Dropbox’s rebranding was a major move for them. Little has changed with its image in the last 10 years, so this decision had an impact on the design community. Dropbox is really excited about and seems very happy with their decision, however, many industry experts are questioning the decision. Was it the right move for Dropbox?
Dropbox Describes Their Rebranding
Vice President of Design Nicholas Jitkoff said that redesign intends to show Dropbox as “a living workspace that brings teams and ideas together”.
Further, he states: “Our new design system is built on the idea that extraordinary things happen when diverse minds come together. We communicate this visually by pairing contrasting colours, type, and imagery to show what’s possible when we bring ideas together in unexpected ways.”
He continues: “Our new system lets us pick the right amount of expressiveness for the situation. Colour can go from a standard Dropbox blue to ‘whoa’.”
Jitkoff makes it clear what Dropbox’s intention is with the redesign – to foster creativity. The company is trying to create a space that fits with its customers’ unique personalities.
Jessica English, head of brand marketing, and James Keating, head of marketing EMEA, provided further context on the rebranding.
Why? As Jessica puts it, Dropbox found in a competitive analysis that they were too similar to their competitors, both in image and messaging. They aimed to shift the perception of Dropbox from a place that you store your files to a place that creative collaboration takes place.
They acted to stand out in a competitive product category and to create a stronger connection between brand and consumer.
What Designers Dislike About the Redesign
Designers have expressed that the redesign moves away from what designers loved about the company – their simple, consistent design that acted as a blank canvas for users. The redesign is anything but simple and consistent – not only are users able to change the platform’s colors, but it’s fonts as well. As a result, some call the decision scattered and say it lacks direction.
Where the Redesign Works
The numbers, however, disagree with designers’ distaste. The pricing page changed with the redesign. It was more colorful and modern and less simplistic. Designers cringed, but the new page actually performed. The company saw a double-digit metrics lift after implementing, and then tweaking its new design. So despite what critics have to say, Dropbox is seeing success from its change.
What Do You Think of the Rebranding?
There’s some bad and good here. On one hand, designers are fair to point out that this is a massive brand change and it moves from what consumers love about the brand. In an interview, Dropbox acknowledges this as well, but still sees it as necessary. Dropbox does seem committed to the rebrand and has solid reasoning behind it, along with strong performance metrics.
What do you think of the rebranding? Was it the right decision? Let us know in the comments below.
