How Bold Brands Are Rewriting the Rules of Brand Identity And How You Can get Ready.

Three years ago, I was hosted by Brandversations Africa — Africa’s premier community for brand builders, brand owners and brand managers in the continent—with my friend Tosin. Over three Saturdays, we debated the future of distinctive brand assets.

Back then, we argued that brands would soon abandon rigid logo rules. Instead, they’d lean into bold, fragmented expressions of their identity: a sliver of color here, a half-hidden shape there. We didn’t know how it would happen, but we saw hints in Coca-Cola’s iconic bottle silhouette—a shape so recognisable it could stand alone in ads, no logo needed.

Then, last year, British Airways dropped a campaign that left marketers breathless. Their billboards featured nothing but the jagged edge of a plane’s window frame and the letters “BRITIS” cut off mid-word. No logo. No “British Airways” spelled out. Just pure, unapologetic brand confidence.

At the time, it felt risky—almost rebellious. Today, it’s part of a growing wave.

What’s pushing brands to strip back their most sacred symbol—the logo—and still feel more recognisable? Let’s unpack it.

It’s Deeper Than Just “Being Bold”

This isn’t just about minimalism or chasing trends. It’s a survival tactic in a world where attention spans are shredded and consumer brains are on autopilot.

For example, when walking through a crowded market or busy shopping area. Your eyes skip over stalls cluttered with text, but your focus is pulled by a flash of red and white swirls and you immediately think, Coca-Cola. No words needed. That’s the power of distinctive brand assets (DBAs)—elements like colors, shapes, or sounds that act as shortcuts to your brand’s memory vault.

Brands like British Airways and Coke are tapping into two primal truths:

1. The human brain hates working overtime. We’re wired to recognize patterns, not decode tiny logos on mobile screens. A study by the University of Loyola found that color alone increases brand recognition by 80%. When BA used that airplane window—a shape their frequent flyers have stared at for hours—they bypassed logic and went straight to memory.
2. We’re drowning in sameness. Social media feeds are a blur of near-identical sans-serif logos and “clean” designs. To stand out, brands must weaponize uniqueness. Take Guinness for example: their harp symbol appears in fragments across African billboards, yet locals still feel the brand. It’s not just a logo—it’s cultural code.

But this shift is also fuelled by some mega trends:

• Digital Darwinism: Logos designed for storefronts crumble on TikTok thumbnails or VR headsets. Dynamic assets (like Spotify’s pulsating sound-waves) adapt fluidly. In today's world logos are expected to have a sense of motion even when still.
• The Trust Economy: Younger audiences distrust “perfect” branding. A raw, partial logo (think Supreme’s box logo peeled halfway off a skateboard) feels authentic, not corporate.

Why Bother?

Removing your logo isn’t a vanity project. It’s a stress test for your brand’s soul.

When I worked with a Nairobi-based fintech startup, we hid their audio logo (brand sound) in a radio ad and used only their signature “coin clink” sound. Listeners still named the brand 65% of the time. That’s the moment you realize: your logo isn’t the sum of your brand identifier. Your assets are.

Here’s why this matters:

1. It Reveals What You Truly Own; Can your brand survive on a sliver of its identity? Coca-Cola owns red, the contoured bottle, and its cursive script. If you stripped their logo, they’d still have 3 backup assets. Most brands have zero.
2. It Future-Proofs Against Black Swans; During Kenya’s 2017 election crisis, brands like Safaricom kept advertising with just their green color and “tone” (their iconic ringtone). No logos—just familiarity even in chaos.
3. It Forces Emotional Auditing; A logo is a nameplate. A DBA is a feeling. When Apple removed the logo from their AirPods ads and focused on the silhouette of the earbuds, they weren’t selling tech—they were selling status, simplicity, a “click” into a tribe.

10 Questions To know If Your Logo Is Future Ready.

Before you experiment, ask:

1. If your logo was erased from your top campaign, what’s left? Could a stranger still name your brand?
2. Do you have a “hero asset” (color, sound, shape) that’s been consistently used for 5+ years?
3. When people describe your brand, do they mention feelings (“trust,” “joy”) or just products?
4. Can your logo survive a toddler’s crayon doodle? (If it’s unrecognizable, it’s too complex.)
5. Have you ever tested recognition with fragments? (e.g., showing 20% of your logo to loyal customers.)
6. Does your logo rely on trends (e.g., gradients) that might expire?
7. Could your brand be identified in silence? (Think of Netflix’s “ta-dum” sound.)
8. Do you have cultural collateral? (Like KFC’s Colonel silhouette, which works in Lagos or Lahore.)
9. Have you mapped your assets by sensory channel? (Visual, sound, motion.)
10. Would your team panic if the logo vanished tomorrow?

How to Start Building a Logo-less Future (Without Losing Your Mind)

Begin small. Run a “brand blackout” experiment:

• Social Test: Post a carousel with your logo progressively fading. Track how recognition drops.
• Sensory Audit: List every asset (e.g., jingles, packaging textures) that isn’t your logo. Which feels ownable?
• Steal Like Spotify: They use animated soundwaves as a DBA. What’s your equivalent?

This isn’t about abandoning your logo—it’s about building a universe around it.

If these questions keep you up at night, let’s talk. I’m offering free 30 minutes sessions to ONLY 10 brand leaders. I will help you stress-test your logo and uncover your hidden assets. No jargon, no slides—just an honest conversation about your brand's future.

Click here to sign up! Let’s future-proof your brand.