A ‘new’ logo for iconic
‍outdoor retailer REI

brand identity

REI was founded by a group of climbing buddies in 1938 and has been a cooperative business since day one. After an attempt to streamline the brand in the early 1980s, the ‘Co-op’ language was removed from the brand identity. After a strategy shift, the iconic retailer sought to re-embrace its cooperative history.

Finding inspiration from company history: a deep-dive into the REI archives

Strange Practice worked in tandem with Hornall Anderson to create the new mark. Several months were spent exploring every option, from simply adding a ‘Co-op’ bug to the existing logo, to starting from scratch. Many of the explorations fulfilled the original brief, but none fit into the existing REI brand language.
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Reverting to the 1970s-era identity — with modernization — felt like the right answer. The mark is as funky and soulful as The Co-op’s customers, and equally important, it’s instantly recognizable as REI.

Small, subtle adjustments make a mountain of difference

By tidying up the tree silhouette (as a nod to 1980s-era logo) and adding hard corners back into to the type, the updated mark feels like both a throwback and a progression. The sharp edges and subtle curves are a nod to the blade of an ice axe, the product that launched the company.

New logo in the wild

The new mark lends itself to an extensive library of additional marks and brand codes for whatever application the brand may need: Co-op bicycles, garment details, etc.