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The Rebrand of Taxify (currently Bolt) comes as a shift on the adaptation of the demand on transportation platform just like Uber and other brands.

The new identity for Taxify that has a change of name to Bolt and a new brand identity focus on aligning the company?s broader vision of transportation which has begun to expand from ride-hailing, with cars to motorbikes and scooters sharing.

With the shift experienced with the rebrand is dropping ?taxi? from its name and adopting Bolt. The same name is being seen used with its new electric scooter service aiming at doubling in providing multiple transportation options beyond private cars.

 

A Brief History

Taxify (currently Bolt) was launched five years ago with a mission to make urban transportation more convenient and affordable according to Markus Villig, CEO and co-founder of Bolt.

Among the first product by Taxify was a taxi dispatch solution that gave the company its original name. As the brand begun to scale up the need outgrew the brand mission with the name.

In reflecting the company?s future in solving transportation problems on an increasingly broader scale the need for an identity that communicates effortlessly is what gave the new brand name ?Bolt?.

Currently, Bolt provides its services in over 30 countries globally with a high leading in Europe and Africa. The customers served now by the Estonian born tech company are 25 million.

Bolt has a plan in place to expand its services in East and West Africa, and in South Africa by the end of 2019 in connecting drivers with passengers in more cities.

 

Bolt Brand Identity

In strengthening a company?s presence and image in the eyes of your customers, rebranding offers a great opportunity for most brands including Bolt.

Rebranding is not limited to a new logo or website, however,?it is tied on the entire look and feel of the brand that you reflect globally.

Bolt consistency and cohesive strategy that spans all its elements ? logo, car stickers, helmet branding, flyers, ads, etc.) with the channels ( app design, digital, social, etc.) are what made the rebrand a success.

As a total rebrand can be an effort-intensive process and high-effort brand overhaul, the rebrand appear to have been deliberated on as to the why and how to go about it.

Being clear about the scope of the rebrand upfront is essential to efficient planning, budgeting, and resource allocation.

The new brand style and logo has been seen to gradually roll out across Bolt?s global markets including Kenya with the app being automatic updated as the customer get informed of the shift.

 

Paul Simiyu

Founder and Team Lead of Simpaul Design, a brand strategy and design agency in Nairobi, Kenya. Here at Simpaul Design, we work with brands across various categories with a focus on connecting with consumers and building brands that people want to be a part of. We specialize in brand identity and strategy, UX/UI, and brand transformation.