Canva’s Affinity Rebrand: Lessons in Strategic Communication and Market Positioning
When Canva acquired the professional design suite Affinity earlier this year, many saw it as a bold step into Adobe’s long-held territory. Now, with the launch of a unified Affinity app and a rebrand that makes the software free for professional use, Canva has sent a powerful signal - not just to designers, but to the entire communications and technology landscape.
This move is not only about design software. It is about strategic storytelling, brand repositioning, and competitive communication in an era where technology brands compete as much on narrative as they do on features.
Lesson 1: Reframing Value Through Language
Affinity’s new version merges its three core tools – Photo, Designer, and Publisher – into a single platform, offering an improved user experience and integrated AI-powered features. Canva announced that the Affinity suite is now free for professionals, removing traditional paywalls that have long defined the creative software market.
The word free is not just a pricing strategy – it’s a communications tool. Canva is redefining what “professional-grade” means by attaching it to accessibility rather than exclusivity. Where Adobe has built a narrative around comprehensive, industry-standard creative ecosystems, Canva’s language focuses on empowerment and inclusion.
From a communications standpoint, this demonstrates how reframing value – not through features but through purpose – can reshape public perception. Canva’s narrative positions the brand as a champion of creative freedom, while subtly casting traditional subscription models as barriers to innovation.