99designs by vista gives some of today’s most influential brands a surrealist makeover

99designs by vista reimagines today’s biggest brands

Recognize any of these logos? 99designs by Vista gives some of today’s most influential brands a surrealist makeover as a tribute to 100 years of Surrealism. The platform has worked with its global community of professional freelance designers to reimagine the renowned brands in this iconic and unflinching artistic style, inspired by twentieth-century Surrealist artists like Salvador Dali, René Magritte and Edward James. When you think of these names and the fact that they loved exploring the idea of alternative realities, it’s pretty easy to imagine that they’d be fascinated by 21st-century social media and the increasingly blurred boundaries between real and digital worlds. Netflix, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Nike and Apple are just a few of the giants that got their logos redesigned.

(banner) designer Emgras wanted to depict how a Facebook profile isn’t really a perfect reflection of reality, but something that ‘gives birth to a new person’ | all images courtesy of 99designs by Vista

A century of Surrealism

Global creative platform 99designs by Vista, makes it easy for brands of all sizes to access international talent and work with professional freelance designers online. As a tribute to a century of Surrealism, 99designs by Vista collaborated with various freelance creators to revisit the world’s most influential logos and add a fresh, or better yet a revolutionary touch, to the designs. 

Surrealism challenges reality, offering unexpected perspectives and making it a powerful tool for addressing contemporary social issues. A century after its inception, it continues to inspire creatives by pushing boundaries. Just as the Movement emerged from the aftermath of a completely altered post-war, post-pandemic Europe in the 1920s, there are parallels with the ongoing geo-political conflicts and technological advances that have transformed today’s cultural landscape. With the promise of increased digital disruption thanks to AI, increasingly polarized world views and ideologies, and more accessible global dialogue happening on social media than ever before, Surrealism is a style well-suited to exploring the realities of our shifting social fabric.   

from Dalí to Magritte and from spotify to netflix

These logos dominate hazy, dream-like landscapes reminiscent of Dalí’s work, and highlight how social media platforms can be captivating but disorienting places. Surrealists were always interested in ways they could immerse themselves in fantastical, dream-like experiences. For instance, streaming entertainment platforms do transport us to new places, whether it’s a wacky period drama or an experimental jazz album. Just like in Magritte’s ‘Forbidden Literature (The Use of the Word)’, an ambiguous staircase that leads to nowhere is used to represent Netflix, creating a hopeless or hopeful look – depending on how you feel about the platform.

‘Surrealism challenges widely accepted conventions, encouraging creativity, but also critical thinking and a healthy skepticism towards the curated realities often presented in society – particularly online and in social media,‘ comments 99designs by Vista CEO, Patrick Llewellyn.