far from moaning that the staff are being all negative. It seems to me that booksellers are positive at the direction the chain is taking, broadly ok with the logo change. It's just that everyone hates the feel every word tag. Universally, booksellers, customers, management, the trade,the lot. I've yet to find anyone who thinks it's a good idea . But you know, it's ok, no company gets everyone of it's marketing strategies right all the time and we're broadly moving in the right direction and hey, it's given the booksellers and customers something to laugh at right and goodness knows we needed some of that in the stores. Head office want customers and staff to bond and this has done it. Who cares if it's not in the way they actually intended. I predict 'feel every word' will be quietly ditched around about the time we finish writing the mountain of recommends cards we are tasked with.

I don't think the brand is the problem - it's the fact that every day more and more book buyers switch to the internet. Three reasons... ONE - availability (or at least perceived availability)... TWO - price... THREE - peer-to-peer recommendation (Figes aside). Waterstone's can't compete on any of these points, and so will shrink (but not die). Charming logo treatments are simply pissing expensively into the wind.

I quite like the new logo & think it's a positive step in the right direction. I just really hope I'm not going to end up with 'feel every word' stretched across my womanly parts!!

Logo will take a lot of getting used to for me. I actually like our present capital ye olde style letter. New one in store has already got every one of the insults and more (macdonalds being the most over used). It really is a dull looking logo, that is at times yes jazzed up in themed areas, but it feels way too much like some novelty toy being played with. Changing window displays and front of store I do agree on being re-vamped. So many of the initial impact you get as a customer is found there and it's an area that's needed looking at for months n' months. But the logo....maybe it's just me, but as a customer myself in other re-branded stores, if the innards don't match the shine bloody fast all I smell is spin. I think it's risky in ways as yes you may grab the attention of some easily impressed, but I think a lot of the traditionalist buyers might feel as some have said patronized by this new change. And as for the new slogan...makes...me...feel...sick. I can see why other conference folks giggled. A good slogan shouldn't need explaining...the impact alone should speak for itself. And as another said about the new recommedation cards, they really are awful to read. Having generic plain cards would be so much classier and open than this horrible primary school opener of "This book made me feel...". Again this format was mocked by every staff that saw the new design and I'm wagering the customers will to. Change is good and I do think Myers has his head screwed on almost 100%. The business is certainly looking more promising than under lord Gerry, but some of these new ideas are pretty risky ventures.

I actually quite like Bauhaus.......not sure I want to feel every word though

It's good to see the usual round of negativity and hand-wringing appearing here. Whatever you think of the new logo, it's worth remembering that a logo isn't the whole story around any brand, it's just part of it. But I think it's modern, fresh and allows Waterstone's to play with the logo and have a bit of fun with it (although I appreciate that "fun" isn't something contributors to these boards usually subscribe to), which you can only do if you introduce some informality in design . In time I'm sure they will evolve it too and it will become an integral part of the communications. But the important point is that you're all talking about it, and that's really important for any business. On the cost point, I've been involved in rebranding work in the past, and it's cheaper than you think. But Waterstone's is a big brand and it's right for them to consider this seriously, as they have done.

Venyhamin: "Mr Myers should be concentrating on repairing the immense damage done by the previous regime and finding more constructive ways to improve bookseller morale."

Oh he has! Very much so!

I presume the idea is to make books seem more "happening" and "down with the kids". Didn't everyone else go lowercase about five years ago though?

It's hardly pioneering, at any rate.

Venyhamin - while you have every right to 'trawl through the site and express your (ahem) informed opinion', you seem to put a downer on everything the company is trying to do - now, while I'm sure no-one here understands the pain of losing their job like you do (oh hang on...), maybe you should let Myers do his job and see what happens before becoming a Doom-sayer (no, too late for that) for the company's fortunes. I can assure you now with Mr Johnson out the picture, things are beginning to return to a Waterstone's we (well, not sure for you Venyhamin) can accept as a proper bookstore, like of old instead of the "McDonald's" you knew of late.

Concerning the logo, it is at best average, but it'll get accepted as time passes and in any case, its what happens in-store that really matters i.e. actually selling the books - or has the bitterness made you forget that? If losing the job was that painful, then maybe keep a close eye on how Myers does things and, I sincerely hope you do, maybe reapply for a job in your old, or a new, branch. You're part of the old guard and we need people like that back - the experience and the knowledge is an essential part of the business we work(ed) in. Whether you can reconcile that with your experience of an old and over-thrown system, well, only you can answer that - but I hope you can do so positively. In the meantime, let Myers, Watson and those on the ground who know how to sell books do their jobs without sending a constant bombardment of negativity their way - its hard (you know this) when you're not appreciated for all that work you put in, but things are changing - just give it a bit and hopefully it'll turn out alright.