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Mozilla, founded by Netscape employees in 1998 as a source of free internet software, teamed up with global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie on a rebrand aimed at encouraging people to “reclaim the internet as a global public resource, open and accessible to all.”
The rebranding effort incorporated feedback from Mozilla employees, the broader Mozilla community, and agency experts, to ensure that the finished product represented diverse voices and the company’s values.
“Since open-sourcing our browser code over 25 years ago, Mozilla’s mission has been the same—to build and support technology in the public interest, and spark more innovation, more competition, and more choice online along the way,” Mozilla president Mark Surman said in a statement. “Even though we’ve been at the forefront of privacy and open source, people weren’t getting the full picture of what we do. We were missing opportunities to connect with both new and existing users. This rebrand isn’t just a facelift—we’re laying the foundation for the next 25 years.”
Leading with the Mozilla name was a key component, as the company wanted to highlight its broader impact and its community-building efforts, open-source resources for developers, and privacy products, and not just its Firefox web browser, its best-known product.
The rebrand, which Mozilla and JKR called the “Grassroots to Government” design system, is aimed at connecting all stakeholders on the internet, from local grassroots initiatives to everyday people, to government advocacy groups.
The flag is meant to represent Mozilla’s “activist spirit” and mission to “reclaim the internet,” combining an M for Mozilla with an intentionally displaced pixel as a nod to the company’s Tyrannosaurus rex symbol, designed by Shepard Fairey at launch.
Icons inspired by the flag symbol connect to the company’s broader identity system, and the new simplified layouts use a modular system, underpinned by a square pixel grid.
JKR global executive creative director Lisa Smith added, “Mozilla isn’t your typical tech brand; it’s a trailblazing, activist organization in both its mission and its approach. The new brand presence captures this uniqueness, reflecting Mozilla’s refreshed strategy to ‘reclaim the internet.’ The modern, digital-first identity system is all about building real brand equity that drives innovation, acquisition, and stands out in a crowded market.”