The most significant branding narratives of the year
Reflecting on the major branding highlights covered by Design Week, spanning from two influential social media giants to Girlguiding, the National Portrait Gallery, Center Parcs, and the recently renamed Le Shuttle.
- Girlguiding unveils its most significant rebrand in 113 years
Landor & Fitch, now operating under the name Landor, has undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of Girlguiding’s identity, the United Kingdom’s largest youth organization committed to empowering girls. Encompassing Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers, the revamped Girlguiding identity was introduced in conjunction with International Women’s Day 2023. According to Landor, the redesign aims to connect with upcoming generations of girls and volunteers, aligning with the organization’s mission to instill the belief in girls that they can achieve anything.
This rebrand represents the culmination of a multi-year transformation for Girlguiding. In 2018, the organization embarked on a modernization initiative, introducing a revamped set of badges and activities, including diverse subjects such as coding, human rights, and inventing. The new badges were crafted by the branding studio Red Stone.
- Twitter undergoes a rebranding, adopting the name “X” and introducing a logo described as “good enough.”
In a major branding development in July, Elon Musk revealed the transformation of Twitter into X, discarding its well-known blue bird logo in favor of an “art-deco” X. This change followed a brief public request for a new design on Twitter. Interestingly, the rebrand involved the coexistence of the newly crowdsourced logo alongside existing elements.
Designers, including James Greenfield, CEO and co-founder of Koto, shared their insights. Greenfield expressed concerns about the usability of the new name, stating that Musk and his team may have underestimated the extensive effort required for a rebrand.
- Team GB Unveils New Identity for Paris 2024 OlympicsTop of Form
Thisaway devised a new brand strategy and identity for Team GB, positioning the brand around the diversity of Team GB athletes through an extensive suite of graphic illustrations in a bid to keep it relevant when the games are not being held.
The new designs are based on a brand idea that “goes beyond sport” to make it more relevant between Olympic games events, according to the team.
Having won the project via a tender at the end of 2021, Thisaway founder and creative director Graeme Cook says Team GB’s previous guidelines focused mainly on “the use of the logo and how to lock it up with commercial partners”, with few other visual assets
- Exploring Wolff Olins’ Global Brand Refresh for LG Electronics”
After a teaser launch in April 2023, LG Electronics revealed its complete brand identity in August. Crafted by Wolff Olins, the fresh design pays homage to LG’s Korean roots, incorporating animated characters to infuse the brand with vibrancy through playful dance moves.
Wolff Olins was enlisted to revamp the entire digital, physical, and social experience, ensuring a more cohesive alignment with LG’s character. Senior Creative Director Tom Carey explains that the goal was to move away from being seen as a traditional family brand primarily associated with appliances, aiming to reshape perceptions and prioritize people over technology. The consultancy introduced a new face logo and a sector-defying serif typeface.
- Landor & Fitch Unveils Rebranding for Eurotunnel Le Shuttle
Landor took on the task of transforming Le Shuttle, previously known as Eurotunnel, with the objective of positioning it as a more convenient and eco-friendly alternative to air travel. The rebrand features a modern, “progressive” logo and a monochrome color palette, aiming to attract new travelers.
This shift aligns with a broader strategy outlined by Landor & Fitch, focusing on reimagining the Channel Tunnel experience for the next decade. The rebranding effort is integral to this comprehensive strategy.
- Nickelodeon Unveils First Rebrand in 14 Years
LA-based branding and design agency Roger worked with Nickelodeon on its first rebrand in 14 years, featuring a new version of its signature “Splat” logo that aims to unify its on-air, digital, and social brand identity.
Roger has been working with the children’s television channel since its early days as a studio. For this most recent project, Roger worked with Nickelodeon’s in-house design team on the core brand identity; which features a contrasting type family and updated colour palette as well as the new Splat logo. The aim was to make the brand more cohesive.
Calling back to Nickelodeon’s “classic animated style”, the motion design combines “traditional cell animation and modern 3D design”. By layering the “bold and clean typography” on top, Roger looked to create a “contemporary look and feel” that pays homage to the network’s legacy.
- Facebook Reveals Updated Brand Identity
Meta’s In-House Team Unveils Initial Phase of Facebook’s Comprehensive Brand Refresh”
In a significant development for another major player in the social media realm, Meta’s in-house design team introduced the initial phase of a comprehensive brand refresh for Facebook. This revamp involved a redrawn logo and wordmark, strategically enhancing the prominence of its signature blue hue.
The refreshed identity aimed at unifying Facebook’s brand and enhancing accessibility, featuring not only a redesigned logo and wordmark but also an expanded color palette. These changes coincided with other shifts within the brand, including Meta’s introduction of its Twitter-rival, Threads.
Led by Meta’s in-house design team, Tagu Kato, VP Head of Design at Facebook, described it as the “first phase of a refreshed identity system for Facebook, with a focus on fostering effortless, self-initiated exploration and connection across every touchpoint.
- DesignStudio Unveils Nature-Inspired Identity for Center Parcs Europe
In an effort to attract a wider audience, Center Parcs Europe underwent a rebrand led by DesignStudio, embracing its origins by highlighting the connection between nature and humanity in its new identity.
This initiative was a part of Center Parcs Europe’s comprehensive strategy to redefine itself as a holiday destination for everyone, expanding beyond the traditional focus on families with young children. DesignStudio took on the task of crafting a new brand narrative, along with revamping the visual and sonic identities for Center Parcs Europe. Executive Creative Director Vinay Mistry emphasized the primary goal of “changing perceptions and evolving the brand” to appeal to both existing visitors and potential travelers who may not have previously considered the destination.
- “From passive catalogue to active catalyst”: Natural History Museum’s new identity
Pentagram and Nomad have joined forces to create a dynamic new identity for the Natural History Museum, featuring a graphic system that can be continually evolved using a generative tool.
The museum’s distinctive circular logo, designed to be open to interpretation, can represent anything from a dandelion or a fossil to a collective of people or a school of fish.
This collaborative effort spanned two years, initiated after a competitive creative pitch process involving approximately 270 other agencies. According to Pentagram partner Marina Willer and Nomad founder Stuart Watson, the project faced high expectations due to the museum’s in-house team of world-class scientists, demanding a superior standard across all aspects of the identity creation.
- National Portrait Gallery Unveils New Visual Identity Emphasizing Beauty, Longevity, and Flexibility
Ahead of its June 2023 reopening, the National Portrait Gallery revealed a fresh visual identity crafted by Edit Brand Studio. The rebrand incorporates graphic and digital applications inspired by the physical characteristics and contents of the Grade I listed building.
Edit Brand Studio secured the project through an open public tender process, having already established a longstanding relationship with The National Portrait Gallery. The studio collaborated with the institution on various initiatives, including brand and exhibition campaigns, as well as developing project identities for the national program.
This identity overhaul aligns with the National Portrait Gallery’s reopening following a £41 million regeneration project. Nissen Richards contributed to the interpretation design, Jamie Fobert Architects executed architectural changes, and Holmes Wood designed the wayfinding system as part of this comprehensive project.
