Design has always had motion in its bloodstream.
From Saul Bass title sequences to the early animated startup sequences of Microsoft, movement has long been used to express energy, emotion and intent. But in 2025, it is no longer just part of the toolkit. It is fast becoming the foundation of how brands show up.
Across award shows, rebrands and digital platforms, a shift is taking place. Brands are not just designed to look good, they are designed to behave. And although that idea has been discussed for years, in many cases that behaviour is now being funnelled and shaped through movement.
From moving moments to motion-built systems
Movement in design is not new. The difference is that, until recently, it was treated as a ‘moment’ – a flourish, an end frame; something saved for campaign rollouts or one-off activations. The identity itself would stay still while motion sat somewhere on the edge.
Now, identity is being built from motion.
More studios and in-house teams are designing brand systems that move by default. Shapes flex. Grids breathe. Type shifts with tone. These are not decorative extras. They are essential tools for expressing what a brand stands for, especially in fast-moving environments.
That is because modern brands do not live in print or static guidelines. They live on screens. They are experienced through interaction, rhythm and repetition. In that context, a brand that never moves risks being forgotten.
Beyond logos, type and colour
Of course, identity design has always evolved. Logos have been redrawn. Colour palettes adjusted. Typography has gone from rigid to custom and back again. These shifts are not new. But today’s changes are not about style updates or visual refreshes. They are about a deeper change in how brands express themselves.
Look at Freeform’s dynamic typeface. Or Instagram’s rhythm-led animation language. Or Adobe’s red frame that now guides motion behaviour across campaigns. These choices go beyond what the brand looks like. They shape how it feels and how it acts. What we are seeing is not just a trend. It is a redefinition of what brand identity means.
Imperfections of humans.
Brands are starting to adopt motion in ways that feel intuitive. Subtle gestures that were once saved for interface design are now used as defining behaviours. A gentle “contactless tap” animation for banks. A heavy, headbang-like motion for Deezer. And in some cases, the subtle imperfections of human movement, as referenced in Instagram’s motion system by Studio Dumbar.
These are not random effects. They are cues borrowed from how people behave. And that is exactly the point. For many consumer brands, the ultimate goal is to feel more human. To speak, move and respond like the people they serve. Motion gives them a new set of tools to do that. Rather than relying solely on voice, photography or copy, brands can now express empathy, character and rhythm through how they move.
This is not about adding decoration. It is about creating instinctive recognition. These subtle movements help brands feel alive. They help them respond, not just appear.
Breathing systems, living brands
As these behaviours take hold, identity systems start to feel less like rigid templates and more like ecosystems. Brands are no longer a fixed set of elements. They shift in pace. They respond to context. They create atmosphere.
These living qualities change how we experience them. A static logo once stood as the full stop. Now it is part of a sentence. The identity unfolds over time. It gestures. It waits. It leads. This kind of presence is hard to fake. It comes from designing motion with purpose and consistency, not just flair.
Fluidity does still need structure
As a result, brand motion system guides are now being created separately from original static brand guidelines. These documents focus entirely on how a brand moves — defining speed, rhythm, emotional tone and transition behaviours in detail. They act as motion-specific playbooks, often including rules for easing, interaction timing and storytelling principles across digital environments.
These guides are emerging because animation needs consistency to scale. Whether a brand is delivering short-form content, app transitions or large-scale campaigns, motion systems need to be understood and applied by multiple teams. Toolkits, templates and behavioural systems are now essential to keep things coherent.
Done well, this does not limit creativity. It protects it. By defining how a brand moves — not just how it looks — teams can build stronger, more expressive work. Work that is alive, not just aligned.