Disney+ Hotstar’s recent rebranding to JioHotstar has ignited the internet—mostly with anger. The new logo, a seven-pointed jagged star, has been termed anything between “an eyesore” and “the worst downgrade in history.” But is it actually that bad, or is the whole debacle a stroke of genius marketing?
JioHotstar’s new logo looks terrible, right? But what if that’s exactly what they wanted? Apple & Tesla have done this before drop a controversial design, get everyone talking, and boom, free marketing.
Mission accomplished ✅
#JioHotstar #Hotstar pic.twitter.com/Hj3YT7u5w7— Saurav (@SauravTxt) February 13, 2025
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Critics say the design is tacky, something cobbled together using MS Paint instead of a professional team. Others have gone so far as to say that the smaller design firms would have done a much improved job.
Based on how professional Hotstar’s old branding was, the new branding is more of a step in the wrong direction.
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Not sure who approved this logo, but it looks terrible & shockingly bad.
Even smaller agencies could have executed a much cleaner, more impactful design. Design deserves better!@JioHotstar #jiohotstar pic.twitter.com/rKjBDMHIQW
— Rajarshi Gupta (@rajarshikgupta) February 14, 2025
But was that actually the point? Some believe that the clashing design is supposed to generate controversy and attract free publicity—people can’t help but talk, after all.
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Others say, the new logo is a new beginning, bringing JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar under one umbrella.
The biggest logo downgrades in history#JioHotstar #hotstar #Jaguar pic.twitter.com/4lH84WDYVb
— Harsh Patel (@Harshpatel1408) February 13, 2025
The lopsided star, they counter, symbolizes diversity and the diverse content universe across many languages. And in an age where simplicity rules the world of branding, maybe the imperfections are intentional.
Love it or despise it, the JioHotstar brand has already left its mark. Whether or not that translates to increased subscribers, that remains to be seen—but this much is certain: no one will soon be forgetting it.
