Orbit Studios

06/11/2026

The IBM logo isn't famous because of the stripes.

It's famous because those stripes represent something bigger: a design system built to work across an entire global organization.

In this edition of DesignNova, we look at how one of the world's most recognizable identities became a masterclass in systems thinking.

https://orbitstudios.substack.com/p/designnova-the-stripes-that-humanized?r=ggx6w

06/09/2026

A&W didn't just launch a smash burger.

They took one simple product idea and stretched it across an entire experience, from the restaurant itself to the signage, packaging, and even the root beer mugs.

That's what happens when an idea escapes the ad.

🍔 New on Trajectory:

The best campaigns don't just communicate a product benefit. They build an entire world around it.

05/15/2026

Crackling fires, cold drinks and good company. There's nothing quite like the first long weekend of the season.

Whether you're lakeside, roadside or just backyard-bound, here's to a well-earned pause and a proper start to the summer.

Happy Victoria Day weekend from Orbit! 🍻

05/12/2026

A week later, one thing from the Learning Technologies Conference in London keeps sticking with us:

The real challenge isn’t creating more content anymore.

It’s creating learning experiences that actually connect with people.

We wrapped up our final reflection piece from the conference here — covering AI, engagement, experience design, and the growing importance of the human side of learning:

👇
https://open.substack.com/pub/orbitstudios/p/designing-for-real-people?r=ggx6w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

05/05/2026

Some brands succeed because of bold flair. Others succeed because they structure themselves so well that the audience never questions them.

The BBC belongs to the latter.

🇬🇧 The latest instalment of is live:

https://orbitstudios.substack.com/p/designnova-the-bbc-and-the-grid-that

04/07/2026

Some logos identify. Others guide.

A rare few shape the way an entire city moves.

🚇 https://open.substack.com/pub/orbitstudios/p/designnova-the-roundel-that-organized?r=ggx6w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

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04/06/2026

The Tennessee Titans rebrand pulls them out of the uniform wilderness by going back to the Houston Oilers well (see what I did there?).

🏈 https://open.substack.com/pub/orbitstudios/p/rapid-reaction-a-better-titans-uniform?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

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A long-overdue reset brings back one of football’s best colour stories… even if the ex*****on doesn’t fully stick the landing.

04/02/2026

Sprite's brand refresh feels less like reinvention and more like rediscovery.

Instead of pushing further into modern sameness, Sprite has done something much smarter: it went back to what made it distinctive in the first place.

🍋🍋‍🟩 https://open.substack.com/pub/orbitstudios/p/rapid-reactions-sprite-finds-its?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

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A nostalgic reset that proves sometimes the smartest move forward is a step back to what made you iconic.

04/01/2026

Sometimes the smartest rebrands don’t start with redesigning the logo. They start with asking: what else can it do?

Penguin Random House didn’t change their iconic penguin — they turned it into a flexible illustration system that brings the brand to life across every touchpoint.

🐧 https://open.substack.com/pub/orbitstudios/p/rapid-reaction-penguin-random-house?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Subscribe to Trajectory for insights on branding, design systems, creative strategy and more.

A smart rebrand that proves the best way to evolve an iconic logo isn’t to redesign it — it’s to give it something to do.

03/31/2026

What do you do when a major retail campaign breaks… the weekend it matters most?

You get in the car.

The new Orbit30 is live. 🦃

https://orbitstudios.substack.com/p/orbit30-the-day-the-turkey-bucks