Burger King announces revamped identity – draws mixed reactions

Burger King (BK) has announced a new visual design that will be present throughout all touchpoints of the guest experience. A press note claims that the design is inspired by real food and the look marks the first complete rebrand in over 20 years.

The note mentions that the redesign is supposed to emphasise on digital-first expression and makes references to recent improvements to taste and food quality.

The new logo will be seen at outlets and on food packaging, effective immediately. The BK crew will also get a redesigned uniform. The old logo was launched in 1999 and the new one appears to pay homage to the brand’s design heritage.

The note mentions that the selected colours are inspired by BK’s flame-grilling process and fresh ingredients. The new photography is meant to be hypertextured and dials up the sensorial aspect of the food. BK’s new proprietary brand font is (appropriately) called 'Flame' and is inspired by the rounded shapes of its food.

“Design is one of the most essential tools we have for communicating who we are and what we value, and it plays a vital role in creating desire for our food and maximising guests’ experience,” said Rapha Abreu, VP, global head of design at restaurant brands international - Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons. “We wanted to use design to get people to crave our food; its flame-grilling process and taste."

Guests will start seeing the new visual identity soon. Over the next few years, BK aims to implement this new design at restaurant locations globally.

Love it or hate it?

Roshnee Desai, founder and creative director at design agency LOCAL, admits that she quite liked the QSR chain’s revamped logo. She adds that it looks quite retro and is, in a way, a return to the brand’s roots.

After all, the brand sported a similar logo back in the 1990s. The logo has evolved during the brand’s lifetime and seems to have come back full circle, going back to the basics.

Desai mentions that the logo makes her feel nostalgic because the colours and the typeface take her back to a time when brands sported bright loud primary colours. At the time, logos and graphic design relied heavily on a process called screen printing – which often came with a set of limited, primary colours.

“Burger King’s previous logo made it look like a fintech company. The new logo feels friendlier, warmer and more inclusive. The company has brought back its cheerful attitude and will be a conversation starter,” she opines.

Preeti Vyas, founder and chairwoman of Vyas Giannetti Creative, however, calls the design rudimentary and basic, opining that it was a missed opportunity. “With brands like Burger King, Pepsi, etc., which have been around for a long time, they only make incremental changes in their design and logo. This seems very basic.”

Vyas also points out that the new logo is similar to Hungry Jack’s – which is BK’s Australian franchise. She opines that the new logo and design is neither irreverent or playful.

“Between intent and delivery, there is a huge gap. The design is a very generic one, which is simplistic in idea and rendition... Even the packaging, according to me, is nothing special. I feel it's a missed opportunity to have designed a brand and design language that could have been more engaging and unique,” she concludes.