The brief

DoorDash Ads offers a suite of tools to help brands reach customers in the moments that matter—right as they’re deciding what to order or buy. The brief was to build a clear, cohesive visual identity for the Ads Platform that could tell that story with impact. This took shape through the three core values of reach, relevance and returns. Our main goal was awareness: helping brands understand what makes DoorDash Ads unique in a crowded space. The second was growth—getting more restaurants and CPG partners actively advertising on the platform.

Brand System

Our design system sits at the intersection of human and tech — a key differentiator for DoorDash Ads. It balances the warmth of our brand storytelling, with the functional utility of our platform — resulting in a visual world that's vibrant, modern, and future-forward. Our approach positions DoorDash Ads as a pioneer in the retail media space, while never losing sight of the people who power the platform.

Built for flexibility

Photography

Our photography celebrates the human side of our product and functions as a visual language for how businesses work, create, and grow with DoorDash Ads. We captivate vibrant, authentic moments that show how DoorDash fits seamlessly into tactical business needs. Every image feels warm, approachable, and intentional: real people, natural light, genuine expression. The color, composition, and energy reflect the DoorDash brand itself—dynamic, personal, and built around everyday possibility. We partnered with photographer Corey Olson to bring this rich but natural expression to life.


The DoorDash Ads illustration style balances technology and humanity. 
It aims to captivate the Ads Platform as approachable, memorable, and trustworthy — making complex or conceptual ideas feel simple, human, and engaging. The bold gradients and clean shapes create instant visual impact, while the narrative vignettes turn abstract concepts — like ROI, community reach, or customer engagement into relatable stories.

Conceptual Development

It all started with hundreds of simple vignette sketches to captivate the ideas of Reach, Relevance and Returns, as well as some of the deeper level advantages of the tools themselves. Each illustration tells a small story (ordering food, community gathering, reviewing receipts, etc.).

Distinctive Brand Asset

A distinctive brand asset is a recognizable, ownable element — visual, verbal, sonic, or behavioral — that instantly signals a brand and reinforces its identity over time. Used consistently and strategically, it becomes shorthand for the brand, boosting mental availability across touchpoints. The button is a tangible expression of what makes DoorDash Ads unique— our ability to connect brands with customers at the precise moment of need to turn intent into action, and cravings into conversions. When combined with the DoorDash Ads logo, this became our distinct brand asset.