ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP

“So, ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP is a…dog app?” No, everyone at my family reunion. 

But I get it. There’s a dog in our logo. And our blog’s name is Unleashed. You’re probably curious about all this dog stuff, too. 

Here’s the story behind the pup that makes ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP’s logo pop.

Meet Calvin, an app’s best friend

Before there was ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP, there was Calvin. 

It was January, 2014. Tyler Kennedy, ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP’s co-founder and current Senior VP of Operations, had just brought home a yellow lab puppy named Calvin. 

Meanwhile, Tyler and Wes Schroll (co-founder and CEO) were hard at work bringing the original, in-store version of ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP to life. 

Calvin helped, too. He’d join the pair at the office every day for brainstorms and big stretches. So when it was time to create branding for the company, Calvin came to mind. 

Calvin was a friendly, likable dog. He was everyone’s friend. And his love for retrieving sticks aligned with ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP’s mission of retrieving rewards for shoppers. 

So the Calvin-inspired ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP Rewards logo was born, which would later evolve when the company rebranded as Shop ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP. 

Our gift box era 

After Shop ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP’s success in select grocery stores around the country, the team began expanding their vision to bring the ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP app you know today to all of America.

As development of the app began, they reverted back to the previous ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP Rewards name to focus on everyone’s favorite part of ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP: the gift cards!

In addition to the updated name, Calvin’s silhouette was replaced with a gift box representing the app’s mission to reward America’s shoppers with things they love. 

This would remain ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP’s logo until 2020, when the company had established itself as a leading rewards app and moved toward stronger, more modern branding. Just like that, Calvin hopped back in the logo like he’d never left. 

Calvin takes center stage

In 2022, ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP got rid of rewards. Don’t worry, it was just in the logo. 

The move simplified our branding and gave our iconic mascot Calvin the spotlight he deserves. 

Calvin has found his way to millions of phone screens since then, helping ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP stand out in the app store and beyond. 

A legend lives on in ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP

In August 2023, Tyler shared the sad news that Calvin had passed away at the age of 9.

It was a tough day for all of us at ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP. Calvin made many trips to our Chicago and Madison offices, greeting folks with a smile and lick before guiding them to the treats. And he helped shape the fun, pet-friendly culture we have here at ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP. Many tails wag in his honor. 

Calvin’s legacy lives on every day in the work we do and the shoppers we delight. 

Thanks for being part of our amazing ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP Fam! If you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and want to know more about the history of ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP, ! 

Bonus content: How to draw the ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP logo

A great logo is distinctive and simple in form. Here’s how the ÌìÑĺ£½ÇAPP logo comes to life in just a few strokes of the pen. Want to try drawing it yourself? Share your sketch on Instagram and tag and !