Nokia’s New Era – A Logo towards Networks and Digitisation

Nokia’s sales hit $26.3 billion in 2022, and it wasn’t by selling phones. The perception had to change, and rebranding was the best way to do so.

The new logo, revealed ahead of the Mobile World Congress Barcelona, features a lighter colour scheme and a series of unconnected shapes, departing from the well-known navy blue typeface. The new logo uses a design technique known as disappearing letters. Some letter strokes removed. It is sleek but risky. Interestingly, the new design has caused some to draw parallels to a recent and criticized rebranding effort.

Crafted by the innovative firm Lippincott, the fresh logo showcases a collection of delicate lines and circles that form the word 'Nokia' in a free-flowing manner. In line with current design trends witnessed in recent rebrandings, a few letters are deliberately absent, causing some to question its legibility. Interestingly, many have noted its similarity to the recent Kia rebrand, prompting comparisons between the two.

Nokia has declared that they are revamping their brand to mirror their current identity as a B2B technology pioneer driving innovation at the intersection of networks and cloud. This rebranding is a vital element of their updated strategy. Despite being recognized as a successful mobile phone brand, Nokia aims to shift its focus to networks and industrial digitalization, a distinct departure from their mobile phone legacy. They hope to launch a new brand that centers on these areas.

For those heartbroken over the disappearance of Nokia's former logo, there may be a glimmer of hope. The mobile phone sector of Nokia was acquired by HMD Global in 2016, and they possess the legal rights to apply the Nokia brand to their devices. Whether HMD Global will preserve the previous logo or not, remains to be seen.