Canva Unveils Refreshed Brand

• 09 Aug 2024
• TM Team
• 0 Comments

Canva, the world’s largest visual communication platform, launched a refreshed brand system purpose-built for workplaces worldwide. The updated identity was designed to scale globally and connect locally, doubling down on Canva’s mission to empower the world to design.

Empowering Canva’s Next Decade

Canva’s first decade empowered millions of individuals to achieve their goals through design. Now, it’s focussed on empowering organisations too, with design and productivity tools to support the growing visual communication needs of every workplace in every part of the world. 


As the world of work becomes more distributed, the need for stronger visual communication and collaboration has never been more paramount. Canva’s refreshed brand system is built to not only fuel creativity but also to help teams drive productivity with global and local flair in workplaces across the world.

To redesign the way the world works, Canva first needed to redefine the way its brand works. This fresh focus brought fresh questions: Can the brand connect with new audiences without compromising its unique voice? 
As the brand scales globally, can it truly connect locally?

"Canva stands for empowerment—it’s a founding principle of our brand and one that’s been true to our mission since day one,” said Cat van der Werff, Executive Creative Director (ECD) at Canva. “Because design isn’t just about aesthetics. Design is the vehicle that enables people to achieve their goals. Doubling down on this idea became the anchor for the entire brand refresh.”

Scaling an Iconic Brand

From its instantly recognizable gradient to its hand-crafted logo and custom typeface, Canva’s brand is already established globally. The goal of this refresh was to simplify and amplify what makes it iconic and then create more space for inspiring visual content that reflects Canva’s diverse community.

“Creativity looks different around the world—what’s relevant to a human resources leader in Paris may not work for a digital marketer in São Paulo,” said Cat van der Werff, ECD. “Our refreshed brand system is designed to be hyper-localized and culturally relevant, allowing for greater connection with communities around the world than ever before.”

The refreshed brand system includes:

·       Building a platform for content: The refreshed brand system was inspired by Canva itself—a platform for flexible content. Core brand assets remain fixed, while flexible brand elements can be tailored, allowing the brand to scale globally while also connecting locally.

·       Uniting brand and product: Design layouts now more closely mirror how you flow through Canva’s product—from inspiring content scrolls to pages that drag and drop, to immersive full-screen moments.

·       Demonstrating work in progress: It’s often the act of making that brings the most joy. Canva’s new system celebrates this, spotlighting design at work instead of the finished product. A brand in motion, even when static.

·       Humanizing Canva’s UI: Cursors, comments, and a suite of bespoke emojis come alive across every brand touchpoint to tell human stories of connection and collaboration.

·       Amplifying brand voice: A fresh take on tone of voice dials up the brand’s playful personality, bucking the trend of speaking in corporate buzzwords.

·       More accessible than ever: A simplified color palette reflects Canva’s view that empowerment and accessibility go hand in hand, with the suite updated to meet AA's strong accessibility standards for every color.