The Verdict: Palmetto comes clean with new identity by Ragged Edge

About the work

US-based Palmetto sought the help of global branding agency Ragged Edge to tell a new story about clean energy. With Palmetto dedicated to helping consumers take control of their energy through smarter tools and personalised support, Ragged Edge’s mission was to get Americans excited about running their homes on renewables.

Its revised identity is now centred on the brand idea ‘Have it all,’ which aims to speak to clean energy’s benefits, including lower bills and even having a cleaner conscience. The visual design departs from industry cliches featuring cold solar panels, instead adopting a warm aesthetic. This is demonstrated by the deliberately cosy ABC Solar typography, while the verbal identity underlines the liberating feeling of using renewable energy.

Andrew Kitchener, associate creative director at Ragged Edge, says, “Designing for abundance meant breaking every visual trope of green tech. We needed a system that felt rich, abundant and guilt-free – presenting a version of clean energy that can cut across political divides. Palmetto makes renewable energy feel like common sense, not a cause.”

Chris Kemper, founder and CEO at Palmetto, adds, “Palmetto is building a consumer-obsessed home energy marketplace that makes clean energy easy. For too long, energy has been complicated and confusing. We’re here to change that – giving people a simple, affordable way to power their homes and their future. This rebrand represents a huge step forward in our journey.”

Peer review

Lauren Tannenbaum, senior vice president, practice lead, Joe Smith

Palmetto’s rebrand feels like a shot of sunlight in an industry that too often leans on storm clouds. By framing renewable energy in the realm of abundance rather than scarcity, they’ve created a message that’s both timely and unexpected.

The brand’s high-octane tone makes the company’s mission feel urgent and its identity impossible to ignore. Copy and visuals nod to America’s penchant for conspicuous consumption while dropping just the right cultural cues to trigger millennials’ nostalgia.

On the topic of tone, however, our team was split. Some thought the invitation to over-consume was a brilliant stroke of tongue-in-cheek irreverence, while others felt it could be a turn-off to eco-conscious consumers that would otherwise be a target audience.

Where Palmetto has room to grow is in translating inspiration into execution. Phrases like “local partners” and “treat, support and grow together” sound nice but don’t reassure customers about a confusing process. With more clarity in the “how,” they could better deliver on the promise their new identity projects.

Chris Moody, global executive creative director, Landor

Despite being one of the most vital industries on the planet, energy too often remains one of the last bastions of boring corporate identity.

It’s great that this set out to buck that trend. There is character, charm and warmth to the Palmetto expression – kudos to them for creating something that feels made by humans, for humans.

Typographically, although the oversized headlines feel a little zeitgeisty, the rolling script feels fresh and trustworthy. The logo has a timeless quality, as if rediscovered in a vault and refined – which is exactly how it should feel.

The real hero of the system is the illustration. It has a golden-hour warmth that’s smartly non-geographically specific. The photography brings a touch of ‘Monzo lite’ weirdness but it integrates well with the wider system – a rarity for energy-sector communications.

It’s never a surprise to see Ragged Edge doing nice work, but it’s refreshing to see an industry like energy finally starting to get the thought, care and craft it genuinely deserves.

Anne Swan, chief creative officer, Prosek Partners

As a chief creative officer, I always respect a brand that steps outside the usual clean-energy playbook. Palmetto clearly aimed to create something warmer and more human. The script mark is welcoming, and the illustration work is thoughtfully crafted. It definitely cuts through in a category that can feel overly technical and visually predictable.

Where the system shifts a bit is in how strongly it leans into nostalgia. The palette, especially the orange, introduces a retro character that is charming, but it softens the sense of scale a company of Palmetto’s size naturally carries. The illustration style is well executed, yet it keeps the brand in a more playful, startup-like space rather than signalling the larger platform they have built. In this category, clarity, confidence and trust matter, and the identity could reflect more of that strength.

There is real intent and solid craft in the work. With a few adjustments in the broader system to better communicate the company’s scale and ambition, Palmetto has an opportunity to bring even more presence and authority to the brand.

Ivan Cayabyab, SVP, global brand, Moody’s

What makes the Palmetto rebrand successful is how it deftly goes against all the common tropes of a renewable energy brand and pivots in the opposite direction. The overall messaging is not about saving and cutting back, but about abundance and having it all. Standard-issue eco greens are swapped out with warm, rich reds and browns, and the revamped wordmark looks like it belongs more to a Melrose Ave. boutique than a solar company.

Traditional clean tech companies are always pushing charts, numbers and comparisons, whereas Palmetto does it in a bold, fun way that puts lifestyle front and centre. Things like the Pop Tart conversion help to humanise the brand and give it that edge. The rebrand exudes confidence with a hint of hipster, but also shows that it’s a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still wants its customers to thrive.