October 4, 2023
Today, we’re introducing our reimagined brand, including a new logo and wordmark; new approaches to color, photography, and typography; and a new app that brings it all together.
Our new brand represents both our vision for the future of the creator economy and our commitment to creators that has guided us since day one. It’s a visual system thoughtfully crafted to be native to the online spaces where today’s creators live and work – a motion-first brand for a digital-first world. And most importantly, it’s a brand built to adapt, so that any creator can make it their own.
A new approach to brand building
Many of the principles that guide brand-building today are still rooted in ideas from 20th century retail: have a static logo with an exact shape, one or two key brand colors, and make sure it all stands out on a store shelf or in a print ad.
But Patreon wasn’t born on store shelves and print ads. We were born on the internet – a rich, ever-evolving ecosystem full of life and passion and endless human creativity. We want our brand to challenge these old-media conventions and celebrate today’s dynamic, disruptive creative reality.
Our goal is not to be defined by a shape or a color, but rather by a visual language… one as diverse and expressive as the creators it represents. By designing a fluid brand native to the digital screen, we’ve created new opportunities that just aren’t possible with print: animation, interactivity, contextual adaptation, and color transformation.
A logo that lives and breathes
Our new logo does not have an exact canonical form, there isn’t one definitive Patreon logo.
It is a dynamic object in constant motion that represents the energy of creativity and the ever-evolving nature of culture and art. It is defined by its motion language, its abstracted 3-D “P” shape, its fluid, irregular textures and colors, and its ability to morph based on adaptive cues from its environment.
Even in spaces that force static placements, our logo will still come alive. We’ll frequently swap in new iterations of our logo to use as our app icon, and on different batches of merch. And when our logo does show up in print, we’ll always use a slightly different form, “capturing” it at a different moment in its motion.
In short – you can expect to see our logo in many forms… but each one will always be instantly recognizable as Patreon.
An adaptive wordmark and transformative typography
We set out to craft a wordmark that complements creators, rather than competing with them. By leveraging variable digital typefaces, the logo can morph from a more medium-density form for spaces when we need to cut through the noise, to a thinner, lighter-density manifestation that allows us to get out of the way and put creators in the spotlight.
Our typography approach is similarly contextual: we use a core, contemporary typeface with classic geometry, featuring a full variable range intended to be applied without demanding too much attention. Our extended typography system unlocks versatile secondary typefaces, enabling us to compliment any given creator’s aesthetic.
Color in context
Our approach to color is simple: we believe in creator expression over brand swatches.
Instead of locking into a single, flat brand color, we’ve instead developed a distinct palette of gradients that can mesh with a wider, more nuanced range of different creators’ worlds, both IRL and RGB.
By releasing ourselves from the restrictions that come from a singular color, we’ll be better able to put creators first in ways that are still unmistakably Patreon.
Photography that uplifts
We plan to treat every photoshoot as a unique opportunity to pair the right photographer with the right creator to tell the right story.
Our approach is to seek out photographers who share the ethos of the creators they’re capturing, and whose style and perspective are best equipped to bring that creator’s unique creative spirit to life.
From left to right: Amanda Seales photographed by Heather Sten in Los Angeles, CA, Jade Novah photographed by Kendall Bessent in Atlanta, GA, and KAMAUU photographed by Nate Palmer in MD.
Our photography approach is also about heroizing creators in a way that feels inviting and warm, whether we’re capturing docu-style photos of them in the process of creating, or doing a more intimate portrait shoot.
From top to bottom: Achewood photographed by Ricardo Nagaoka in Portland, OR. Ross Draws photographed by Nykelle Devivo in Los Angeles, CA. And Nicole Cardoza photographed by Kennedi Carter in Austin, TX.
A brand built around creator ownership
Our vision for the future is centered around the idea of giving creators ownership over their work, their businesses, and how they reach their communities. A key reason for our new, dynamic brand is to reflect that commitment, and to allow creators of all kinds to easily make the brand their own.
We are working on a logo creation tool that will enable any creator to craft their own, bespoke version of the Patreon logo that incorporates colors, textures, and motion from their own work.
Creators will also be able to leverage our color language on Patreon to personalize their digital space to better fit their aesthetic and identity.
The future creators deserve
Our new brand is meant to be a celebration of human creativity in all its forms. It reflects our vision for the next chapter of Patreon, and the creator economy at large – one where creators are in control and real community thrives.
We can’t wait to see all the incredible and inspiring ways you bring it to life.
Have more questions about where Patreon is headed? Check out our vision for the future, and our big plans for creators everywhere.
Special thanks to Wolff Olins, ABC Dinamo, and David McLeod for their partnership throughout this redesign.
