In just a few days, the new VG design will be visible to all users – but already from 27 May, Schibsted employees could see the changes.
”VG has grown significantly and become more complex over time. Now, we’re unifying the visual expression into one clear voice – on the front page, in articles, on social media and in ads. It’s all about being recognisable and relevant across all channels,” says Øyvind Brenne, utviklingsredaktør i VG.
Evolution, not revolution
The redesign has followed one guiding principle: evolution – not revolution. VG’s identity remains, but with updates that bring new expressions, more flexibility and a better reading experience.
”We’ve been focused on making sure it still feels like VG. The design is innovative, yet it offers a seamless transition for our users. It’s only when you see the before-and-after that you realise how much has changed,” says Simen Grytøyr, designer at VG.
Here’s what’s coming:
- Three brand new fonts. VG now has its own custom typefaces: VG Serif, VG Sans and VG Effekt. These are variable fonts, meaning they can be animated and adapted digitally.
”The fonts give us more flexibility. We can vary tone, add finesse, and still ensure top readability – especially on mobile, which is absolutely crucial,” says Grytøyr.
- Playful illustrations. Small, playful illustrations are making a comeback – inspired by the golden era of print newspapers. They’ll add more personality and warmth to articles, fact boxes and advice content.
- More motion and interaction. The new design opens up for animations and interactive elements – icons that expand, boxes that spin – making the experience both more user-friendly and engaging.
- A wider colour palette. VG now moves beyond red, black and white, adopting a broader colour scheme. This makes it easier to signal different content types – from opinion pieces to features and specials.
- A design philosophy centred on the ‘G’. Many elements – such as rounded shapes and fact boxes – are inspired by the ‘G’ in the VG logo. The logo itself won’t change, but has been a key source of inspiration.
Rollout plan:
- 27 May: New visual identity made available to everyone with a VG or Schibsted email address.
- 10 June: A selected group of external users saw the new design on VG.no. Feedback and data are being carefully analysed.
- 16 June: Full rollout to all users. Initial changes apply to the front page and articles; VGLive, VGTV and other platforms will follow later.
Design agency Bielke & Yang and type foundry Smuss contributed to the work, but the project was deeply rooted internally.
”This isn’t just a new profile – it’s the result of months of collaboration across design, tech, journalism and publishing. Everyone involved helped lift it together,” says Grytøyr.
