Tripadvisor just turned its user reviews into a new brand
The online travel company is using actual vacation photos and text from real trip reviews to inspire future bookings
Tripadvisor is undergoing a bold brand transformation, centering its identity around the voices and visuals of actual travelers. The online travel company has swapped its turquoise green for a vibrant electric lime and embraced user-generated content to bring its marketing to life—think selfies from travelers and quirky, authentic vacation shots. This shift reflects a broader strategy to position Tripadvisor not just as a review site, but as a platform for experiential bookings and authentic travel storytelling.
Key takeaways
- User reviews at the core: Tripadvisor’s new branding campaign is built on real photos and review excerpts from travelers, emphasizing authenticity and trust—72% of travelers rely on reviews when booking.
- Visual rebrand: The company updated its brand colors to a more energetic electric lime and expanded its color palette using AI tools that extract hues from user photos, adapting to regional and seasonal vibes.
- Ollie the owl returns: While the iconic owl logo remains, it's now animated with moving eyes, adding a playful touch to the rebrand.
- Focus on experience and human connection: Insights from post-pandemic travel behavior show a rise in demand for local, guided, and event-based experiences. Tripadvisor aims to support this shift by showcasing human-centered journeys.
- Technology & growth strategy: Beyond branding, Tripadvisor is enhancing its app, leaning into AI, and preparing to launch what it claims will be the world’s largest global travel membership program in Q3 2025.
- Creative partnership: Design agency Koto led the visual refresh, using internal tools to translate the emotional and visual diversity of travel into a flexible, user-driven design language.
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