Long John Silver’s Logo Change: A Before-and-After Review
A before-and-after review of the Long John Silver’s logo change: how to compare versions, check vector files, and handle modification and trademark permissions.
Contents
The short answer
Long John Silver’s, the American quick-service seafood chain, has changed its brand mark over time, so two kinds of artwork circulate: earlier versions and the current one. This review covers the primary logo, meaning the wordmark and any emblem or illustration paired with it. The material behind this review did not include the official artwork files, the announcement of the change, its date, or the company’s brand guidelines. The specific differences in shapes, colors and lettering between the old and new logos are therefore not confirmed here. What follows explains how to make that comparison yourself, how to tell whether a file is real vector artwork, and what you may and may not do with it.
What a before-and-after comparison should cover
A useful comparison puts the earlier and current marks side by side and looks at each element separately, rather than giving one overall verdict. The checklist below lists what to examine and why each element matters for anyone working with the vector files. It contains no measurements or color values, because none were supplied.
| Element | What to compare | Why it matters for vector work |
| Wordmark | Letterforms, weight, spacing, whether the name is set in a font or custom-drawn | Custom lettering should arrive as outlined paths; live text depends on a font the recipient may not have or be licensed to use |
| Emblem or illustration | Level of detail, number of shapes, use of gradients or textures | Fine detail and effects can break down at small sizes and may have been built as embedded images instead of paths |
| Color palette | Number of colors, use of gradients, flat versus shaded fills | Fewer flat colors simplify spot-color printing, embroidery and signage |
| Lockups | Horizontal, stacked and icon-only arrangements | Each lockup needs its own artboard or file so it is not rebuilt by hand |
| Small-size legibility | How the mark reads as an app icon, favicon or menu-board element | Simplified marks usually scale down more cleanly than detailed ones |
Whether the newer logo is an improvement is an editorial judgment, not a documented fact. A fair review separates what the files show, such as fewer colors or a redrawn wordmark, from opinions about taste or brand fit.
Old and new versions in circulation
After a logo change, logo-download sites, old marketing kits and franchise materials often keep serving the previous version for years. Do not assume a file is current just because it is labeled as the Long John Silver’s logo. Compare it with artwork the company publishes now, such as its website header, current packaging or official social profiles. If the file is for a franchise, vendor or agency project, ask the brand owner for the approved current package.
Is the file actually vector artwork?
A file name or extension does not prove a file contains editable vector paths. An SVG, EPS, AI or PDF can be a wrapper around an embedded raster image, and many files sold as a "vector logo" are just traced or pasted bitmaps. Three things are easy to confuse:
- Vector artwork: shapes built from paths and fills that scale without loss and can be recolored or edited node by node.
- Embedded raster image: a pixel image placed inside a vector container; it looks fine at its native size but blurs or pixelates when enlarged and cannot be edited as shapes.
- Raster preview: a thumbnail or PNG/JPG rendering of the logo, useful for viewing but not a source file.
To check a file, open it in a vector editor and switch to outline or wireframe view. Real paths show as editable outlines, while an embedded image shows as one rectangle. In an SVG, you can also read the markup. The generic example below, which is not taken from any Long John Silver’s file, shows the difference.
<!-- Vector: editable path data -->
<path d="M10 40 C 20 10, 40 10, 50 40 Z" fill="#1a3c6e"/>
<!-- Not vector: a raster image wrapped in SVG -->
<image href="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0..." width="300" height="120"/>Also check whether the wordmark is live text or outlined. Live text will be replaced with a substitute font on systems that lack the original, which quietly changes the logo’s appearance.
Downloading versus permission to use or modify
Being able to download a logo file does not give you the right to use or alter it. The Long John Silver’s name and logo are trademarks of the brand owner, and the artwork itself may be protected separately. Any fonts in the file are governed by their own licenses. Editorial references, such as illustrating an article about the rebrand, are treated differently from commercial use on signage, merchandise or advertising. Recoloring, redrawing or combining the mark with other graphics usually requires the owner’s approval and adherence to its brand guidelines. This is general guidance, not legal advice. For a commercial project, get written permission and the official asset package from the company.
Gaps in this review
- The date of the logo change and the company’s stated reasons were not available.
- No official before or after artwork was supplied, so specific changes to shapes, colors or typography are not described.
- The typefaces used in either version, and their licensing, are not confirmed.
- No official brand guidelines or approved file formats were available to compare against downloaded files.
Practical takeaways
- Confirm which version you have by checking it against the brand’s current public materials.
- Open the file in outline view or inspect its code to confirm it contains paths and not an embedded image.
- Make sure the wordmark is outlined, or that you hold a license for the font it uses.
- Keep the earlier and current versions in clearly labeled separate files so the old mark is not used by mistake.
- Get permission from the brand owner before using or modifying the logo in any commercial work.