One Voice, Millions Strong: Evolving the Trustpilot Brand

Trustpilot’s star rating is one of the most recognisable signals of trust online. Why did you start there, and how did it become the foundation for the whole identity?

The star is the beating heart of the brand and its most iconic asset. Over time, it has accumulated significant brand equity, so the role of the refresh was not to reinvent it, but to reignite its meaning and remind people of what it represents.

The ambition was to make the star something that could be seen and felt beyond the symbol itself: the foundation of a richer, more expressive brand system. This meant unlocking the bigger idea behind the star and bringing it to the forefront, because the star represents so much more than a single interaction. It represents millions of voices coming together, creating a collective expression of connection, conversation and shared experience.

By bringing this idea to life, the star becomes more than an iconic mark. It becomes a dynamic, living system that celebrates the power of real connection, meaningful dialogue and the experiences that bring people together.

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You say that at Trustpilot, the content is the identity. What does that mean in practice, and how did it change the way you approached the design?

We created a system that puts reviews, ratings and real-life experiences at the heart of the brand’s expression. The aim was to create a more direct connection between the brand and its reviewers. We brought this to life through a tone of voice that speaks to people directly, a clean and understated typographic approach that lets the content take centre stage, and art direction that celebrates real customers and authentic moments.

Above all, we wanted the entire system to feel grounded in reality: natural, human and authentic, rather than forced or overly engineered.

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Tell us about the Signal Device. What problem was it solving, and how does it bring focus to the moments that matter most?

The millions of voices behind Trustpilot inspired our approach to the wider graphic expression and Signal Device. Designed to be adaptive and constantly evolving, the system was created to feel alive and responsive to the world around it.

This became a key tool in bringing our strategic foundations to life, enabling the visual identity to flex and adapt across different moments in the customer journey. More than a graphic language, it evolved into a visual signpost - making trust tangible, recognisable and visible at every interaction.

At its core, the approach was about putting the focus on the stories and messages that matter most. Creating a system that never stands still, continually evolves and always moves forward.

This was an evolution rather than a reinvention. How did you know you’d got it right?

It really came down to the strong collaboration and partnership we developed with the Trustpilot team. Working closely together gave us a deeper understanding of the brand’s vision and direction, enabling us to build a strong, flexible foundation that supports long-term growth and continued innovation.

Developing a strategic vision and flexible system that enables Trustpilot to continually evolve, expand and connect with people around the world in more meaningful ways was integral to the success of this process. It needed to be able to flex and adapt across different moments, voices and environments, creating relevance and consistency across every touchpoint — from consumers to businesses and beyond.

Working closely with the Trustpilot team to build the core visual system has enabled us to create a brand toolkit that can continue to evolve and grow over time. Most importantly, though, it has reignited the meaning and purpose behind the star rating itself – which was ultimately the greatest measure of success.

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