JUST Branding S06.EP18 - Transforming Amazon: Behind the Brand Overhaul with Koto (James Greenfield)
Nov 4, 2025
James Greenfield, CEO and founder of Koto, discusses the monumental task of rebranding Amazon, a challenge that involved 18 months of work across 15 global markets. He highlights the need for brand simplification amid its complexity and the innovative strategies Koto employed, like creating a custom logotype system. James shares insights on collaborating with Amazon's in-house team and overcoming operational challenges. The rebrand led to doubled brand recognition and improved sentiment, emphasizing the importance of disciplined and consistent brand management.
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Brand Fracture Hindered Discovery
- Amazon's brand had fractured across services and markets, creating discovery and coherence problems.
- Koto identified architecture complexity and market maturity as the core challenges to fix.
Don’t Oversimplify Complexity
- Complexity often exists for a reason and can't always be oversimplified without losing function.
- Market maturity and different regional experiences require tailored, not uniform, solutions.
Build On Three Core Codes
- Use a limited set of distinctive codes (color, type, logo) as the foundation for a global system.
- Make elements legible at both tiny and massive scales to ensure consistent recognition.