Most Influential Redesigns of 2016
A look back at the designs that shaped 2016
A brand’s look and the logo are two cornerstones that are carefully constructed to create great visual design. But what goes on behind the scenes when designing these visual identities? Let’s take a closer look and learn from the most stunning, attention grabbing, and head scratching visual identities that came to life in 2016.
One of the most talked about redesigns of recent memory debuted on May 11, 2016 and there is a reason we are still talking about it. As an avid Instagram user I look at this icon & branding everyday and the two biggest take aways are 1) Instagram is all in on the growing gradient trend and 2) With all the attention on the logo & gylph we often overlook the amazing redesign of the user experience and interface of the app. Instagram raised the bar for all apps with it’s new UI but we are left wishing the branding lived up to those expectations too.
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Uber
Sometimes a company’s branding aspires to be more than what it actually is and sometimes we are too quick to judge them for it. The 2016 Uber redesign is a great example of both of these. A ride share app that is suddenly talking in metaphors about bits and atoms was always a little hard to grasp. But by honing in on these metaphors the Uber design team was able to great an amazing palette of background textures, iconography, colors, and photography to build a story for their audience. Beyond branding, the motion graphics in the app are top notch and do an amazing job to create a consistent brand experience.
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Premier League
One of the hottest redesigns from 2016 was the modern new look for the English Premier League. Simplification in iconography is a constant theme we are seeing from legacy brands as they begin to move into the app/tablet market. Suddenly logos aren’t designed for billboards, but for app icons and digital ads. This fresh new identity is setting a new standard for what a sports league could look like and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some of the American franchises learn from this in the coming seasons.
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Budweiser & Bud Light
2016 was an amazing year for the Anheuser-Busch marketing & design teams as well as the design agency Jones Knowles Ritchie who took some already iconic brands and upleveled them even further. With the tagline “King of Beers”, it was about time the brand’s packaging and graphic design lived up to the moniker. The attention to detail, consistency, typography, and rich colors all lead this to be some of the best design of the year.
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Alaska Airlines
“Our refreshed brand really is an evolution, not a revolution, of Alaska Airlines. Our goal was to reflect the soul of our company, which is known for its genuine, caring service and top-notch performance. It’s now time to show up to our customers in a bigger, brighter way.” These words from Vice President of Marketing of Alaska Airlines, Sangita Woerner, should be repeated in design classrooms and agencies around the world. Here is a brand who knows who they are and simply doubling down on it. Design is a powerful tool when used this way and you can see the company’s core values come to life in its redesign.
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The reasons for a redesign are numerous…A new look can signify change, growth, maturity, or shift in audience. The visual refresh for Pitchfork is an excellent example of all of these. The best word to describe their new look is refined. The redesign of Pitchfork’s wordmark, advertising, and the companies website all point back to Pitchfork being acquired by Condé Nast and shifting its audience and tone. In turn changing the companies look and logo.
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Mastercard
Side by side it is amazing how dated the old MasterCard logo looks. The typeface and drop shadow alone signify a different era and something Mastercard sought to solve in its 2016 redesign. Did they go too far? There are few things simpler than two overlapping circles, but Mastercard is banking on years of brand impressions from people watching those ‘priceless’ commercials and using their distinct red and yellow color combinations to champion a new era of their brand identity.
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Meetup
Looking back at past logos it is easy to see the journey a company went on to become who they are today. A great example of this is in the Meetup logo and rebranding. The original logo used the name tag graphic to introduce themselves to their users. They were a new app encouraging meetups for likeminded individuals, what better way to introduce yourself. The company has grown up a lot since then and you can tell Meetup envisions their future beyond just name tags and events. And they needed a new look & logo to match.
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Guinness
In 2016 countless brands unveiled new minimalistic identities, flat logos, and simplified color palettes so when a company turns its head on a trend and sprints in the opposite direction you take notice. This is exactly what happened for Guiness, who crafted their new look and logo with the finesse and amazing attention to detail, just like the brewers who craft their beers.
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Snapchat
Any list of the eye catching branding would be incomplete without including the social media superstar, Snapchat. Now known as Snap Inc. It is no surprise that a brand who built its business on millennials and teens knows how to capture attention. Going all in on a vibrant yellow color is one way to ensure everyone is looking at you. From their website to their social channels to their apps you can see this vivid yellow. What can we learn from them and their design team as they take a new approach towards branding and advertising?
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Look & Logo is a project dedicated to the design thinking that fuels creative visual identities, brands, and logos. Follow along on Twitter or Instagram to see the latest looks & logos. If there is work you would like to see featured, want to talk design, or just want to say hi, feel free to get in touch.