Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has given itself a make-over, at least on the digital front. It has created a new logo for itself, along with new brand colours and new typefaces, in an attempt to keep itself relevant in this era of increasing digitalisation. The logo has been inspired by the Spirit of Ecstacy – the legendary hood ornament that sits on the nose of Rolls-Royces.
Marina Willer at Pentagram has standardised Rolls-Royce’s visual themes employing a bespoke hue of purple, aptly named Purple Spirit. Purple was chosen to signify luxury and opulence, the central motif at Rolls-Royce and also to appeal to both male and female customers. She then paired it with metallic rose gold, a colour that will only be used in the printed form.
The Spirit of Ecstasy, a figurine which has graced the front fascia of every Rolls-Royce since 1911, will now gain increased prominence. It was originally designed by a British artist named Chris Sykes. Marina and Chris Mitchell, a contemporary illustrator that specialises in brand icons worked together on the two-dimensional illustration of the Spirit of Ecstasy, The sketch also noticeably changes the direction of the figure to the right, showing Rolls-Royce’s vision into the future.Many automakers including BMW and Audi have shifted to flat designs in the recent past, to adapt the usability of its logos on screens in both cars as well as on smartphones and computers. Rolls-Royce has set its flat design apart by using shadows and highlights to bring depth into an otherwise regular illustration.
Rolls-Royce clings to the double ‘R’ emblem, which it refers to as the Badge of Honour,. It can be seen on the grille of Rolls-Royce cars as well as engine covers of the company’s automotive and aerospace engines such as the one seen in the Boeing 747. However, Rolls-Royce will now be restricting the monogram to its products only – it will not be seen on any communication or online platform. The brand has also modified its typography to incorporate Rivera Nights as its new font, for use in all branding purposes.
The company has made this move in order to remain relevant in an ever-changing industry, and appeal to a younger customer base, since this audience was previously untapped by the luxury carmaker. It will work hand-in-hand with the Black Badge program, which has dropped the average age of Rolls-Royce customers down to 43. These changes will appear across Rolls-Royce’s communication platforms starting September.