Instagram presented a new visual identity for its textual brand, the logo consisting only of the company name. The social media giant opted for the change, justifying that the previous version of its logo seemed outdated after ten years of continuous use.
The change was communicated by Instagram leader, Adam Mosseri, both on the platform itself and on Threads. He described the new branding as “sharper and more modern” while maintaining a nod to the original design and preserving simplicity.
More on this story: Instagram platform explores new options for users to adjust ‘Your Algorithm’ and control the feed
While people often show resistance to change, especially when it comes to brands and logos they’re already familiar with, Instagram’s revamped design has received some praise in addition to the usual criticism, highlighting a fresher look and good font choice.
Even though there is a lot of joke about the logo now looking like “Instagzam” due to the shape of the letter “r” in the font used, it is important to recognize that the name “Instagram” has such broad brand recognition that most users will immediately identify the writing despite the artistic flourishes.
The font of the textual mark evokes cursive writing, incorporating traditional curves in the letters “s”, “r” and “g”. This is a choice that generates curiosity, considering that the younger generations, for the most part, no longer learn to write in cursive, which can lead to an immediate failure to understand that the shape that resembles a boat sail is, in fact, an “s”.
The last time Instagram updated its design was in 2016, when the company left the classic brown camera icon with a colored stripe to adopt the pink gradient that is still the platform’s icon today.
So far, Meta has not responded to a request for more details regarding the redesign, nor has it confirmed whether other design changes, such as a new application icon, are planned for Instagram.