Good and Fast, but no smiles
TIKI's new logo and visual identity
Established in 2010, TIKI has grown to become a leading e-commerce platform in Vietnam, providing a seamless end-to-end retail experience. Like Amazon.com, Tiki's roots are as an online bookstore. But with smart investments over time, they've broadened their scope, now selling everything from electronics to beauty products.
The name TIKI comes from “Tìm kiếm & Tiết kiệm”, meaning “Search & Save”. TIKI always positioned itself as Vietnam’s fastest and most trusted B2C e-commerce platform. They've built a strong reputation for genuine products, speedy deliveries, and putting the customer first. They aimed to be, and for a while were, Vietnam’s most trusted e-commerce platform.
By 2016, TIKI claimed the spot as the second-largest e-commerce player in Vietnam. But success in the digital world comes with its challenges. Fast forward to 2023, Tiki is fighting to keep up against strong competitors like Shopee, Lazada, and newer entrants like TikTok Shop. These competitors are gaining ground, and Tiki has found itself slipping to the fourth place. This shift signaled a clear need for a new strategy, one that might involve a fresh identity to convey it.
In August 2023, after 13 years of sticking with the familiar identity, TIKI took the bold step of unveiling a new logo and introducing a fresh slogan, "Good and Fast", signaling a renewed commitment to excellence and efficiency. Brand colors transitioned from a light blue to a darker blue combined with golden yellow. The updated wordmark features a bolder typeface. Notably, the two smileys on each “i” were removed, making way for a new arrow head symbol as part of the stylized “K”. As per Tiki's brand video, this golden abstract symbol serves as a metaphor for various brand promises: a roof for safety in shopping, a heart indicating their commitment to quality customer service, a verified mark for genuine products, and lastly, clock hands for super speed delivery.
While the smileys from the logo were retired, Tiki retained their old mascots, which were first introduced in May of the same year as the rebranding, inspired by those very smileys. These mascots, closely tied to Tiki's brand legacy, resonated with many customers. There's a sentiment among some that the abstract arrow head symbol might not carry the same emotional resonance as the smileys did, but having the mascots still around offers some solace.
With the rebranding, TIKI did more than just update their look. They unveiled new offerings and marketing strategies with the goal of repositioning themselves, appealing to a wider audience, and regaining market share. The new identity presents a mixed bag of impressions. It might not have the charm of the old one (those smileys will indeed be missed), but it undeniably brings a fresher appearance to the table. However, it doesn't seem as cohesive as some other rebrands we've observed, which makes us question if it was perhaps rushed. How this decision affects TIKI's future remains to be seen. Will they secure their spot once again in the e-commerce race? Only time will provide the definitive answer.
