Ragged Edge rebrands AI notepad Granola

The new brand identity aims to challenge the conventions of the productivity and artificial intelligence software categories. Since its launch, the visual refresh has triggered a significant commercial surge for Granola, turning a tool popular among Silicon Valley executives into a globally recognised brand for knowledge workers.

On the day of its release, the identity trended on social media platform X, yielding the highest volume of daily downloads in the company’s history. According to data from Ramp, Granola became the world’s second fastest-growing software brand in the month following the launch, subsequently securing $125m in funding at a $1.5bn valuation within three months.

Prioritising progress over process

In a market where software tools frequently add layers of administrative friction, Ragged Edge was tasked with rebranding Granola as an intentional tool designed to handle meeting logistics.

Jack Cully, founding marketer at Granola, said, “We’re building Granola to actually be helpful in the messiness of modern work, for people who want to be present and prepared even when there’s barely a breath between meetings. It should feel helpful on busy days – an AI notepad for meetings that briefs you beforehand, keeps you present while it captures the detail, and helps you get more done after. This rebrand lets us say that plainly: progress over process.”

The strategy centres on the idea that human attention is a valuable resource during collaborative work.

Christy Madden, strategy director at Ragged Edge, said, “Productivity apps fail to live up to that name. They feel like yet another arbitrary layer, in the way of the actual work. You feel the difference with Granola instantly. By taking care of the notes, it makes space for you to stay present in every meeting and focus on the ideas and questions that matter most. It’s a beautifully designed tool for anyone ambitious about their work.”

Embracing the imperfect and human

To contrast with the clinical, sleek aesthetics typical of AI software, Ragged Edge prioritised organic, handcrafted design details. The primary logo features an organic, freeform ‘G’ resembling a quick sketch on a napkin, symbolising that the growth path is rarely linear.

Jessica Bong-Woon, creative director at Ragged Edge, said, “It’s specifically designed to feel slightly imperfect and unmistakably human, an antidote to the overly sleek and impersonal identities that dominate the category.”

A core element of the identity is a bespoke, evolving script typeface digitised from the handwriting of Granola co-founder Sam Stephenson. Built from hundreds of individual handwritten characters, the typeface includes multiple variants for each letter, allowing the text to alter dynamically as it is used.

This execution supports a brand voice characterised by emotional intelligence and down-to-earth wit.

Earthy tones and international campaigns

The colour palette updates Granola’s original assets by introducing a warm, earthy green, intentionally selected to stand out from the bright RGB hues prevalent among tech competitors.

This is paired with an illustrative style named ‘findings’, which integrates layered textures, photography, and colour to mirror the varied energy of a productive working day.

Max Ottignon, co-founder of Ragged Edge, said, “The temptation in AI is to look like everyone else because the market is moving so quickly. Granola chose a harder path. To build a brand with a clear point of view about the role AI should play in people’s lives. That conviction is what gives the work its impact. That difference is what got Granola noticed. And the commercial results followed: it quickly became the second-fastest-growing software brand in the world.”

The launch has been supported by outdoor advertising campaigns across San Francisco, New York, and London. In San Francisco, billboards target technology leaders with statements such as “Being present is a power move”, avoiding standard industry jargon.

Meanwhile, experiential activations and takeovers across London and New York transport networks playfully clarify the product’s function with the phrase “Granola is not for breakfast.”