Brand Refresh for Dictionary.com | Tolleson
A Unified Look and Feel for the
Many Ways People Learn
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Leading means constantly evolving. As the first digital dictionary, Dictionary.com has teams of language experts that keep them ahead of the curve, capturing new words, providing helpful context, and explaining their origins. Over time—and with the inclusion of Thesaurus.com—they’ve added fun tools, quizzes, games, writing aids, prompts, tips, and articles for people of all ages.
We partnered with Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com to create a unified brand identity that highlights both platforms as essential resources for everyone. The new identity had to be modern, meaningful, and functional as a distinct symbol that fits seamlessly across app environments. We gave the logo a fresh update, brightened the color palette, and created a new typography system that’s easier on the eyes. Additionally, we enhanced the digital experience with improved UI/UX design and fun expressions tailored to today’s users, enabling everyone to find their meaning.
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Project Information
Project
Brand Refresh
Services
Visual Identity
Editorial
Web & Digital
Visual Identity
Editorial
Web & Digital
Deliverables
Logo
Visual Language
Custom Typography
Iconography
Illustration
3D & Motion
Brand Toolkit
Brand Guidelines
UI/UX
Component Library
Templates
Copywriting
Logo
Visual Language
Custom Typography
Iconography
Illustration
3D & Motion
Brand Toolkit
Brand Guidelines
UI/UX
Component Library
Templates
Copywriting
Industry
Technology
Education & Nonprofit
Partners
TypeMates
TypeMates
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Something
for Everyone
Brand Campaign
Identity Expression
The brand refresh was an open invitation to people of any age and at any stage of learning to explore words, definitions, and much more.
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We designed a visual system that shines through every carefully considered detail of its user interface and navigation.
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“Designing for a digital brand required a hyper-focus on scalability, contrast, and accessibility—every decision prioritized the user experience.”
Amanda Jones, Senior Designer, Tolleson
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Four Elements
One identity covers both brands
Our goal was to unify Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com into one cohesive identity, seamlessly integrated across all digital touchpoints. We harmonized visual elements while maintaining some clear distinctions, achieving one system that functions effortlessly while preserving each brand’s offerings and essence.
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Easy to Get
Around
Website
UI/UX
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Explore however you’d like
A major focus of our work with Dictionary.com was to create a more intuitive platform by enhancing their user experience (UX) and user interface (UI). By establishing a clear hierarchy of information, we prioritized word search relevance, pronunciation guides, and brand color integration. We also developed custom icons for actions and links.
As a free service supported primarily by advertising, it was crucial to design a UI and UX that seamlessly integrates banner ads with content. The design ensures people can easily find what they need, even in an advertising-driven environment.
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Four Elements
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An Expansive
Toolkit
Social Media
Kit of Parts
The social media and merch design toolkit contains a broad and vibrant color palette that’s complemented by illustrations and custom icons.
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Four Elements
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Room to
Grow
Brand System
Visual Expressions
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Four Elements
Grow and play
The identity is the foundation for limitless unique expressions through photography, illustration and typography, while still providing a structured approach for elements that require consistent repetition.
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Four Elements
A custom variable font delivers delight while achieving optimum site performance. Designed in partnership with TypeMates, it uses a range of weights to enhance type hierarchy, legibility, and expressiveness without sacrificing load time.
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For a detailed look into the refreshed brand’s executional details, we developed comprehensive brand guidelines for both Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com.
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Related
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