Mastercard unveils new logo.

Big news in the world of personal banking services: Mastercard has a new – and crucially unnamed – logo, designed by Pentagram partner Michael Bierut.

Explaining the logic behind the name, Mastercard says in a statement released on January 7, 2019: “As the consumer and commerce landscape continues to evolve, the Mastercard Symbol represents Mastercard better than a single word, and its flexible, modern design will allow it to work seamlessly across the entire digital landscape.”.

Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard's director of marketing and communications, also seems quite excited about the visual update, noting that "reinvention in the digital age demands modern simplicity." Raja states that "80% of people are able to 'spontaneously' recognize the iconic (and recognizably) interlocking circles of the brand without the word Mastercard nestled between them, and in turn, the circles could stand alone on their own.".

Pentagram's chief executive, Michael Bierut, seems equally enthusiastic about the process, explaining how removing the word sees Mastercard joining "an elite group of brands represented not by name, but by symbol." In his eyes, Mastercard is now at the top of the Mount Olympus of branding, alongside "an apple, a target, a swoosh.".

Logo enthusiasts can feast their eyes on the design process that led to this bold new era for Mastercard below.