New identity includes a delightfully appropriate typeface name.
(Image credit: Durex)
Durex, one of the world's biggest condom manufacturers, has revealed a new brand identity designed by Havas London, in a bid to position itself as an activist championing the "positive reality" of sex.
Another new addition to the flat design movement, Durex's new logo does away with the original's convex, reflective style while maintaining the lozenge shape. It's got rid of the light flare so that the 'x' of its name is more prominent, which feels appropriate, given that this only emphasises the X-rated nature of its products. This more modern, simplified mark is another trend we're seeing more and more of (and something you can read all about in our logo design guide).
Durex is keeping it clean (Image credit: Durex/Future Owns)
Havas' rebrand also includes a new bespoke typeface by Colophon Foundry, with an ingeniously simple yet effective name: One Night Sans. This delightful play on the phrase 'one night stand' is certainly Twitter's most appreciated element of the new identity. If you're inspired to switch up your fonts, take a look at our list of the best (but admittedly less pun-tastic) free fonts.
But despite the fun typeface name, Durex isn't screwing around. Elliot Harris, RB global executive creative director at Havas says the rebrand, "could be the most important piece of work we ever do", positioning the 91 year-old brand as an activist against sexual stigmas and taboos. A series of posters declaring 'porn's not the norm', and 'STD's are kinda real' (all based on the findings of Durex's 2017 Global Sex Survey) accompany the new look.
A sobering message for your morning commute (Image credit: Durex)
We love the cleaner look. Havas says it "needed a brand mark that behaved like a stamp of authenticity and trust", and the new, less glossy logo certainly makes us feel nice and safe (pun intended).
That 'x' is hitting the spot for us (Image credit: Durex)
It's great to see a new sense of brand activism from Durex (we certainly like to think it's possible for design to change the world). "Make no mistake, this is a proper commitment," says Harris. We applaud Durex for its ambition – and for making us laugh with that typeface name.
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Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
