Pentagram, is behind the latest dynamic brand refresh of PayPal, the renowned global digital payment platform. With a new bespoke typeface, distilled colour palette, and refreshed motions, the project aims to enhance the existing strengths of such a major name while simultaneously unifying its growth with a new, optimistic, and sharper visual identity.
Launched alongside PayPal’s new debit card in September 2024, this project was guided by Pentagram’s Andrea Trabucco-Campos and his team, who worked to distil the brand’s core principles of simplicity, optimism, and trust into a cohesive visual language. Central to this effort was the creation of PayPal Pro, a bespoke typeface that builds upon LL Supreme—a modern reimagining of Paul Renner’s classic 1927 geometric sans serif, Futura. While rooted in the timeless clarity of ancient letterforms, PayPal Pro merges dynamic innovation with a nod to tradition, reflecting both the brand’s forward-looking energy and its established success. The result is a design that captures PayPal’s pioneering spirit while honouring the strength of its heritage.
PayPal’s distinctive monogram has also been refreshed to present a sharper appearance. In the updated mark, the angle of the layered letters remains consistent, while the curves at the corners of the letterforms have been refined for a crisper facade. This timeless wordmark is complemented by a neutral black and white colour palette, with Pentagram’s choice of these classic colours, reinforcing the principles of trust and simplicity that define the visual identity. The enduring qualities of these shades evoke a sense of brand longevity and stability, with the neutrality of the colour choice distinguishing the logo from the electric blue commonly associated with the financial technology sector.
Abandoning their signature wordmark colour is a significant step in Paypal’s identity, yet it further reassures users and partners of the progress and innovation they are committed to continuing. The updated colour scheme also eliminates the yellow from the previous palette, distancing PayPal from its past designs and creating space for reinvention and future growth. Additionally, PayPal extended this update to its user interface by changing the yellow payment buttons to black, achieving greater refinement and harmony among the icons
In relation to the brand’s motion language, the team aimed to develop a polished system based on common payment behaviours, including tapping, flipping, and swiping. Additionally, the refreshed animations accentuate PayPal’s ease of use and emphasise the seamless nature of the digital platform, which has successfully supported global commerce transactions for years. As the platform’s functions continue to evolve and modernise for optimal customer experience, it was important that the motions of the visual identity also reflect this progress.
This brilliant brand refresh and bespoke font was brought to life by many members of the Pentagram team, who worked alongside Diego Scotti, Executive Vice President and General Manager of PayPal’s Consumer Group and Global Marketing & Communications, as well as Geoff Seeley, Chief Marketing Officer at PayPal, and the company’s internal communications, marketing, and advertising teams for the rebrand.
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