Waystar Royco, the family business in ‘Succession,’ gets new logos based on 2023’s top design trends

Like any real-life megamedia family, scandal surrounds the Roys. The fictional family’s backstabbing and PR nightmare antics while running faux media company Waystar Royco are what makes HBO’s “Succession” one of TV’s buzziest shows. But the company could certainly use a fresh start, given its problematic history.

Banking on the hype for the final season of “Succession,” which premieres March 26, 99designs by Vista challenged its roster of freelance designers-for-hire to update Waystar Royco’s drab logo—in case any regime change happens in the new installment.

The redesigns were inspired by 99designs’ list of top graphic design trends for 2023, emulating a range of styles from luxe to retro to mysticism—though Waystar Royco may be a bit conservative to opt for any of the sleek options created.

The minimalist text in the show’s logo was transformed into three unique takes, all of which could lead the company down very different paths. One, designed by Glerm Rubini, is an ’80s sci-fi gradient that might lend itself to the vibe of Weyland Yutani, the evil corporation from the “Alien” franchise. Another, from tetrimistipurelina, with slim, curly lettering gleaming like gold, looks as if it were a luxury boutique hotel. The third, by 《•ckmr•》, employs shape, with the words circling around a central “R.”

A second set of designs was made for Waystar Royco’s entertainment arm, Waystar Studios. The first, by Angela Cuellar, is a vibrant orange with playful, abstract lettering. Two more employ iconography for a take inspired by mysticism. The first, again by 《•ckmr•》, shows a set of hands reaching toward the text surrounded by eyes and stars, while the second, from Danoveight, uses similar images with more emphasis on the text.

Waystar Royco’s top-performing news network, ATN News, received three hip updates for a potential pivot to young audiences. Glerm Rubini’s design liquifies the letters like droplets of chrome, while another idea, from Harrysvellas, looks more like a game of connect-the-dots. AnaMaria.Designs went more minimalist on color, while maxing out the size and style of the text.

Finally, the 99designs designers gave some love to Waystar Royco’s theme park and cruises division, Brightstar Adventure Park. Both categories are represented in designs by Glerm Rubini and Rizzleys. A cheery red-and-white design shows a smiling star with a roller coaster resting on its arms. The other imagines a star lounging on the beach, with a cruise in the background and a seesaw nearby.

The campaign features a blog post that breaks down each designer’s inspiration for their rebrand.

“From mysticism and liquid mercury to playful doodles and modern Art Deco, designers across three continents have pushed the boundaries of some of the year’s most influential visual trends to reflect the tension and drama promised by the final chapter in Roy family story,” said Patrick Llewellyn, CEO of 99designs by Vista, in a statement. “The brands at the centre of the series are narrative pillars that deserve to be as iconic as the cult-status show, and the striking and unexpected elements that run through many of these logos capture the potential evolution of the next generation of a family business.”