Now almost 40 years old, the American Girl brand was recently revitalized by Pentagram. The work was driven by a new tagline, “Find your inner star.” While the premium doll brand has remained popular over the years, multiple American Girl spin-off doll lines and uncoordinated color palettes and marketing have diluted the company’s identity.
The five-pointed star from the original design has become a touchpoint throughout the updated system. It is now angled at 18 degrees, which references the 18-inch height of the dolls. Each brand photo now contains an Easter egg in the form of a star, and the star shape is also used in patterning and as image frames.
Color is a huge part of the identity’s new coordination. From the Pentagram website: “The rebrand establishes a consistent signature berry that will become AG’s own ‘Tiffany Blue.’ Named Pleasant Berry, the brand color is richer and brighter, for an elevated and premium look, and extends to a larger palette that the designers have dubbed the ‘Berry Patch’—shades, tints and tones that range from Cream to Blackberry. These classic colors are accompanied by a secondary palette of core brights, a fresh, contemporary take on four hues—sky blue, green, yellow and hot pink—also inspired by the AG branding of the 1990s.”