The biggest design news we saw this week was the release of Mastercard’s new brand. Some have been questioning why they even needed a rebrand in the first place given that it’s an extremely recognized logo, but Pentagram did a nice job of freshening up and modernizing the brand while maintaining the most iconic piece — the overlapping red and yellow circles. Our favorite quote from the review sums it up quite nicely: “I can’t imagine a new Mastercard logo being anything other than what this ended up being.” Be sure to watch the video towards the bottom, it gives a good overview of how the new brand is being applied in print and digital. The circle elements are used throughout, and it’s simple yet very striking.

Speaking of logos, we all had a good chuckle at the now-defunct Trump-Pence logo, but this piece by Christopher Simmons, ever-so-slightly NSFW — one of my personal design heros — reminds us to have some levity when we’re criticizing logos. Simmons has an admirable habit of jumping into a design discussion to remind us to calm down and take a step back before design-bashing. So as mediocre as the Trump-Pence logo might have been…perhaps let’s all remember it’s not the worst logo that’s ever been!

The National Parks are celebrating their 100th birthday this year and have launched a new site to celebrate their history. A simple 50/50 layout features elegant typography alongside stunning photography that will make you want to pack your bags for a visit. It’s a fun journey through the creation of all the parks and some of the legislation passed — check it out to find out what year was your favorite park created!

And finally, please allow these painfully cute photographs of baby sloths to perk up your day.