Why brands refresh their image: the most famous rebrandings

When a logo changes its look, it is never just a purely aesthetic decision.

A brand restyling is part of a broader strategy and becomes necessary when the brand image is no longer aligned with societal changes or is no longer able to convey the values it was originally designed to represent. This is where rebranding comes into play: a strategic process that redefines a company’s identity to make it coherent, relevant, and recognizable once again.

Rebranding can take many forms. It may involve a radical change, such as adopting a new name, a new visual identity, or a new communication strategy. More often, however, the change mainly affects the logo, which represents the brand’s primary point of contact with its audience.

When a logo is iconic and widely recognized, the risk of disorienting loyal customers is high, which is why rebranding must be handled with care. At the same time, it represents a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and market segments. To avoid unsuccessful rebranding efforts, a deep understanding of the industry in which a company operates, along with thorough analysis, is essential.

Rebranding can be proactive, driven by strategic vision: a company chooses to change in order to anticipate the market, seize new growth opportunities, or open up to new audience segments. In other cases, the goal is to strengthen the relationship with the brand’s traditional target or to maintain consistency between the evolution of the business and its visual and value-based identity. Essentially, it is a move designed to remain relevant, credible, and up to date.

Reactive rebranding, on the other hand, is a response to external or critical events. It may be triggered by the entry of particularly aggressive or innovative competitors, or it may follow a scandal or reputational crisis, in which case rebuilding trust with consumers becomes a priority.

Rebranding can therefore occur for a variety of reasons:

because a company’s image appears outdated (as in the cases of Pepsi and Apple), because a brand suffers from a negative reputation (Philip Morris), because a brand has undergone a merger (such as Unipol Assicurazioni and Gruppo Sai, which resulted in UnipolSai), or because a company wants to reposition itself in the market (as Starbucks did, creating a brand experience that goes beyond “just coffee”).

In short, the reasons can be many. Let’s take a look at some of the most recent rebrandings by well-known brands.

In 2021, Burger King launched one of the most significant rebranding projects of recent years, updating all brand elements across the board: from the logo and packaging to the tone and style of communication, which became more direct and engaging. The brand chose to return to its roots, rediscovering the heritage that accompanied Burger King during its peak of media success. The logo abandoned the glossy, three-dimensional shapes typical of the 1990s in favor of a more essential design strongly evocative of the past. Alongside the new logo, Burger King also introduced a proprietary typeface, Flame, inspired by the shapes of hamburgers.

Fanta’s 2023 restyling, developed by Coca-Cola’s creative team, breaks away from several historical elements: the iconic orange circle and green leaf disappear, replaced by a bolder and more essential visual mark. At the center remains the white logotype outlined in blue, accompanied by the return of the shadow introduced in 2016, which adds depth and dynamism to the brand. The new graphic identity elevates Fanta’s long-standing pop style, making it more daring, contemporary, and better suited to engage a young, global audience.

In 2023, to celebrate its centenary, Warner Bros. unveiled a new logo based on a contemporary reinterpretation of the historic shield that has identified the studio since 1923. The goal was to make it more essential, refined, and suitable for modern communication contexts. As explained by Dee Dee Myers, Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Communications at Warner Bros., the visual identity had become outdated compared to the company’s evolution. The brand renewal reflects a broader transformation of the group, designed to project it into the future and improve its effectiveness, particularly in digital environments. From a graphic standpoint, the “WB” monogram was redesigned to achieve better visual balance, while the shield was recalibrated according to the proportions of the golden ratio. The historic blue was also updated, becoming brighter and more vibrant.

Volkswagen simplified its brand by transitioning from a three-dimensional aesthetic to a flat, two-dimensional design. The “VW” monogram abandoned depth and glossy effects in favor of a cleaner, more essential, and immediately legible look. The goal was to make the logo more versatile and functional, capable of adapting effectively to all visual media, from digital to print, and of engaging with a communication context increasingly focused on technological innovation and sustainability.

On the occasion of its 125th anniversary, Pepsi introduced a new logo inspired by the historic versions that represented the brand between 1950 and 1997, while incorporating modern elements: a custom all-caps typeface and two new can colors—electric blue for the classic version and black for the Zero line. The logo also integrates the silhouette of a can or a classic fast-food cup, making it easily adaptable to advertising materials and visual content. In line with preferences expressed by fans in internal research, the “Pepsi” wordmark returns inside the iconic Pepsi Globe, restoring a distinctive feature that had been lost in the 2008 logo. According to experts, the previous logo appeared too subdued for today’s standards and did not fully reflect the evolution of Pepsi’s identity since 2008. The new design successfully combines modernity and tradition, strengthening brand recognition and consistency across all touchpoints.

Pringles’ 2022 rebranding can be described as a refresh of its visual and communication identity. The brand chose to update its image to align with contemporary minimalist and flat design trends, without abandoning the distinctive traits that define its positioning. The logo was simplified by reducing colors and graphic elements, while the mascot and packaging were made more essential yet visually more impactful. Pringles also reinforced its tone of voice, emphasizing irony and irreverence—elements that have always been central to its communication. The project is part of a broader, cohesive strategy involving advertising, social media, and live events, culminating in the claim “Mind Popping”, an effective synthesis of sonic identity, sensory marketing, and storytelling. The goal was not to redefine the brand, but to make it more recognizable and memorable in a saturated media landscape dominated by increasingly short attention spans.