Partnering with Uber to reimagine mobility

3 minute read

We partnered with Uber to reimagine how the world moves, creating a system that connects with all modes of transportation, in all places, for all people.

For all ways
Uber went from tech startup to global mobility platform in eight short years. It had moved beyond the car ride-hailing space, embracing new and future modes of mobility — from bikes, to tuk-tuks, to flying cars. It needed a new, holistic brand system that embraced all of these different forms, and spoke equally to riders, drivers, and employees. It had to be instantly recognizable, it had to work around the world, and it had to be efficient to execute. It also needed to highlight the organization’s central belief: that movement ignites opportunity.

For all places
Uber operates in 660+ cities globally. Its highest growth areas are in regions outside of the US, such as Latin America and India, where Wolff Olins has a considerable depth of experience. Instead of pursuing a complex identity system, localized through color and pattern, we moved towards a universal ‘beyond-simple’ global brand. Teams in diverse markets could make it relevant to specific audiences through content. 

For all people
With a new wave of leadership at Uber came a renewed commitment to safety. So far, that safety focus has been product-driven, but we took a step back and asked, “What does safety mean for different people?” We introduced Safety blue to the color palette. It is unique to Uber and used sparingly to indicate moments of support, care or assurance between the user and brand. It highlights the company’s concern for people’s physical and emotional well-being.

For all teams
The decentralized nature of Uber’s operations meant the company needed a system that could be used in different digital and physical applications, and successfully implemented by a wide range of practitioners in markets around the world. The system isn’t just for marketing designers, but for product teams, customer service, and beyond. Its success depends on how useful teams find it.

The brand launched in September 2018 and was covered by Fast Company and AdWeek. There are more details available on Uber’s own website too. We’re excited to see this out in the world!

See more on our website.

Let us know what you think of the work.

We’re Fast Company award winners, again!

1 minute read

It’s been a big month for us here at Wolff Olins. Between launches, we won an Innovation by Design award from Fast Company for our work on Lafayette Anticipations.

It was number one in the ‘Graphic Design and Data Visualisation’ category. Alibaba Cloud also got a special mention, and in the ‘Timeless Design’ section we saw some of our old hits – USA Today and NYC.

Earlier this year we were honoured to be on their list of Most Innovative Companies, topping the list in the design sector. We were chosen because we’ve ‘helped brands create dynamic identities that respond to major technological shifts such as voice interaction and the Internet of Things’.

Thank you to Fast Company and congratulations to the teams.

Let us know what you think about the winners.

Say hi to our new Creative Director

1 minute read

We’re excited to announce that Chris Maclean has joined as Creative Director in our New York office. He’ll be using his passion and talent to help us build and transform the world’s best brands. Formerly Creative Director at Gretel, he says Wolff Olins felt like a natural next step:

“Since I started out in branding 11 years ago, I’ve always admired how Wolff Olins use creative and strategic thinking in combination to solve real business problems. It set the standard for what can happen when smart people aren’t afraid to take risks that bring about massive change. Branding can make things better, inspire populations, change minds and even change the world. Few consultancies have the ability, know-how and desire to do all of that, and as successfully, as this one.”

He’s previously worked on iconic Australian and American brands like Sydney Opera House, Slate, Apple, Nike and Paramount, and has won a bunch of prestigious awards from D&AD, Cannes Lions, AGDA and Clio. Welcome Chris!

Get in touch with Chris.

Coming to Web Summit?

1 minute read

The world’s biggest tech conference, Web Summit, is taking place at the beginning of November and our CEO Sairah Ashman will be speaking there again.

Last year she spoke about artificial intelligence and the fundamental questions it’s raising about the nature of consciousness. She argued that it’s vital we think carefully about ethics as we develop increasingly sophisticated products, services and brands. You can watch a film of the talk here. This year she’ll be imagining what brands will look like in 2050.

If you’re going to be there, look out for her session on the agenda. We’d love to see you there!

Drop us a line.