I think it's fair to say (having seen the responses since the change) that just as many people liked the old artwork as like the new one. So I wouldn't say the majority won - just the people that were vocal in their dislike.
I also preferred the old art better, it was a nice contrast between the front having old school pixelated art and the modern CGI on the back (plus the contrast of the black front vs white back). I'm still fairly happy with the new version though, so I won't cancel, but I don't think it's fair to chastise those that aren't happy about a change that has basically been forced through by a vocal group of people. Those that were happy with the initial artwork may not have spoken up when it was being discussed etc.
Looking at the vote for the interior art it seems that just as many people are happy with the current layout as the proposed one (EDIT: Actually it seems like more people like the original art, which says something), so maybe that would have been the same if a vote had been taken on the back art.
All this shows is that people should maybe think about everyone before demanding sweeping changes, as maybe what they think is best for EVERYONE is not necessarily the case. It also sets a dangerous precedent for people insisting on changes for every steel they don't like - I put down pre-orders based on the art at the time of my order, so I'm happy with it then, I'm less happy if I end up with something different come release.
Having said all that, it's good that there can be some discussion between this forum and retailers about such changes - just that maybe before we all make some kind of formal request there should be a general poll or similar.
Maybe it should have been stated more clearly on the product page that 'Artwork is subject to change' as some of the Zavvi mockups doesn't really look like final version. If Zavvi had decided to change the artwork on their own last minute, it would still have been wrong for those who had placed pre-orders based on original art and had did not like the changes. Lots of Zavvi artwork has changed in the past with or without influence from customers.
At this point we do not know why Zavvi chose the art. It might be that so many on here were vocal and they decided to honour or request. Another possibility is that the people at Zavvi actually decided that the custom artwork worked better from a design perspective than the original art. We don't know that. Maybe it's both.
I understand that a poll might appear more democratic, but at the same time I don't actually see what's undemocratic about voicing your opinion directly in the thread or dropping Zavvi and email. Then it's up to the rest to tell us how much they hate the artwork (and maybe even make a poll if there's not one already).
The fact that Zavvi agreed to make a change, whether it was due to overwhelming feedback or a design decision, is pretty impressive imo. I've had tons of problems with the Zavvi customer service since I started ordering from them, but the fact that they are actually making an effort, makes me more willing to give them another chance next time. So from that perspective, listening to these suggestions might prove to be a good strategy in the long run.
And another thing: The majority isn't always right. A poll doesn't necessarily replace a good argument. If Zavvi introduces a poll from the start, then they have to stick with the decision that's being now. If Zavvi had done this with Wreck-It-Ralph, I'm not so sure the custom artwork would've been introduced. This time Zavvi was made aware of a possibility they had not already considered.
And let's face it. This was still Zavvi's decision. If 99.9% of the members here wanted to have 'I love willies!' written on the front cover with a spot gloss effect, I think there's more than a slight chance that Zavvi would have used their right to ignore our request, no matter how organized or democratic.
Actual pics thanks to catcc003:
