Zwift is a massively multiplayer online fitness platform for cycling and running, founded in 2014 and launched publicly in 2015. The company’s visual identity centers on a stylized letter “Z” mark, introduced in a 2017 rebrand that the company nicknamed “Big Zee” or “Big Z.”
Design and History
Zwift’s original logo was used from the platform’s 2014-2015 launch period until October 2017. On October 2, 2017, Zwift rolled out a complete rebrand featuring a new bold logo nicknamed “Big Zee” by the brand, along with a new colour scheme and custom water and cloud graphics in a neon-oriented design set. The rebrand was described by Zwift’s PR manager Chris Snook as “part of an overall bolder, brighter tone for Zwift,” created “to better represent the ever growing Zwift community.” [1]
Zwift’s own 10-year anniversary timeline confirms that the “Big Z” logo was introduced in 2017. [2] The current mark is registered as a trademark consisting of “a stylized letter ‘Z’ with the word ‘ZWIFT’ below.” [3] A separate trademark registration covers the stylized letter “Z” on its own, used for software services enabling individuals to connect and interact in an online multiplayer exercise world. [4]
The 2017 redesign drew immediate public reaction. Community commentary at the time noted the logo’s asymmetry and bold, forward-slanted form, with one observer describing it as “a puffed up, asymmetrical, little big Z” that communicated the brand as “arrived but evolving.” [5] Zwift’s co-founder Jon Mayfield responded to early criticism on the company forums, saying “in a few weeks I’m sure it’ll be second nature for everybody (and you’ll notice how old the old logo is starting to look).” [6]
Meaning and Symbolism
Zwift’s official communications describe the orange color as “signature Zwift orange,” used as a brand accent across products and collaborations. [7] The Zwift logo appears on the company’s collaborative Bravur watch dial at the 12 o’clock position, anchoring the design, with the orange seconds hand described as “the most animated element on the dial.” [7]
Beyond the orange accent, Zwift’s visual identity extends into its virtual worlds. The company’s collaboration announcement references “the Zwift pattern” and a small orange logo with an in-joke reference to Watopia, Zwift’s main riding world. [7] The brand’s characteristic orange is also noted in third-party coverage of Zwift collaborations, which describes the color as “Zwift’s characteristic orange.” [8]
Typography and Design
Brand asset tracking lists Zwift’s primary brand color as orange with hex code #FB6418, alongside white and a dark color described as “Woodsmoke.” [9] The trademark registration for the Z ZWIFT mark describes the logo as a stylized letter “Z” with the word “ZWIFT” below it, without claiming color as a feature of the mark. [3]
Zwift has extended its visual identity into sub-brands. A 2024 trademark application for “ZWIFT READY” describes a mark consisting of the stylized word “ZWIFT” above the word “READY” with a stylized wireless signal design to the left. [10] The company also filed a trademark for “ZWIFTERS” featuring “a stylized three-dimensional letter ‘Z'” with the word underneath, covering apparel and footwear. [11]
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