KKBox, stylized as KKBOX, is a Taiwan-based music streaming service founded in 2005. The company’s visual identity has undergone several documented changes, most recently a 2020 rebranding that updated both the wordmark and the app icon.
Design and History
KKBOX’s official brand page documents that the previous version of the logo featured a lowercase “b” in the middle presented as a music note, indicating the company’s core business of music. The current logo transforms that lowercase b into a capitalized B, with the official explanation that the change reflects a desire “to dream big.” [1]
In 2013, KKBOX announced a new corporate logo that removed a hexagonal music note symbol from the front of the wordmark, leaving only the “KKBOX” lettering. The change accompanied the company’s expansion beyond digital music into ticketing services and other businesses. [2]
The most recent rebranding took place in 2020. According to a detailed account in BIOS Monthly, KKBOX worked with the design studio dosomething studio on the project. The rebranding was prompted by the company’s expansion from music streaming into podcasts and audiobooks, broadening its scope to “sound content.” [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The 2020 logo change carries explicit documented meaning. KKBOX’s design lead Jaco explained that the transformation of the lowercase b into a capitalized B carries the aspiration of “Dream Big.” The change also symbolized a shift “from pure music notes to a broader world of sound.” [3]
The rebranding was built around three core values that emerged from internal workshops: fearlessness, diversity, and curiosity. These values were consolidated under the brand purpose “Every Voice Inspires.” [3]
The updated app icon was designed to emphasize “breaking through frames,” with a bidirectional opening that represents music and podcasts flowing within, echoing the brand slogan “Listen, and be heard.” [3]
Typography and Design
KKBOX’s official brand guidelines specify the brand standard color as PANTONE 305C, with CMYK values of 54 0 6 0, RGB values of 9 206 246, and HEX code #09CEF6. [1] Internally, this new standard color is referred to as “KK Blue.” [3]
The 2020 redesign also simplified the color system. Previously, the brand used as many as 11 auxiliary colors, which diluted the brand’s color recognition. The new system locked the standard color and selected lighter yellow and purple as auxiliary colors, with the intent that “auxiliary colors should not overpower KK Blue.” [3]
According to design lead Jaco, the 2020 wordmark adjustments made the letterforms slightly thinner and lighter, and the logo became entirely uppercase for greater visual consistency. [3]
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