Top Rebrands of 2023
A rebrand is a strategic process to refresh a company’s image. It involves updating or creating a new name, symbol, logo, visual identity, slogan, story or all these elements, to develop a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors, and competitors.
The goal of a rebrand is to create a new brand identity that better connects with the target audience and conveys the company’s new messaging or value proposition.
In 2023, there were notable rebrands with the goals to embrace their origins, connect with new generations, build communities, or showcase their evolution. Some rebrands also inspired lively debates.
Embracing Heritage
BURBERRY
Burberry’s rebrand embraces its heritage with a nod to British luxury. The new logo revives the Equestrian Knight Design, created in 1901 through a public competition.
This historic design is combined with a modern serif font, merging traditional elements with a contemporary style.
PEPSICO
For its 125th anniversary, Pepsi unveiled a new design embodying its bold, unapologetic spirit. The refreshed look features a new typeface, the brand’s signature pulse, and a new color palette incorporating black to emphasize the brand’s commitment to Pepsi Zero Sugar.
“We couldn’t be more excited to begin a new era for Pepsi, as this exciting new and modern look will drive brand distinction to show up bigger and bolder and help people find new ways to unapologetically enjoy the things they love. This new visual system brings out the best of the Pepsi brand’s rich heritage, while taking a giant leap forward to set it up for success in an increasingly digital world.”
Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo (source)
Appealing to a New Generation
FANTA
Fanta, Coca-Cola’s second-oldest brand, introduced a new “truly playful” brand identity. The logo was redesigned for universal appeal and to emphasize fun and spontaneity. The rebranding features joyful photography and illustrations, capturing the essence of a spirited lifestyle.
“We wanted to portray a brand that values spontaneous play and the benefit it brings. By shifting our focus to reflect an attitude, we were able to revitalize Fanta’s brand assets and reclaim play as something that people of all ages can embrace and benefit from.”
Rapha Abreu, Global VP of Design, The Coca-Cola Company (source)
LG ELECTRONICS
LG Electronics revealed a new brand direction and visual identity with a greater focus on the value of Life’s Good and a more dynamic and youthful appearance.
The company’s mission, “Innovation for a Better Life,” centers on enhancing life and the planet’s future. According to LG’s press release, the brand slogan, Life’s Good, encompasses the message of how the company enables its customers to enjoy a quality life and indulge in precious moments via LG products, services and communication.
Their new 2D logo gives playful nods, winks, and spins to provide a more engaging customer experience in digital spaces.
Credit: LG Electronics
Showcasing Evolution
NOKIA
Nokia unveiled a new brand identity, revising its logo for the first time in nearly 60 years. Moving beyond its iconic blue, the new logo adopts a range of colors to fit various uses.
The Nokia brand is well-known for mobile phones but that business was sold to Microsoft in 2014. With this rebrand, Nokia emphasizes its shift and focus on selling networking equipment and patent licensing.
DRIBBLE
Dribbble, an online community platform for designers and creative professionals, unveiled new branding in 2023. Shifting from the iconic script logo, the new logo is now stylized upright and features a capital “D”.
This change aims to reflect a mature, sophisticated logo and symbolize Dribbble’s evolution into a professional platform and talent marketplace. The rebrand also included a website redesign, offering a clean, modern aesthetic.
Building Community
This rebrand focused on what sets Reddit apart: unique conversations and discussions. The new visual identity included a 3D-rendered alien mascot, colorful chat bubbles, and new typography.
This transformation celebrates Reddit’s community-centric spirit and emphasizes the platform’s role as a hub for conversations that only happen on Reddit.
Inspiring Debate
X, FORMERLY KNOWN AS TWITTER
Under Elon Musk, Twitter was rebranded into “X” and has a new slogan “Blaze your glory!”. This logo, a product of crowdsourcing, is meant to symbolize the acceptance of imperfections. The rebrand also aligns with Mr. Musk’s vision for X to be a comprehensive application for social media, dining, and financial services.
This shift marks a significant reimagining of the platform, and the brand faces a challenging journey to encourage established users to leave behind familiar terminology (tweets, retweets, etc.) and adopt the new brand identity.
TOBLERONE
Toblerone’s significant rebrand was due to the relocation of its production to Slovakia. Since 2017, Swissness” laws mandate that “made in Switzerland” products have a majority of locally sourced ingredients, especially dairy-based items (must be 100% locally sourced). There are exceptions for materials, such as cocoa, that naturally occur in specific regions.
Given the location of its new production facility, Toblerone can no longer mention “of Switzerland” or use the image of the Matterhorn. Therefore, the iconic Matterhorn mountain on the Toblerone packaging was replaced with a chocolate triangle and now states “established in Switzerland”.
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