Instagram unveils new wordmark after 10 years, sparking mixed reactions

Instagram, on Thursday revealed a new wordmark, a text-only logo that spells out the company name. The company said the old wordmark felt dated after being used for about ten years.

‎‎Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, shared the news on both Instagram and Threads.‎

‎He called the new design “sharper and more modern” while saying it still refers back to the original and keeps a simple look.‎

‎People often dislike changes to familiar brand logos, and reactions to the update have been mixed, The Verge, reports.

‎Alongside many complaints, plenty of users have praised the new look. Some say it feels fresher and like an improvement, and others like the chosen font.

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A post shared by Adam Mosseri (@mosseri)

‎A number of jokes have appeared online about the new wordmark, as some people say the “r” looks odd and makes the word read like "Instagzam". 

‎Still, Instagram is such a well-known name that most viewers quickly recognise it, even with the unusual letter shapes.

‎The new font adds flowing, cursive-like touches to letters such as the “s,” “r,” and “g.”

‎That is rather an unusual choice today,  because younger people often do not learn cursive handwriting in school anymore.

‎For those not used to cursive shapes, the curved “s” might look like a small sail or a decorative mark instead of a letter.

‎Instagram last changed its look in 2016, when it moved away from the classic brown camera logo with a rainbow stripe and introduced the colorful pink gradient icon that the app still uses today.

‎Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has not answered requests for further comment about the wordmark change.

‎It is also unclear whether more design updates are coming, such as a new app icon.

‎For now, Instagram users and observers continue to react as the new wordmark becomes more common.