Overview: What is MailChimp?

MailChimp is an always-on marketing platform for small businesses. We make innovative, beautiful products that empower those businesses to find more customers. The company started in 2001 as a side project. Today, MailChimp serves millions of customers around the world, is still 100% founder-owned, and is highly profitable. We’re headquartered in Atlanta with additional offices in Brooklyn and Oakland.

Ref.01: Our Story at MailChimp

Analyze: How different?

At first, please check if you haven’t seen it yet. → Ref.02: Crafting MailChimp’s new look.

I understood MailChimp provides an email marketing service. The previous wordmark, it looks chimp wrote it. The design direction logically correct if MailChimp is just an email marketing company. However, digital marketing is significantly changing every year. MailChimp listened to customer’s voice, adjusted to needs. Then, naturally expand the service. Logomark became simple and flat. It will be easy use for a client. No more “M” on the cap. Why? Because MailChimp addresses new message, “More than mail”.

Opinion: Very unique, but appropriate

What I’m impressed:
– Playful and athletic typeface.
– Impressive, strong a ripe banana yellow.
– Unique, crafted and uncopyable illustration.

This is the over 100k(or 1 million?) work. I was astonished by a top creator’s work in the United States. I appreciate to educating me and respect creativity sincerely. The company chose a great creator and creator responded by the best work. I think this transition of MailChimp brand is along the era and business. The logos which before and after are both of great. It played a role in each of the eras. Recently, many identities have a similar design principal, simple and clean font, digital gradient color. It’s not bad. However, I sometimes cannot distinguish a brand. I don’t feel identity on it.

I look forward to seeing a business grow of MailChimp.

©Art direction by COLLINS ©Illustration by Franz Lang

Impact: More than email

MailChimp has always been a little bit different. Our co-founders, Ben and Dan, started Mailchimp as a side project alongside their web design agency to help their smaller clients with email marketing. Since then, Mailchimp has expanded beyond email and become a leading marketing platform for small businesses.

Update 2025

Mailchimp’s story began in 2001 as a small side project by Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius, designed to create an easy-to-use email marketing platform for small businesses. Focusing on simplicity and affordability, it quickly grew into a comprehensive marketing automation service beloved by millions worldwide.

In 2021, Mailchimp was acquired by Intuit for around $12 billion, aiming to integrate its powerful marketing tools with Intuit’s financial solutions to better support small and medium-sized businesses — all while continuing to operate under its own trusted brand.

Recap: What did I learn?

1. Learn the company’s history and listen to the internal voice.
2. Incorporate unique illustration as a part of branding.
3. Short, simple, but strong core message. I need to collaborate with a copywriter.

Reference:

@TheFutur: Last Week in Design: Banksy Self Destruct & Mailchimp Rebrand 2018
Branding Agency: COLLINS