TravelPerk unveiled a new brand identity this week with the aim of representing how the company has changed since its founding 10 years ago, and seeking to differentiate itself from the alleged sameness of many of its competitors.
Its logo, for example, shifted from a corporate blue to a perk green like this:
The new brand identity is “the result of a clear and natural turning point in our journey,” TravelPerk’s President and Chief Operating Officer Jean-Christophe Taunay-Bucalo told Skift in a statement.
It also reflects, he said, “how much business travel itself has changed.”
In addition to the new logo, customer and partner-facing language is less prone to jargon, the company said.
Transition for TravelPerk
This rebrand comes at a time of major transition for TravelPerk.
The company is investing heavily to turn itself into an all-in-one corporate travel and expense platform, a move fueled by its recent $200 million funding round.
Historically, TravelPerk clients who wanted expense management services had to connect to third-party software.
Now, after acquiring startup Yokoy this year, TravelPerk is working to build expense management directly into its core platform, a major project that will continue through 2025.
Since 2021, TravelPerk also acquired ClickTravel and AmTrav.
Taunay-Bucalo said the rebrand will be subject to a full rollout across all TravelPerk platforms, and customer-facing marketing channels in the coming weeks. It will be “supported by a brand marketing campaign across outdoor, partnerships, and digital media through Q2,” he said.
TravelPerk’s vp of global marketing, Jada Balster, said the rebrand sends a message.
“It signals to the market, our customers, and our partners that we are no longer just a business travel booking platform,” she said.
Product Must Fulfill the Brand Promise
Ray Slater Berry, founder and CEO of content and SEO firm dslx, believes TravelPerk’s new brand identity is a smart move, helping the company shift “towards being more relatable, more real, and standing out.”
He said it is a differentiator.
“This shift into a more friendly, memorable brand signals to the rest of the industry that it’s time to get out of our marketing slump and stand out,” Berry said.
According to Berry, during the AI era, any business will be able to their offer some services at a fraction of the previous cost, adding, in this environment, what will truly set businesses apart isn’t price—it’s likability.
“The one thing that’s going to keep customers isn’t a $10 difference in a monthly subscription; it’s your likability,” he said.
Berry expects other travel companies to similarly rebrand themselves, especially those hoping to attract and retain younger generations.
However, Berry cautions that a brand refresh alone may not solve deeper issues.
“I stopped using TravelPerk a while ago as I found the actual app frustrating to use, and the product wasn’t showing cheaper or more useful travel routes than what I could find myself. So, while I enjoy this particular rebrand, if a business doesn’t have a product to match, it’ll only go so far.”
Reacting to that comment, Taunay-Bucalo said: “This isn’t just a rebrand, we’ve made significant investments in our products and services and we would really encourage this individual to come back and try the app again.”
