BP BRAND IDENTITY

Going through the research process, I learned a lot about how intentional and structured their design language really is because BP doesn’t just throw their logo on stuff and call it a day they’ve built a whole system around how they want to be seen and understood and you can tell that every choice, from their color palette to their photography style, is meant to communicate the values of sustainability, innovation, trust, and what I thought was maintained all across was a sense of approachability.

One thing that stood out to me was the use of color. The green and yellow isn’t just recognisable but it is so close tied to mission for energy, growth, and the environment. It’s soft and clean, which is kind of unexpected for an energy company and that is the entire point. That contrast between what they do and how they present themselves is super deliberate. They’re trying to shift public perception away from the crudeness and unsustainability of oil and gas, and toward something more future-focused and responsible. Like the promises they’ve made about shifting half of their investments into the renewable energy sectors by the years 2040/50 which they did happen to go back on a few years ago. Yet their desire to paint themselves in this sustainable way has remained. Especially with the arrival and increase od Electric Vehicles.

I also noticed how much structure there is to their layouts and typography. The grid systems are tight, the typefaces are modern but not too trendy, and there’s a lot of white space. It makes the brand feel intelligent, calm, and professional, but not cold. Even their photography feels so purposeful. There is a deliberate focus on real people as well. The support and happiness of real people that work with BP. As well as a focus on environments and a constant sense of optimism through the color palette, lines, arrows, transitions, photography, videos of BP clerks smiling from cheek to cheek.

All of this told me that BP isn’t trying to selling a service really, they’re constantly trying to sell the idea that they’re evolving, carefully listening, and that they’re more human than you’d expect from a global energy giant. Understanding that has helped me think more critically about how to build designs that actually speak - not just look - on-brand. Especially for an audience of people 18-25 who live online, the next level of communication through design is important and that kind of emotional and intentional design is everything.

BP’s design language is super clean, restrained, and purpose-driven, and you can really see that in their font choices and use of line.

Their primary typeface is a modern humanist sans-serif, likely something in the realm of Frutiger-style families: open, geometric, and legible across all platforms. The typography is always clean, never too busy or fussy. They use a strict hierarchy that uses usually bold weights for headers, light to regular for body copy. It creates this confident but friendly voice, which aligns with BP’s goal of appearing trustworthy, future-facing, and accessible.

In terms of lines, they lean hard into minimalism and structure. A lot of grid-based layouts, everything aligns precisely, with generous margins and consistent spacing. There’s a distinct lack of decorative or expressive lines; instead, clean horizontal and vertical rules are used to divide content, create flow, and reinforce order which reflects their engineering-driven roots, but it’s softened with lots of white space and rounded edges in iconography or photography framing, which keeps the tone human.

Visually, the system is low-drama, high clarity and visibility. No harsh diagonals or busy textures. Every element has a reason to be there, which makes their brand feel responsible and controlled, but not sterile. It’s corporate, yes, but it’s done with an emphasis on approachability and clarity, which is what makes it feel relevant and trustworthy in a modern context.