OpenWeb is a technology company that provides community engagement and conversation platforms for publishers, enabling them to host discussions directly on their own sites. The company was formerly known as Spot.IM and announced its rebrand to OpenWeb in a blog post by co-founder and CEO Nadav Shoval, who wrote, “I’m proud to announce that as of today, ‘Spot.IM’ is now ‘OpenWeb.'” [1]
Design and History
The OpenWeb visual identity was created by COLLINS, an independent strategy, design and communications firm with offices in San Francisco and New York City. COLLINS was invited to conduct a “full-on reimagination” of the brand, with work beginning in late 2019. [2] The project was recognized as a winner in the AIGA 365: A Year in Design competition for 2021. [3]
The identity was inspired by 19th century typography and newspaper headlines of past decades, creating a narrative that represents OpenWeb’s core belief in written communication and resonates with publishers. [4] COLLINS design director Megan Bowker explained that the studio hoped to imply “considered attention” by hinting at “a time when it took manual labour to put words into existence (carefully setting type with metal and ink).” [5]
On the OpenWeb website, the team adopted an editorial look and feel, with an off-white background colour evoking the colour of newspaper and a serif typeface further emphasizing the idea. [2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The OpenWeb logo is a minimalist mark in the shape of seven W’s that form the letter O. COLLINS states that the emblem “symbolises harmony and exchange.” [2] The studio took the W from OpenWeb’s name and turned it into a circular symbol of letters which, when animated, resembles the shifting forms seen at the end of a kaleidoscope. [6]
COLLINS said they looked to “enduring symbols of key movements in history,” such as the extinction symbol, nuclear disarmament symbol and the creative commons symbol, hoping to capture the spirit of these marks for OpenWeb’s own vision for the future. [5] The AIGA project description notes that the symbol “tells a story of exchange, enlightenment, and harmony that can exist within widely differing perspectives.” [3]
Typography and Design
COLLINS borrowed from bold, striking typographic headline styles of early 20th-century newspapers, a vernacular familiar to publishers that would speak to them in a provocative voice while conveying trust. [3] The identity pairs this serif typography with a tight colour system and motion design, marrying centuries-old visual styles with modern digital technology. [4]
COLLINS also invented a digital technique for intertwining libraries of open-source content to reflect diverse conversations, complemented by a colour system used across interface design and product illustrations. [7]
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