Uber changes its logo to 'celebrate cities'; will vary according to country and city

Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick shared in a rather upbeat blog post the rationale behind its new logo. The company replaced its black and white ‘U’ icon with a more complex pattern with a central icon in white, a separate one for the Rider app and another for the Partner app. Kalanick explains that when it started out, Uber was a black car service for 100 friends in San Francisco – everyone’s private driver. But today, it is a transportation network spanning 400 cities in 68 countries that delivers food and packages, as well as people. This change needed to reflect in the logo. “The unique aspect of Uber is that we exist in the physical world. When you push a button on your phone, a car moves across the city and appears where you are. We exist in the place where bits and atoms come together. That is Uber. We are not just technology but technology that moves cities and their citizens.So today, we’re excited to roll out a new look and feel that celebrates our technology, as well as the cities we serve,” says Kalanick in the blog.

The logotype has been changed ’to reflect a more substantial look as they matured as a company’. They have also introduced the concept of the bit throughout the design framework and it’s the heart of the new app icon. To bring out the human side of the transportation network, Uber has added ‘atoms’ – colours and patterns. “The team has spent months researching architecture, textiles, scenery, art, fashion, people and more to come up with authentic identities for the countries where Uber operates,” notes Kalanick.

And since every city has its own character, Uber aims to add hundreds of more colour palettes and patterns over time. “Uber started out as everyone’s private driver. Today we aspire to make transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere and for everyone. Our new brand reflects that reality by working to celebrate the cities that Uber serves,” says Kalanick signing off. All images taken from the Uber blog.