An established anonymity platform is giving networking a go, diversifying functionality and revitalising visuals as it expands. Glassdoor has been known as the home of workplace reviews, where anonymity afforded employees the freedom of honesty in ways other platforms cannot offer. 

Now, with a major rebrand from partner agency Koto, the platform has new communicative features to pair with a refreshed style.

“Our work focused on shifting the experience from being a destination purely for insights, into a community for real work talk,” Koto posted on its LinkedIn page.

“Together, we built Glassdoor a holistic identity exuding confidence, transparency, and open-mindedness—positioning the brand as the centre of workplace conversations.”

Expanding beyond the rumblings of disgruntled former employees

Enhanced communication is a functional leap that can help the company branch out to new and more engaged users.

‘Bowls’ are spaces for direct chatting with optional levels of anonymity within companies,  industries or communities, so that professionals can seek assistance with their concerns. Employers can keep tabs on staff expressions, but in small companies this could see the feature gain little traction as identities are easier to uncover.

This follows Glassdoor’s 2021 acquisition of networking app Fishbowl, a natural partnership due to a common ethos of frank feedback. Now named ‘Fishbowl by Glassdoor’, the app has similar offerings to what Glassdoor is integrating into its main service.

“Today, Glassdoor becomes a home for workplace conversations,” says senior creative director Tim Murray. 

“We’re incorporating real talk in real time into our experience.”

Refreshed visuals bring a Glassdoor playful energy

Koto utilised four defining principles to redefine Glassdoor’s representation: “fresh”, “attentive”, “true” and “gutsy”. The theme is precisely refined yet expansive, including vibrant colours, a casual font and prominent motion through animations. 

The centrepiece is a new logo with Glassdoor initials “g” and “d” as quotation marks bookending the company name, permitting a transformation to a minimal form for Glassdoor’s app.

Graphic designer Josep Puy has pioneered a cast of illustrative characters for Glassdoor, creating a series of sketches that “capture a wide range of emotions at the intersection of work and life”, according to Murray. Glassdoor will continue to evolve the project internally.

It’s rebrand season

Another recent platform rebrand came from Rome2Rio, with the company pivoting to a new logo that could better engage its global consumer base.

“The move away from the previous cursive script was a deliberate move to maximise the logo’s readability for our diverse global user base,” Rome2Rio CEO Yesh Munnangi recently wrote for Marketing.

“As more than 50 percent of Rome2Rio’s users are not native English speakers, the new logo’s simplicity and readability are paramount.”