Tip: Many students all over the world can relate to GAP clothing.

The iconic retailer Gap introduced a new logo this past Monday and since then the Internet community has let out a deafening groan.

The design has already been likened to New Coke and Gap has been quick to react to the public relations fiasco. The company has already moved to solicit new design ideas on Facebook and Gap's North American President Marka Hansen even wrote an explanatory column for the Huffington Post.

This comment from a Facebook user is typical of the online response: "By changing it, you've completely destroyed what it took 20-plus years to build."

The Gap has long used its historic founding in 1969 as a selling point, but seems to have decided to move into the 21st century - albeit cautiously. The new logo retains the famous blue square, simply making it smaller and adding a new font.

Why this move has incited such strong responses is puzzling, since it represents the same sort of subtle change that is the retailer's stock and trade. Nobody invokes New Coke when last year's cargo shorts are updated with a new pocket and smaller zippers.

The company hasn't even abandoned the old logo entirely yet - their website continues to display the original design in a browser's address bar and if you right click to download the new logo you'll find the image is labelled "newlogo," as if to suggest the design may never reach full "logo" status.

Whether the new look stays or goes, it seems unlikely customers need fear drastic change. In her column, Ms. Hansen touted "black pants" as the sort of modern update the retailer is looking for.