Lyft is an American rideshare and mobility company founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer, with roots in the earlier long-distance carpooling platform Zimride. Its visual identity has evolved through several distinct phases, from a physical pink mustache mounted on driver grilles to a refined wordmark and expanded brand system.
Design and History
Lyft’s earliest and most recognizable brand identifier was a large, fuzzy, hot-pink mustache that drivers attached to the front grilles of their cars. The mustache was adopted to help the startup get attention on the busy roads of San Francisco and Los Angeles. [1] In 2014-2015, Lyft introduced the “Glowstache,” a sleeker, smaller light-up version designed by Ammunition Group for Lyft, both based in San Francisco. [2] Lyft’s creative director Jesse McMillin played a large role in launching the new logo, which was aimed at giving the company’s brand a more sophisticated look. [3]
In November 2016, Lyft retired the mustache entirely, replacing it with light-up beacons called “Amps” that sat on drivers’ dashboards. The change came about two years after the original fuzzy mustache was retired from car grilles. [1]
In May 2018, Lyft’s in-house creative team introduced a new look that included a signature font, icons, and an expanded color palette with a “dynamic secondary palette,” according to McMillin. [4]
In 2025, Lyft rolled out an updated logo designed by the branding studio Koto. The refresh was described as a natural progression of the brand’s existing identity, injecting it with a subtle boost of structure and maturity. [5] Koto described the work as refining the logo, color palette, and visual language to feel more mature while keeping Lyft’s joyful, people-first spirit intact. [6] The most visible change was the separation of the lowercase letters “f” and “t,” which had previously been connected by a playful path. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
Lyft’s brand has long been positioned as the warmer, friendlier ridesharing alternative, with its name suggestive of one offering you “a lift.” The logo, color scheme, graphics, and language were all designed to be welcoming and approachable, in contrast to competitor Uber’s cooler tones and steely image. [7] The pink mustache served as the original symbol of this friendly, community-oriented positioning, and pink has remained the anchor color of the brand through each subsequent redesign.
Typography and Design
Lyft’s 2018 brand refresh introduced a custom signature font called Lyft Pro, created by the in-house creative team. The font was based on an existing typeface, Sofia, and was described as a clean, modern sans serif. [4] Earlier Lyft brand guidelines from 2016 specified Gotham, a modern sans serif designed by Hoefler & Co., used in three weights: Gotham Light, Gotham Book, and Gotham Medium. [8]
The 2025 Koto redesign introduced a more geometric typography with more space between letters, projecting greater confidence while retaining the brand’s playful character. [9]
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