While we are talking about rebranding, looks like AIM is trying to break into the corporate crowd, or at least it's trying to break out of it's teeny bopper image. If you take a look at AIM's I AM AIM page you'll see a page very reminiscent of MSN's color theme. And from the options offered, AIM is definitely trying to break out of being just another instant messaging service, you think they are desperately trying to figure out how to make money from the thing? I installed Triton yesterday and am surprised to report that I really like the new program. Whether or not it's a replacement for AIM, I'm not sure. But this isn't an instant messaging blog, so I'll talk about the logo and look they have going on. You can talk more about the program itself over at Download Squad.

The new I AM AIM logo looks horrific. Gone is the running man (though it’s still around merged together with the talk balloon). At first glance, I couldn’t even tell it was a text balloon. Thought it was some weird blob they were trying to pull off. And the color choice, just doesn’t seem right does it? If you install the program, you’ll see an icon on the top left where the running man is underneath the text balloon, which makes more sense but the colors aren’t working out. As for the colors, are they trying to appeal to the adult crowd by copping MSN’s colors? It’s not really the corporate crowd they are going after, no blue and white. I know we are a subsidiary of AOL and all, but I honestly don’t think any of us has any clue what’s going on in that division. Anyone care to enlighten us?

Update: Wow, I was so off. I happened to come by this article on BigBlueBall, and the new orange logo is apparently targeted at the college crowd. Let’s chalk this one up as a dead out of the gate. I’m just a year (or two) removed from college, and I swear I’m the only one using it out of my entire circle of current students and recent grads. Everyone’s still on regular old AIM. I thought AOL already had the younger crowd locked up. The only inroads I see from YIM or MSN is pretty much within the international community.