Can Penguin's playful flock carry the brand into the digital age without losing soul?

Penguin has introduced a new flock of feathered friends. As part of its latest visual identity refresh, the publisher has unveiled the “Playful Penguins”, a new suite of illustrations designed to bring fresh personality and flexibility to one of publishing’s most recognisable brand icons.

Rather than updating the mascot with a single new look, the brand has created a modular “kit” of penguins in different poses and scenarios. The characters can be mixed and matched across campaigns, seasonal moments and social initiatives, jumping, strutting, dancing and, of course, reading.

The move builds on a long tradition. Since Edward Young first sketched Penguin’s original bird for the brand’s launch in 1935, generations of art directors have interpreted the character in their own way, creating what has been described as a rich archive of “dignified yet flippant” penguins. According to the brand, the new characters aim to carry that spirit forward while giving the brand a more adaptable visual system for modern marketing touchpoints.

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Still, when a brand with nearly a century of design heritage gives its iconic mascot a refresh, it rarely goes unnoticed. For many branding professionals, Penguin’s latest refresh feels both timely and thoughtful.

Nafe Tong, chief creative and brand strategist at branding agency ABrandADay, described the redesign as “on point and on time”, particularly in a world where brands increasingly need visuals that can travel easily across screens, platforms and contexts.

“What stands out is how it retains Penguin’s unmistakable UK heritage through its illustration style while feeling friendly, contemporary, and versatile enough to live across every platform and occasion,” he said, adding that the system subtly signals the publisher’s evolution beyond just physical books.

That balance between heritage and modernisation is no small feat for a brand whose identity has been shaped by nearly a century of design history. Jeffrey Lim, managing director at creative branding agency 8traordinary, said the refresh succeeds in walking that tightrope.

“One of the hardest questions in rebranding a beloved time-honoured institution is how to retain its history, legacy and heritage while transforming it in a way that feels modern and relevant,” he said, adding: 

The Penguin team behind this refresh has done a fantastic job in embodying what the brand has long stood for — creativity, imagination and the joy of reading.

At the same time, the introduction of a more expressive visual language gives Penguin room to evolve its storytelling. Lim noted that the new system opens the door for more creative extensions, including deeper engagement with readers and illustrators who could help shape the wider “Penguin world”.

A penguin with a purpose

Beyond aesthetics, the modular nature of the Playful Penguins also caught the attention of branding experts.

By designing the penguins as a flexible set of poses and props, the brand has created a character system that can adapt across campaigns, moments and messaging without losing recognisability. According to Tong, this kind of approach is increasingly valuable in today’s marketing environment.

“A modular character system like this gives Penguin the flexibility to respond to campaigns, cultural moments, and different audiences without reinventing the brand each time,” he said, adding that it allows the mascot to feel less like a static symbol and more like a living part of the brand.

Others see even greater potential for the penguin beyond illustration alone. Edwin Tan, creative director at brand consultancy Bravo, said the move highlights an opportunity Penguin has long had but only recently begun to explore. For a brand literally named after the animal, he noted, the penguin itself could become an even stronger brand asset.

“The character could easily extend into animation, digital spaces, or even live action,” he said, adding that as reading increasingly competes with streaming, gaming and social media, bringing the brand into those environments could help Penguin meet audiences where they already are.

Still, refreshing an icon comes with its own set of challenges. Jacopo Pesavento, CEO of Branding Records, pointed out that Penguin’s mascot carries a certain weight, making any change likely to spark debate. What works in the redesign, he said, is that it doesn’t attempt to replace the original symbol but instead builds on it.

“Turning a static symbol into a set of characters feels like a smart way to make the brand more expressive across campaigns and platforms,” he said.

However, he cautioned that the true test would lie in how the system is used over time. While the new penguins open up more playful and culturally responsive storytelling opportunities, overuse could risk diluting the simplicity that made the original icon so powerful. 

“The real question isn’t whether the redesign works today, but whether Penguin can use this system with discipline,” Pesavento said. Done right, he added, it could turn one of publishing’s most iconic symbols into a storytelling powerhouse.

Photos courtesy of Penguin Random House UK on LinkedIn. 

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