AOL Rebrand
The Task:
AOL was in need of a brand evolution, repositioning a name long synonymous with early internet culture into something calmer, more human, and built for today's digital landscape. Code and Theory partnered with AOL to develop the refreshed brand identity and core graphic language, working with the backing of Yahoo's executive leadership and in partnership with AOL's product and marketing teams.
The Online Refuge
As part of the Brand Studio, I worked closely alongside the team to help flesh out and extend the system into real-world applications. The identity reimagined AOL as a refuge from the noise of the internet, shifting the tone from transactional and tech-forward to emotionally resonant, with a custom logotype, a refreshed running man, and a new color system that traded cold blues for a confident, approachable yellow.
From there, I led the redesign of AOL's entire social campaign, rebuilding the templates and systems the team used to make everyday posts, so the new identity could show up consistently across every channel. I also concepted nostalgia-driven ideas meant to spark real excitement, reviving AIM Messenger, that reconnected longtime users with the brand's own roots.
You've Got Mail
In addition to launched work, I explored campaign directions to expand how the brand could show up across email, mobile, and app-store touchpoints. I also concepted a revival of the legacy AIM messenger, exploring how a nostalgic property like that could be reintroduced and monetized for a new generation of users.
I also built out the motion design for the in-app experience, from small micro-animations to the intro sequence that plays when someone signs up for a new email account, details meant to feel alive, not just functional.
Clear contrast. Vivid colors. Real, everyday moments. Warmth you can feel.
A Refuge Reimagined
I created the internal storytelling tools that carried the identity forward: presentation templates, social systems, campaign assets, and modular marketing frameworks, so teams across product, marketing, and social could apply the brand consistently and confidently. I also selected much of the new photography that helped translate the fresh rebrand into the existing product framework, giving every touchpoint the same cohesive, emotionally resonant feeling without ever losing its identity.
