Unveiling Our New Brand: A Conversation with Braze Executive Creative Director Greg Erdelyi

At Braze, we believe in the power of transformation. As we continue to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing customer engagement landscape, we've taken a bold step forward with our recent brand update. This exciting update reflects not only our growth, but also our commitment to creating mutually beneficial connections between consumers and the brands they love.

To dig deeper into the brand update, we sat down with Greg Erdelyi, Executive Creative Director for Braze, who spearheaded this initiative. Greg delves into the inspiration behind the brand update, talks through the creative process, and discusses how this change aligns with our company mission and values. Let’s dive in.

How does the new brand identity align with our company's mission and values?

No matter how it’s articulated, I think our mission will always boil down to creating mutually beneficial connections between brands and consumers, while using every tool available to do it. “Be Absolutely Engaging.™” is just a more concise, consumer-friendly way of saying that. As far as values; creativity, fun, hard work, being human-first, and seeking truth have always been a part of Braze, they just didn’t always come out in the brand. Hopefully, now they do.

Can you explain the significance of the colors, shapes, and typography used in the new brand identity?

Although the new brand looks very different from the old, we did make a concentrated effort to use some of the previous elements as jumping off points for the new look and feel. The colors are pared down and enhanced versions of our previous palette. The gradients are still inspired by the hot flashes in the brazing process which symbolize the strong union between brand and customer. Or in the case of our 427° Innovation Lab, the joining of creativity and data. And the supergraphics are pulled directly from the logo. The two major things we added were humanity, in the form of photography, and a layer of wit and charm to the messaging.

Can you share some insights into the creative process behind the rebranding?

You always need to start with research. We did a ton of in-depth interviews with employees, upper management, customers, and other members of our community. And what we found wasn’t surprising. Everyone had a lot of love for the product, the people, and the company. So we knew we had to reach in, pull out that love of Braze, and put it on display in the brand. This wasn’t about inventing something new, it was about expressing what we already knew.

How will this rebrand impact our company culture?

Braze has always been a high-energy, culture-affirming place. The rebrand just adds fuel to that fire. We’re already a group of really engaging people—and our brand backs that up. At the end of the day, we want our team to express their pride whether they’re presenting to a would-be customer, creating new team swag, or just showing their friends and family where they work.

What's the one thing you want our customers to feel or understand when they see our new brand identity?

Well, it’s an easy answer, but it’s the first thing you read on our website. I want our customers to get an overwhelmingly optimistic feeling that despite all the challenges, complexities, and headwinds they are facing, there’s never been a better time to be a better marketer™…if they have the right customer engagement platform at their side. Want to see the refresh in action? Check out this year’s Global Customer Engagement Review!