American Express
Evolving the Logo System
visual identity — design strategy — design systems
The challenge
American Express’s Blue Box logos are the brand’s most recognizable assets. As Amex’s identity evolved across an increasingly diverse range of channels, formats, partners, and experiences, there was an opportunity to clarify how its logo assets should be used—and expand the role of Blue Boxes in ways that could strengthen brand recognition and salience.
My role
I partnered closely with Pentagram and Amex’s Director of Brand Design Strategy to refine the strategy, rules, and roles governing the Amex logo system.
The work brought together research, feedback, strategic inputs, best practices, and real-world applications to create a more flexible and intentional approach to logo usage.
Impact
The evolved identity system gave American Express a more flexible and intentional approach to its most distinctive brand assets—enabling broader, more consistent use of the Blue Boxes while providing clearer guidance for teams, agencies, and partners around the world.
Selected details and visual examples are omitted due to the confidential nature of the work.
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Expanded the role of the “AMEX” Blue Box, establishing guidelines that enable broader use of the highly recognizable blue “AMEX” logo in contexts where the full American Express Blue Box had previously been used.
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Introduced new single-color Blue Box variants in white and black, allowing Amex’s strongest brand asset to work more effectively across a wider range of backgrounds, formats, and production contexts.
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Refined the role of the American Express Logotype, establishing three specific scenarios in which it can be used as a primary logo while prioritizing the Blue Box wherever possible.
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Refined logo lock-up principles for partnerships, sponsorships, and co-branded communications, providing greater clarity around when and how different logo assets should be combined.
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Collaborated with Pentagram to refine the layout and design of Amex’s global Logo Suite Guidelines, the documentation used by internal Design teams, agencies, and partners.
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Partnered with Brand Management to update Amex’s online brand guidelines, ensuring the digital guidelines reflected the evolution of the visual identity.
