Instagram’s Gradient Icon: How to Modernise a Famous Mark Without Losing It

When Instagram replaced its camera icon in May 2016, people had strong opinions. The way the team approached the change is a useful lesson for any brand that needs to modernise something familiar.

What happened

On 11 May 2016, Instagram swapped its brown, detailed, retro camera icon for a flat white camera outline on a purple, orange and red gradient. According to Dezeen’s report, the app’s design lead Ian Spalter explained that the old icon no longer reflected the community and that a simpler glyph would scale better.

The team’s method is the most useful part. They first tried flattening the old icon but found those versions lost the weight of the original. To find what really mattered, they asked employees to draw the Instagram icon from memory in five seconds. Almost everyone drew the same three things: the rainbow, the lens and the viewfinder. The final icon kept those three elements as a simple outline over a colourful gradient.

The change went beyond the icon. The Drum reported that the app interface moved to white and grey in place of its signature blue, so that the photos stood out. Reaction was mixed, with some users preferring the old look.

Draw it from memory

The five-second drawing test is simple and works for any brand. Ask ten people, customers and staff, to sketch your logo, your pack or your shopfront without looking. The details that appear every time are your distinctive assets: what people really remember. The details that nobody draws can usually change.

Lessons for your own brand

1. Find the core before you simplify. Know which two or three elements carry the recognition.
2. Design for small sizes. Icons live on phone screens, favicons and social avatars. Check your logo at 16 pixels. Our logo file pack checklist covers this.
3. Let the content lead. A quieter interface helped the photos stand out. Your brand should frame what you do, not compete with it.
4. Change the system, not just the symbol. Colour, grids and icons were updated together so that the pieces fitted.
5. Expect mixed feedback. Early reactions to change are often negative. Judge a rebrand on behaviour over months, not comments in week one. See how to test a rebrand before launch.

Where to start

If your brand feels dated but you’re afraid of losing what works, begin with the memory test. Then see our guides to creating a brand identity and the rebrand process. Or book a free brand consultation and we’ll help you find the parts worth keeping.

Sources

• Instagram scraps retro logo for more “modern” design, Dezeen
• Instagram unveils new logo as the app gets a monochrome makeover, The Drum

Cover photo by Andrey Matveev on Unsplash.