Bruno’s sleek look for Qwant highlights the search engine’s AI innovation and trustworthy approach — The Brand Identity – Home of the Greatest in Graphic & Brand Design
Qwant, a search engine known for its commitment to privacy, has begun integrating AI into its offering, while maintaining a firm stance of not tracking its users. Wanting to reflect these values in a refreshed visual identity, they enlisted the expertise of Bruno, a full-service agency based in Paris and San Francisco. “Unlike other search engines,” Creative Director Pierre Jeannelle tells us, “Qwant has already established a sense of ownership among users over the platform, and the design direction was crafted to align with this perception. We wanted to integrate AI as a subtle enhancement to the product, rather than as a revolutionary change.”
The process of crafting Qwant’s new identity was rooted in the idea of progress and trust, where Bruno aimed to shift Qwant’s identity from a startup feel to “one that aligns more closely with institutional platforms that support our studies, work, and daily lives,” says M. Jeannelle. Ultimately, they planned to position Qwant as “a reliable, ethical and tailored alternative for everyday search.”
They looked to sites that people trust for qualitative inspiration, from traditional media outlets like Le Monde and The New York Times, to online collaborative content sites like Wikipedia. The visual direction for Qwant is therefore pared-back, with a timeless black and white palette. “For many people, a search engine represents a gateway to the internet, not the internet itself,” M. Jeannelle explains. “It’s like the entrance hall of a building – you don’t over-decorate it; you keep it minimalist to encourage people to move forward. When people are searching online, they don’t want distractions or personality; they want an efficient, functional tool.” This choice underscores Qwant’s role as a reliable search engine, one that ensures the user’s journey within the information landscape is as seamless as possible.
The leading brand element, the wordmark, was informed by a desire to step away from trends, instead embracing something outside of familiar looks and styles. “By creating a wordmark with a typeface that straddles the line between serif, sans and slab, we avoided fitting into typical categories – neither as a startup nor as an institutional site,” M. Jeannelle tells us. “This approach allowed us to craft a unique wordmark that establishes its own distinct, non-referential universe.” As a nod to Qwant’s AI integration, the wordmark features a small star, similar to an asterisk – “the unofficial but culturally adopted symbol of artificial intelligence within the tech industry.”
To infuse a touch of modernity, Bruno collaborated with illustrator Joanna Lawniczak to develop a proprietary visual style. The isometric design is in line with tech aesthetics, while the strategic use of colour adds a refreshing element to the overall serious tone.
The user experience was also a key focus. Bruno streamlined the Qwant homepage to ensure clarity and ease of use. “By removing superfluous elements, we’'ve created an interface that focuses on the essentials,” M. Jeannelle explains. This minimalist approach extends to offering users a choice between white or black modes, catering to individual preferences while maintaining a clean, efficient interface.