Ren is a name shared by several distinct organizations, each with its own visual identity. The most prominent documented examples include the Indianapolis-based financial services firm formerly known as RenPSG, the blockchain interoperability protocol Ren, and the Tokyo-based design company ren. This article covers the documented logo histories for each.
Design and History
Ren (formerly RenPSG)
On March 22, 2022, RenPSG announced it had changed its name to Ren. The shortened name simplified the company’s brand and reflected the prominence of the already heavily used abbreviation. Along with the name change, the company unveiled a new logo featuring a simple lowercase “r” mark. The new look began appearing in online and digital venues immediately, with plans to extend it to company correspondence and advertising.[1]
Ren (blockchain protocol)
Ren is an open protocol that enables the movement of value between blockchains. The project maintains an official brand hub that provides logos for partners and integrators. The main Ren logo is designated for use when reflecting the Ren company or the REN token, and the brand guidelines instruct users not to recolor, skew, or alter the aspect ratio of any logos without prior permission from the Ren team.[2]
ren (Tokyo design company)
The Tokyo-based company formerly known as Quarterback (QB) changed its corporate name to ren in 2022. As part of the rebrand, the company commissioned a new corporate logo from art director Haru Shibata of GIGANTIC. The new symbol mark is described as a “Q that is half-untied, half-tied,” playing on the letter Q as a knot. The design carries a dual meaning: Q stands for “Question,” reflecting the company’s commitment to questioning assumptions and approaching clients’ true challenges, while the knot imagery represents the process of building relationships and solving problems together with partners. The corporate color continues the previous green while adopting a more nuanced shade that expresses the concept of “betweenness.”[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
For the Tokyo-based ren, the new symbol mark’s “half-untied, half-tied Q” motif embodies the company’s brand concept of “designing connections.” The design expresses a desire to question assumptions while valuing the process of tying relationships and solving problems together with clients.[3]
For the blockchain protocol Ren, the brand hub does not document specific symbolic meaning for the logo itself, but it emphasizes that the main Ren logo “should always be used as is” when representing the company or REN token.[2]
Typography and Design
For the Tokyo-based ren, the logo was designed by Haru Shibata, art director at GIGANTIC. The project involved collaboration between Shibata and several internal company members, with the design refined through multiple rounds of feedback before finalization.[3]
For RenPSG’s rebrand to Ren, the company described the new mark as a “simple lowercase ‘r’ logo,” though no designer or agency attribution has been publicly documented.[1]
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