The United States Government Now Has a Chief Brand Architect
Peter Arnell, the designer behind the Pepsi logo strategy document and the Tropicana redesign that caused a 20% sales drop, has been appointed America’s first chief brand architect. He will lead the branding of 27,000 government websites under a July 4 deadline.
Arnell’s Career and Controversial Redesigns
Arnell boasts a four-decade career, including creating the DKNY brand identity and overseeing the Tropicana packaging redesign that, despite a 27-page strategy document referencing iconic artworks, led to a significant 20% sales collapse within weeks.
National Design Studio and Its Mission
The United States government’s new chief design officer, Joe Gebbia (Airbnb co-founder), established the National Design Studio by executive order in August 2025. The studio aims to create a unified brand system for federal government websites, following an initiative to make digital and physical services "useable and beautiful."
Challenges Ahead
The studio has faced criticism for accessibility issues on several websites, including low-contrast text and broken heading structures. They have, however, launched redesigned versions of various government websites and are working towards a July 4 deadline.