Uber Rebrand (2017)
Food has feelings. It takes a lot to design for a growing, global brand.
Over the course of two years, I participated in two full rebrands of the Uber Eats identity. Each time, the initiative was driven by a desire to lead the company into a successful, lasting future. The result is the logo and brand identity you see today.
A global company has global considerations. Over the years, we dropped the fork (a Western utensil), modernized the typeface in multiple languages, and eventually created a typographic system that would work across all business units of Uber (Freight, ATG, Health, and B2B brands).
The typeface, developed by brand agency Wolff Olins, was inspired by transportation signage all over the world. It’s solid, simple forms communicate clarity and safety, while the turns of its letters mimic roadways and pathways.
The result is something strikingly gorgeous yet simple, a bold new way to demonstrate the power of movement.
Our hero green had to be accessible on both black and white—the dominant colors of the Uber master brand—and all the colors had to work together in tandem to feel like a single family.
A tasteful palette.
Developing a brand palette for Eats was a challenging assignment. Each hue had to be optimized for visual accessibility on digital devices, typographic treatments, small scale scenarios, and print collateral. The values were tested (and re-tested) rigorously across all business units by many stakeholders.
Most importantly, the color palette needed to be yummy. Color is the quickest way to convey emotion in a brand. Because of that, our palette needed to feel fresh, baked, warm, appetizing, friendly, homemade, organic, and food-focused.
Food, food, and more food. Developing the Uber Eats illustration library required a strong attention to detail. Every food icon needed to utilize the Eats brand palette, while still feeling connected to the overall Uber master brand style. After analyzing data for our most ordered food items, I drew over 100 illustrations for our Master Library, which is used by Uber Eats brand designers and marketers all over the world in a scaleable system.
The new Uber illustration style, like its typography, uses movement as a primary influence. Edges extend beyond the frame, while negative space breaks makes the composition and makes it feel expansive.
Gone are pixels and gradients, replaced by simple colors and splashes of white, which gives the eye time to pause as it drifts across the page. A strong focus creates illustrations that are as expansive as they are serene.
Surprise and delight became the cornerstone of the brand, mimicking the power that yummy nom nom's can have on one's mood. Everyone eats!