Canva Brand Glow Up
Empowering the Next Decade of Canva
Details
Evolving Canva’s brand identity, positioning it as a bold, approachable, and globally recognised creative platform while maintaining clarity, flexibility, and accessibility.
Our goal was ambitious: to modernise and expand Canva's brand to reflect its evolution from a design tool into a global creative platform, widely used across industries. Canva's users are diverse, and our visual language needed to evolve to meet the needs of everyone—from beginners to seasoned designers—without losing the warmth and simplicity that define Canva.
The challenge lay in balancing boldness with approachability, and clarity with flexibility, to create a cohesive identity that would resonate with both individual users and enterprise-level clients.
Evolving Canva’s brand identity, positioning it as a bold, approachable, and globally recognised creative platform while maintaining clarity, flexibility, and accessibility.
Our goal was ambitious: to modernise and expand Canva's brand to reflect its evolution from a design tool into a global creative platform, widely used across industries. Canva's users are diverse, and our visual language needed to evolve to meet the needs of everyone—from beginners to seasoned designers—without losing the warmth and simplicity that define Canva.
The challenge lay in balancing boldness with approachability, and clarity with flexibility, to create a cohesive identity that would resonate with both individual users and enterprise-level clients.
Evolving Canva’s brand identity, positioning it as a bold, approachable, and globally recognised creative platform while maintaining clarity, flexibility, and accessibility.
Our goal was ambitious: to modernise and expand Canva's brand to reflect its evolution from a design tool into a global creative platform, widely used across industries. Canva's users are diverse, and our visual language needed to evolve to meet the needs of everyone—from beginners to seasoned designers—without losing the warmth and simplicity that define Canva.
The challenge lay in balancing boldness with approachability, and clarity with flexibility, to create a cohesive identity that would resonate with both individual users and enterprise-level clients.
Services
Branding
Digital Design
Year
2024
Research & Discovery
Working with Canva's Brand Studio team, we began by examining Canva's essence: approachable, simple, and powerful. It was essential that the refreshed brand continued to embody these qualities, even as it transformed. I was a key part involved in extensive exploration, analysing current trends, and customer insights to understand what would allow Canva to stand out in this new era.
This was more than a design overhaul; it was about creating a shared language that our audiences across the world could relate to.
Core Brand Elements
My main focus was on building a toolkit that could support both flexibility and cohesion. Our refreshed identity needed to be strong enough to stay consistent across every platform and application, yet dynamic enough to keep pace with Canva's growth. This meant rethinking colors, typefaces, logos, iconography, and even animation principles.
Research & Discovery
Working with Canva's Brand Studio team, we began by examining Canva's essence: approachable, simple, and powerful. It was essential that the refreshed brand continued to embody these qualities, even as it transformed. I was a key part involved in extensive exploration, analysing current trends, and customer insights to understand what would allow Canva to stand out in this new era.
This was more than a design overhaul; it was about creating a shared language that our audiences across the world could relate to.
Core Brand Elements
My main focus was on building a toolkit that could support both flexibility and cohesion. Our refreshed identity needed to be strong enough to stay consistent across every platform and application, yet dynamic enough to keep pace with Canva's growth. This meant rethinking colors, typefaces, logos, iconography, and even animation principles.
Research & Discovery
Working with Canva's Brand Studio team, we began by examining Canva's essence: approachable, simple, and powerful. It was essential that the refreshed brand continued to embody these qualities, even as it transformed. I was a key part involved in extensive exploration, analysing current trends, and customer insights to understand what would allow Canva to stand out in this new era.
This was more than a design overhaul; it was about creating a shared language that our audiences across the world could relate to.
Core Brand Elements
My main focus was on building a toolkit that could support both flexibility and cohesion. Our refreshed identity needed to be strong enough to stay consistent across every platform and application, yet dynamic enough to keep pace with Canva's growth. This meant rethinking colors, typefaces, logos, iconography, and even animation principles.
A Bold, Unified Brand
The final brand refresh achieved our goal of an updated, cohesive identity that encapsulates Canva’s mission of making design accessible for everyone. Each element—colours, typography, logos, and motion—works together to tell a unified story that’s empowering, inspiring, and human.
The impact of our brand glow-up has been significant: it reinforced Canva’s position as a leader in creative technology, resonated with users worldwide, and empowered everyone—no matter their design experience level—to feel confident in creating with Canva.
Reflection
This project was a transformative experience. Not only did I contribute to redefining Canva’s identity, but I also learned the art of balancing brand evolution with user familiarity. This brand glow-up was a meaningful collaboration across teams, and I’m proud to see how Canva’s refreshed identity now lives and breathes across platforms, connecting with millions globally.
A Bold, Unified Brand
The final brand refresh achieved our goal of an updated, cohesive identity that encapsulates Canva’s mission of making design accessible for everyone. Each element—colours, typography, logos, and motion—works together to tell a unified story that’s empowering, inspiring, and human.
The impact of our brand glow-up has been significant: it reinforced Canva’s position as a leader in creative technology, resonated with users worldwide, and empowered everyone—no matter their design experience level—to feel confident in creating with Canva.
Reflection
This project was a transformative experience. Not only did I contribute to redefining Canva’s identity, but I also learned the art of balancing brand evolution with user familiarity. This brand glow-up was a meaningful collaboration across teams, and I’m proud to see how Canva’s refreshed identity now lives and breathes across platforms, connecting with millions globally.
A Bold, Unified Brand
The final brand refresh achieved our goal of an updated, cohesive identity that encapsulates Canva’s mission of making design accessible for everyone. Each element—colours, typography, logos, and motion—works together to tell a unified story that’s empowering, inspiring, and human.
The impact of our brand glow-up has been significant: it reinforced Canva’s position as a leader in creative technology, resonated with users worldwide, and empowered everyone—no matter their design experience level—to feel confident in creating with Canva.
Reflection
This project was a transformative experience. Not only did I contribute to redefining Canva’s identity, but I also learned the art of balancing brand evolution with user familiarity. This brand glow-up was a meaningful collaboration across teams, and I’m proud to see how Canva’s refreshed identity now lives and breathes across platforms, connecting with millions globally.
Credits
Executive Creative Direction
Cat van der Werff
Creative Direction
Ashleigh Bowring
Executive Creative Direction
Cat van der Werff
Creative Direction
Ashleigh Bowring
Executive Creative Direction
Cat van der Werff
Creative Direction
Ashleigh Bowring
Motion Design
Canva Brand Studio Team
VUCKO
Creative Operations
Monique Tadrous
Motion Design
Canva Brand Studio Team
VUCKO
Creative Operations
Monique Tadrous
Motion Design
Canva Brand Studio Team
VUCKO
Creative Operations
Monique Tadrous
Design
Charlie McEvoy
Michael Musa
Ben McQueen
Alex Barton
Beau Penton
+ many more Canva Brand Studio Team
Design
Charlie McEvoy
Michael Musa
Ben McQueen
Alex Barton
Beau Penton
+ many more Canva Brand Studio Team
Design
Charlie McEvoy
Michael Musa
Ben McQueen
Alex Barton
Beau Penton
+ many more Canva Brand Studio Team