Top Branding Projects of 2019

There is no denying that 2019 was a big year for branding. Companies of all sizes sought help from creative agencies to alter their identities.

Keep in mind that not all of the companies altered their logo. Rebranding is more than just changing a logo. While the logo is an integral part of your company, that isn’t the only aspect that branding focuses on. The logo doesn’t define or sell products, in reality it allows for it to be identified.

The agencies mentioned throughout the article understand that branding is more than just design. It’s how you talk to your customers on social media. And, it’s also the copy on your website.

See what brand-agency partnerships blew the world away with their creativity.

Android – Designed by HUGE

This was undeniably one of the biggest and most successful rebrands of 2019. Together, Huge and Google, evolved the Android brand. The result was a more modern, globally inclusive, and accessible brand.

The original logo was all green which was hard to read, especially for people with visual impairments. For this reason, they opted to change the text to black. In addition to what you see above, a whole new set of color combinations was created for the brand identity. Beforehand the logo was often paired with colors that can make it hard to see, but that is no longer the case.

And, what may seem like such a subtle change, getting rid of the full robot body, is actually a huge part of this rebrand to make this a more cohesive design.

TeleSign – Designed by Kobe Digital

TeleSign needed new branding that illustrated its reputation as a leading security and tech company trusted by some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. One of the most impressive things about this rebrand is that it all happened in just a two-month timeline.

The end result: a mellowed color scheme, a polished Sans Serif, and vivid live-action lifestyle and cityscape photography. Kobe Digital combined all the elements to create a brand that exemplified TeleSign’s reliability, professionalism, and distinguished position in the global industry.

IKEA – Designed by Seventy Agency

Another very subtle rebrand that makes all the difference. At first glance the only change noticed is that the trademark symbol was moved to be included inside the yellow oval. By moving the trademark symbol from outside the logo to be included inside the oval, it creates a much more cohesive design.

Other small changes included altering the proportions between the oval and the rectangle and updating the blue and yellow colors. The main goal was to “future proof” Ikea for the digital world. Now, the logo will be able to serve a greater purpose than simply an icon in the corner of an Instagram story.

Mozilla Firefox – Designed by Ramotion and in-house

Over the past few years, Firefox has been busy building a suite of new products and services. This brought the need to develop the Firefox parent brand, which would be capable of representing all their products.

This was a massive refresh of the original logo. A new typeface, a brand new color palette and so much more. By getting rid of the fox in the new logo, Firefox has so many more possibilities when it comes to logos with the rest of their products.

The company explained that this rebrand is about more than just a change in logo. It was inspired by these pillars: radical, kind, open, and opionionated.

Slack – Designed by Pentagram

This was Slack’s first major change to its brand identity since the company launched. Many different options were considered, but the final decision was to keep Slack’s familiar hashtag logo. However, it was slightly changed so that it works in different scales and contexts.

In addition to this, the color palette was updated to look better on the screen. The goal of this rebrand was focused on building longevity. In addition to this, they were eager to establish brand consistency.

Rust Belt Nation – Designed by Kworq

When the Rust Belt Nation founders went to Kworq they had a few name ideas, but not much else. Together they worked to create a brand that celebrates this new generation’s love for the past with the working-class soul of Rust Belt cities and the working class that made them.

A traditional gear (industry/grit) combined with a flower (new growth/rebirth) adds up to make the signature logomark: the blossom. The end result…a brand that still has the strong heart of that Rust Belt, but also the clean and modern visual touches of a 21st-century company.

Grey Goose – Designed by Ragged Edge

This was the biggest change to the brand’s identity since its launch in 1997. One of the most noticeable things they did in the rebrand was removing their claim as “world’s best vodka.” Doing this allows the French-flag colors to not get lost in the design and ultimately creating a more balanced design.

In addition to this, they opted to remove the shading from the goose and make it a single color. By just changing the goose, it’s a much more confident and striking design.

Cowboy Chicken – Designed by Propaganda

In preparation for rapid expansion, Cowboy Chicken desired to establish a strong brand position to differentiate itself in the fast-casual restaurant industry.

Propaganda’s goal was to leverage the open fire cooking technique connecting guests to a simpler time when food was clean, wholesome, and honest as a handshake. The result…a rebrand that clearly reflects that ideology.

Using the Frontier American West as inspiration, Propaganda rebranded Cowboy Chicken to evoke a sense of belonging and a sense of connection when customers gather around a campfire for a meal.

Reebok – Designed in-house with Darrin Crescenzi

In 2019, Reebok ditched their triangular shape to return to the 1990s vector. Why? Design experts believe that the original vector logo resonated with customers and was the most recognizable as the Reebok symbol.

Along with reverting back to the vector, Reebok also returned to an older font. From there, the team made slight changes to create an extremely cohesive design.

Now that the company is all under the same logo, they will have the ability to tell a single story that is clear and consistent.

Discovery Channel – Designed by Roger

Discovery was looking to modernize their logo and emphasize the brand’s global reach. This minimalistic rebrand altered the rendered globe to a 2D, black, and white Earth. By placing the Earth within the open letter D, it’ll give Discovery the ability to use the letter as their main identifier.

A new tagline was also created, “The World is Ours'” which serves as a key component of a global refresh launched by the network.

Duolingo – Designed by Johnson Banks

Duolingo sought help from Johnson Banks to unify and provide clarity to the brand. This rebrand showcases the companies quirky personality with a feather-inspired typeface based on the original owl mascot.

In addition to the new typeface, the rebrand also included revised core colors, typographic styling, and other graphic elements.

Energizer – Designed by DDW

The purpose of this rebrand was to make Energizer stand out amongst competitors. Before their packaging was dark and blended into the other battery brands on the shelves, especially since their number one competitor also had dark packaging. The solution? Almost 360 in its visual branding.

The Energizer brand needed to be bright and optimistic so naturally, they developed an extremely clean design. They also brought the brand’s icon to the forefront of the packaging.

References

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