Behind the Design: Sandisk’s New Brand
Adil Siddiqee
[5 min read]
At the heart of the new Sandisk logo lies a concept that VP of Creative, Joel Davis, has been long inspired by – the pixel. A fundamental unit of data, the pixel represents the power of creation and expansion.
“This is the inception point that Sandisk builds off, and it is the cornerstone of our ability to innovate,” says Joel. “By starting with the pixel, we could visually communicate the scalability and infinite potential of data – the core of what Sandisk stands for.” He added, “We were very intentional in creating a mark that embodies the spirit of this thinking.”
We had a chance to catch up with Davis and discuss the conception, inspiration, and meaning behind the design and the bold characteristics of the mark.
Pixel-Driven, Angular Design
Building around this essential unit of data embeds technology in the Sandisk visual from the jump, anchoring the S letterforms and guiding the width of the letters and shape of the serifs. The modular, almost mechanical feel from the angular pixel base combines with more natural and humanistic curves to weave in the exploratory and ephemeral feeling of inspiration. These also suggest an overall adaptability and versatility: essential traits for a brand that enables mobility and evolves alongside its audiences.
Davis says, “The flexibility mirrors the iterative nature of innovation – all the trial and error, tweaks and revisions essential for pushing the bounds of what’s possible to drive change.”
Iconic Open Letterforms
Another new feature of Sandisk’s new brand is the logo’s fragmented letterforms. “We wanted the logo to have a sense of openness and invitation,” Davis explained. “The iconic open D and the S both symbolize collaboration and partnerships.” These open, unconnected letterforms invite the viewer to engage with the logo and be part of the conversation.
Broad Serif Forms
Reimagining key elements like the pixel-driven S creates sturdy, geometric forms that reinforce a sense of precision and immediacy, driving Sandisk’s new definition of future-forward and modern expression. Bringing forward the slab serif and broadening the serif forms themselves uplifts and emphasizes Sandisk’s legacy of industry leadership and powerful foundation through strong typography that reflects the company’s robust and resilient nature.
“Our goal was to unite the company’s strengths and future vision by starting with clean lines and building on those with more stylized and meaningful statement elements to add emotional depth and really root the visual identity in the story of the brand. We want it to be cool, of course,” Davis laughs, “but we want it to feel purposeful as well.”
Warm Color Palette
The color palette was another key element in the logo’s rebranding. “While the red isn’t the exact same red, we still felt that maintaining this core color is essential,” says Davis. “It’s a little warmer…we wanted something that feels really immediate and hot.”
Distinct & Dynamic Mark Defies Convention
The Sandisk team worked with ELA Advertising, a Los Angeles based creative agency, to develop the new brand. The team set out to create a bold brand mark that would stand out.
Andre Filip, CEO of ELA, says, “If the future had a logo, it might look like the new Sandisk mark. We were inspired by the role of technology in driving people forward and wanted to create a word mark that reflects Flash and how people use and consume data.”
It's a new day at Sandisk
“This word mark is both informed by the past and evolved for the future,” says Davis. Uniting the contemporary with the enduring, this mark represents a heritage of mobility and versatility, communicating the idea that progress is not an end point but a way of being.
“It represents a new era for the Sandisk brand,” says Davis. “At its core, this mark embodies our innovative spirit and commitment to redefining what is possible in the lives of our customers."