Rebrands on the rise: What the 2025 wave of brand refreshes is telling us

Look around and you’ll notice it. Many of the world’s biggest brands have given themselves a facelift recently. From tech giants to retail apps, a wave of brand refreshes is sweeping through 2025. These aren’t full identity overhauls or wild new names. They’re strategic tune-ups. Logos are getting simpler. Tones are getting friendlier. User experiences are becoming more cohesive.

Why? Because brands want to stay relevant, modern, and aligned with their audience’s expectations.

Let’s look at real examples from Google, Spotify, Instacart, and Lyft. We’ll break down what changed, why it matters, and what lessons mid-market brands can take away.

Big names, bold refreshes over the past 3 years

When major brands update how they look, it’s not random. It usually signals a shift. Sometimes it’s about the market. Sometimes it’s internal priorities. Often, it’s about keeping pace with what customers now expect.

Google’s subtle evolution

Android received a quiet but meaningful refresh. The wordmark now begins with a capital “A,” giving it more visual weight next to the Google brand. The Android robot was updated to a 3D version that still feels fun but more current. The update isn’t flashy. It’s focused on alignment and consistency across platforms, helping Android feel even more integrated into the larger Google ecosystem.

Spotify’s new vibe

Spotify launched a custom font called Spotify Mix. It’s clean, legible, and has small touches that reflect sound waves. At the same time, the app’s user interface got a visual update with sharper icons, more contrast, and smoother navigation. The result is a brand that feels both designed and deeply musical, with a consistent feel from the logo to the listening experience.

Instacart’s friendly shift

Instacart’s new look introduced a brighter green, softened the carrot icon, and introduced a more rounded, human typeface. The tone now feels more personal and less utilitarian. It reflects the brand’s role in helping people simplify daily life, not just shop for groceries. The new identity is easier to recognize on mobile and feels more emotionally connected to its users.

Lyft’s confident redesign

Lyft stepped away from its playful pink script and introduced a more modern, confident wordmark. The updated look focuses on clarity and scale, especially for in-app navigation and ride tracking. Motion graphics were refined, and the visual tone matured. It signals that Lyft isn’t just a quirky alternative anymore. It’s a dependable platform for transportation and logistics.

Each of these refreshes tells a story. It’s not just about style. It’s about evolution, relevance, and building deeper brand consistency.

What’s driving the 2025 rebrand boom?

So why are so many brands evolving their identities right now? A few clear trends are emerging.

Simplicity and clarity
Brands are simplifying their visual language. Logos are becoming flatter. Fonts are bolder. Clutter is being stripped away. This makes identities easier to recognize, especially on smaller screens. If a design detail doesn’t support recognition or usability, it’s being removed.

Approachability and warmth
Rounded shapes, brighter colors, and friendlier typography are everywhere. Instacart leaned into this with a playful carrot and a softer green. Google’s robot got more expressive. Brands want to feel more human and less corporate.

UX-first thinking
Design is no longer just about marketing assets. It’s about every interaction. Spotify’s typography and UI updates were driven by listening behavior. Lyft’s redesign centered on simplifying how users interact with the app. Visual identity and user experience are now inseparable.

Built for digital life
Modern brand identities need to perform everywhere—dark mode, app icons, wearables, and video. Fonts must scale. Icons must animate. Logos need to work in a single color or motion. A static brand won’t survive a dynamic world.

Modernized nostalgia
Some brands are reaching into their archives for inspiration, but not in a throwback way. They’re pulling trusted elements from the past and refreshing them with digital polish. It’s about tapping into memory and trust without looking outdated.

The common thread? Rebrands are about relevance. Today’s audience wants brands that feel current, digital-first, and emotionally in sync with how they live.

What brands can learn from these moves

Big-brand refreshes offer more than design inspiration. They offer strategy. And smaller brands can apply these lessons without needing a global budget.

Stay current, but stay true
A refreshed look shows you're paying attention. Customers notice. But don’t follow trends blindly. The best updates feel like a natural evolution. Spotify’s update didn’t reinvent the wheel. It refined what already worked. Your refresh should feel like a clearer version of who you already are.

Make UX part of the brand
Great branding extends beyond visuals. It lives in how people experience your business. From your site navigation to product packaging to motion design, it should all feel aligned. Think about legibility on phones. Think about load speed. A brand that’s easy to interact with feels more trustworthy.

Signal growth through design
A smart refresh can change how you’re perceived. Customers associate new visuals with progress. It shows you’re still investing, still improving, still in the game. But clarity matters more than novelty. An unclear redesign can confuse people and break trust.

Adapt without imitating
You don’t have to copy Instacart or Google. But you can borrow their intent. Look at how they’ve improved usability, simplified touchpoints, or leaned into personality. Take the principle, then apply it in a way that fits your audience and industry.

A brand refresh isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about making your brand easier to connect with.

What’s next for your brand?

A rebrand isn’t just a visual update. It’s a signal. It tells your audience that you’re evolving while staying rooted in what matters.

In 2025, the smartest brands are getting clearer, faster, and more personal—not by reinventing themselves entirely, but by refining how they show up.

For brands of all sizes, this is within reach. You don’t need a massive rollout. You just need a strategy that makes sense for where you are and where you’re going.

At Kinetic, we help businesses rethink their brand presence with intention. We guide refreshes that feel modern, honest, and aligned with your goals. Because a strong brand doesn’t stay static. It evolves with your audience. It earns trust every time it shows up.

When done right, a refresh isn’t just a new look. It’s a new level of connection.

Make your next update more than a design tweak. Make it a turning point.