Pentagram’s PayPal rebranding includes new motion language that mimics payment gestures

Financial technology company PayPal, now more than 25 years old, has announced a brand refresh, led by Pentagram partner Andrea Trabucco-Campos. With the help of the design agency, the brand has evolved with the aim of achieving a “simpler, cleaner, more modern and optimistic look.” The logo has been redrawn for a slightly sharper, more contemporary edge, with a new wordmark in PayPal’s new custom typeface, Paypal Pro. The color palette has also been overhauled, with redundant colors from the brand’s catalog being removed in favor of contrasting the traditional shades of blue used as an accent across platforms with neutral black-and-white backgrounds for the new “timeless typography.”

In contrast to the stripped-down palette, Paypal went all out with a colorful photo series to emphasize “the platform’s accessibility points,” putting people at the center of the brand with the goal of making Paypal understandable and usable for “everyone, everywhere.” The playful photographic approach was directed by Pentagram to “show moments that felt real, spontaneous, and authentic,” in an effort to give the platform a more personal feel. This vibrant set of images, combined with the new simplicity of the logo and typographic elements, sets this shift in the brand’s look apart.