Toastmasters, what’s with the new logo?

I visited the Toastmasters International Web site the other day, and I found this:

Apparently, the powers that be in Rancho Santa Margarita decided to rebrand themselves. But what was the problem with the old logo?

Maybe it’s not the coolest logo around. Maybe it doesn’t use the latest fonts. It’s certainly not the most geographically accurate. But it shows you what the club is about. It’s international. It’s about leadership and public speaking. Those are what the gavels are for.

What does the new logo tell you? We like to draw spheres with lines? What does it have to do with public speaking and leadership? How does the logo show you that the Toastmasters organization is different from the Toastmasters company that makes kitchen appliances?

Maybe the folks in Rancho Santa Margarita are right. Maybe it’s the crossed gavels that are confusing. Perhaps that’s why I got involved with this group:

So now, all of my Toastmasters awards, name badges, and trophies have an out-of-date logo. I suppose I now have to rejoin Toastmasters to get all the new stuff.