The Grammar
of a New Look

Babbel, the world’s first language-learning app with over 10 million users, underwent a major brand refresh.

From spring 2023 through early 2024, my work was focused on the initial phases — shaping early visual directions, concept explorations, prototyping key flows and contributing to the foundation of the new product design.

Modernizing the
Babbel Experience

Babbel is widely recognized for its iconic orange and its focus on expert language learning. Our goal was clear: to preserve that trusted expertise while evolving the brand to support modern, approachable learning styles. The result is a refreshed design that fits seamlessly into today's lifestyles — making language learning not only effective, but also fun and engaging.

We partnered with the branding experts from Koto, drawn to their expertise and the hands-on collaboration of their Berlin team. Once a direction was chosen that truly excited everyone, the real challenge began — especially for me within the product team, who were responsible for translating the new brand into a functional and engaging product experience.

General design direction by Koto introducing a new colour system, typography and silhouettes.

Working Across Teams

Viewing the product through this new lens allowed us not only to update its look and feel, but also to improve the overall user experience wherever possible — all while staying within the project scope and tight delivery timelines. As part of this process, we supported product designers across teams in applying the new styles, helping to ensure consistency and create alignment around the evolving visual direction.

Explorations covering key screens such as onboarding, home, explore and lessons — with additional designs considered for the web version.

Prototyping & Animation

Beyond visuals, we focused on enhancing the user experience through animations, including the lesson trainers, loading sequences, micro-interactions, and smoother transitions. Prototyping played a key role in these explorations, using Figma’s prototype feature, Principle and LottieFiles to bring motion concepts to life and test interactions early on.

Visualizing Achievements

To boost motivation and guidance, we introduced features like streaks and daily tasks and explored how achievement badges could be integrated into the experience. These additions were part of a broader effort to create a more rewarding and supportive learning environment.

The badges stand out through the use of Babbel’s new brand colors, enhanced with advanced styles like 3D looks, soft shadows, and gradients to create a sense of depth.

Looking Back & Things That I Learned

I learned to see mistakes as opportunities to grow, adapt quickly when things don't go as planned and most importantly to embrace ambiguity.

Even a small, focused team can drive meaningful impact. Working across teams takes effort, but it’s essential for building alignment, ensuring consistency, and getting everyone on board. 


Comparison of Babbel’s product pre- and post-rebrand
(2018 vs 2024). The updated design introduces a more
modern, spacious, and emotionally engaging interface.

Work