spirit of ecstasy fronts rolls-royce's new brand identity by pentagram

as the famed british marque continues their journey from automotive manufacturer to a leading house of luxury, rolls-royce reveals their new brand identity envisioned by pentagram. the design sees their famed sculptural figurine, the spirit of ecstasy, become even more symbolic of luxury as their leading logo – for communication as well as literally on the front of their cars – refined to the point of obsession. the statue is joined by their famed double ‘R’ badge and an art-deco-inspired typeface sourced from the 1930s. the resulting modernized visual language stays true to their heritage while setting their trajectory for a brighter, more contemporary future.

the spirit of ecstasy statue has been turned into a refined logo (before and after)
all images courtesy of rolls-royce

multi-disciplinary design studio pentagram created rolls-royce’s new brand identity to signify their transition beyond cars to being a house of luxury. as such, it needed to appeal to the marque’s new younger demographic of clients on both a digital and physical level. the process began with a deep exploration of the british brand, their design ethos, designers, and the unique relationship they have with clients as they create bespoke products, like the phantom.

‘what soon became apparent is that rolls-royce has evolved from being regarded as an automotive manufacturer into a leading light in the world of luxury,‘ explains marina willer, partner at pentagram. ‘it was essential for us to ensure that the brand’s new identity reflected this shift. we needed to present rolls-royce in a forward-facing, fresh and relevant way – speaking to new audiences while respecting the company’s loyal clients.‘

the spirit of ecstasy expression adds an aura of extra luxury to the brand’s communication

the spirit of ecstasy has graced the front of rolls-royce’s cars since 1911. over the years, it has become symbolic of both rolls-royce and luxury in kind. the new brand identity increases the prominence of the statue, evolving it into the minimal form of an illustration. pentagram enlisted the help of illustrator chris mitchell to distil the iconic sculpture originally drawn and sculpted by british artist charles sykes. the illustration builds upon her beauty, style and perfection to emphasize her quiet power and authoritative nature. the logo has also changed in direction from left to right to resemble the marque’s shift to a new future.

‘the use of the spirit of ecstasy marks a shift in the resonance of the brand – from an automotive to a lifestyle context. she commands an aspirational quality in the luxury sphere and by placing her at the centre of the visual language. the spirit of ecstasy can now be interpreted as the muse for the marque, in addition to the motor cars themselves,‘ adds marina willer.

building upon the new logo further, an ethereal yet tech-like visual treatment has also been created, called the spirit of ecstasy expression. appearing as if a digitalized silken fabric, the fluid form of aura adds another luxurious layer to their communication. it can be used on any surface, from projection to embroidery and printing to engraving.

the double ‘R’ monogram

as well as the spirit of ecstasy, the new brand identity has modernized another badge of excellence for rolls-royce – their double ‘R’ badge of honor. this mark remains unchanged and will only grace products made at their home in goodwood, UK. a minimal monogram depiction will be used in their communication, however.

the wordmark ‘rolls-royce motor cars’ has been replaced by an art-deco-inspired font

the wordmark ‘rolls-royce motor cars’ has been replaced in favor of a new typography inspired by the art-deco style. pentagram uncovered this typography in the marque’s archives from the 1930s and used it to form the basis of the new wordmark. like the rest of the visual language, it is much more refined in appearance as it reflects the whispering power of the brand. as well, in the search for a font that depicts luxury without being overtly decorative, their communication typeface has been updated to ‘riviera nights’, which stems from the same family as their previous font, ‘gil sans alt’. it displays more crafted and bevelled letters than before.

before and after of the wordmark

as the background of rolls-royce’s new brand identity, pentagram has chosen a more expressive luxurious color palette than previously. named ‘purple spirit’, this deep and majestic hue signifies wealth and power due to its historic rarity in nature and roots in mythology, art, piety and royalty. it is complemented by an elegant metallic rose gold as well as a wider palette of expressive colors alongside these primary tones.

the spirit of ecstasy takes a more significant presence across the new visual language