffs at any time by giving a thirty (30) day notice of such change on the website http://www.skype.com/go/rates or, in the case of SkypeIn or Voicemail, by stating new tariffs in connection with your purchase of either product. If you do not wish to accept such adjustment of tariffs, you may ask for a refund of your Skype credits. The new tariff will apply to your next purchase after the adjustments have been published on the website. You agree that by continuing to purchase Skype products following the adjustments of the tariffs, you accept the new tariffs.
——————-
Just let me repeat this phrase:
“The new tariff will apply to your next purchase after the adjustments have been published on the website.”
I haven’t done any new purchase, and I am being charged already with this damn connection fee! When I bought my credit, this fee was not even announced. They already have my money and they decided that the prices were not anymore the same.
Does getting this 200M revenue goal, also include breaking the User Agreement??
http://www.luisbenavides.com
Thanks, guys, for all your comments.
phillip.shiu – just because there is no more “free” in the main tagline, doesn’t mean that the free calls are going away anywhere. You could also say that the tagline doesn’t have Windows or Mac in it, and therefore we are dropping Windows or Mac versions. We emphasize different things at different times. Skype-to-Skype calls will NOT be paid. + I didn’t comment on the “Connection fee” article because I didn’t have anything to say in addition to what was already posted.
saxsux – go to http://www.skype.com/help/movies/ to see the other movies (use the left menu).
luisgerman – this question about the terms was also brought up in the forums, I’m checking with our legal team.
No, terminuz, I’m pretty sure Skype-to-Skype calls will always be free, and I have no doubt in that. It’s just the disappointment that you changed your objectives: instead of being as cheep as profit and pleasure allows, you folks have aimed for innovation. We’re talking about SkypeOut calls, here: you people classify it as “things that cost A LITTLE”. It’s not “a little” anyomore…
Plus, we Skype users would like you folks at Skype to UNDERSTAND and FEEL the pain we have with this connection fee. Why was it implanted? Skype is not getting enough revenue? And, if so, then how Skype supported itself BEFORE the connection fee? And if not, what is eBay’s position on all this?
Phillip
Yes, appearently skype plans are undergoing for big scams. The new connection fee is quite ridiculous, no voip service provider that I know got a connection fee. I won’t buy any credits until the connection fee will be totally removed, this is very unacceptable from the skype management. I am currently trying other voip protocols like sip, but for now I moved to yahoo voice, their prices are cheaper, also I realized that the quality is the same as skype and of course they will never implement scams because they got dignity not like “skype + ebay”.