Projector

1. Demoralised employees, confused customers? – it may be time for a re-brand.

We here at Projector take pride in the fact that we are well known for combining creative skills with an underpinning of business knowledge which we’ve built up over a number of years, working within a wide range of sectors. We’d never tell you that simply a new logo design is the one magic answer that will turn around your fortunes and solve any problems you’re having. However, a good (and thorough) rebrand process will work to unearth the issues that you may be having that could be solved through a number of key changes, including a new look and feel. This can lift spirits, re-focus aims and offer a new beginning.

2. Name or Design Weakness

The company may be doing extremely well with no issues, record profits, loyal workers and happy customers. So why would they want a re-brand? It could be something as simple as the logo growing old fashioned or creating technical problems, i.e. failing to reproduce well in print. This could be the result of a logo simply being designed badly in the first place or being designed to fit in with the style of the moment. For example in the early 90′s a lot of logo’s were designed to look ‘grungy’ with distressed edges and textures. A few years down the line and these logo’s show their age, they have no ‘timeless’ qualities. This approach to branding can pay off in the short term but will require a refresh several years later. 

3. Legal Requirement

Occasionally, but very rarely there may arise legal issues that require a company to make changes to their branding. Reasons for this might be down to similarities between naming or designs resulting in the need for change or perhaps the break up of a company which leads to a loss of the right to use it’s logo mark. One of the most famous examples of this was in 1984 when the US government forced the telecoms company AT&T to break up, resulting in several smaller regional companies. The AT&T bell logo had to go after over 100 years representing the company. 

4. Publicity Stunt

There are many examples of well known companies changing their brand (or the branding of one of their products) in order to drum up publicity resulting in, sometimes positive, sometimes negative public response. Pizza Hut/Pasta Hut, Marathon/Snickers, Pollack/Collin (Sainsbury changed the name of a fish), Opal Fruit/Starburst. The saying goes that ‘all publicity is good publicity’, in the case of the examples I have mentioned and similar cases I would have to agree or at least say that I can’t see that any permanent damage would have occurred as a result. Although initial public response may have been negative in many of these cases, they have all been propelled to the forefront of media attention and are all the better known because of this. Bad publicity usually results from individual human error and not from structured, planned marketing – i.e. Gerald Ratner of Ratners jewellery stores stating their products were cheap rubbish at a press conference.

5. Merger or Acquisition

When two companies merge or if a company is acquired by another the question is usually raised as to how the merger will affect the brand values of either business. There can be a lot at stake, especially when one or both companies already have strong brand personality within the public eye. It’s essential to know the market and assess the pros and cons of making any changes if at all.

One example of where the wrong decision was made was the Royal Mail re-brand to Consignia; in 2001 the company ceased to be run by the government and became semi-independently owned. A re-brand was commissioned and the new name Consignia unveiled. It was a total flop with widespread derision (even the new chairman disliked the name!). The decision was made to revert back to the Royal Mail.

Landor recently posted an article on their 8 design principles, one of the points concentrated on “entertaining” as a significant part of design. They stated that ”The best wit always contains truth, and a sideways look can engage and delight an audience. Playful ideas linger in the mind, bring a smile to the face, and make design more memorable.”

Adopting a slightly humorous approach can differentiate you from competitors in your sector. Obviously this won’t apply to all sectors of business, as brands like Goldmann Sachs would prefer to be more reassuring and business-like to instill a feeling of confidence in their investment banking. However if suitable, humour can grab the attention of an audience, tease out a smile and make a lasting impression with memorable wit. Humour can make people stop and think about a brand, remembering it’s message.

To a case in point. “serious**” as a brand treads this line very well. Waste is something that people either get embarassed about, or laugh over. In choosing the latter and taking a light hearted approach  basing their brand around being “serious about sh**” “dealing with sh**” and that “sh** happens”. Sales proceeded to rise by 90%, giving them a strong platform to further build their brand upon. 

A recent example would be Magners cider, introducing their new campaign in light of the onset of a (hopefully) sunkissed English summer. The campaign features insights into the people who work at Magners. It shows them to be ridiculously relentless when it comes to procuring the apples and it is this commitment that makes the cider so distinctive. In amidst the humour however, is the underlying message that Magners are solely focussed on producing the best tasting cider, alluding to complete dedication to the quality of their product. It is early days but I’m certain that this new campaign will push Magners into the forefront of drinkers’ minds.

Adopting any kind of tone of voice gives you another chance at having something extra in making your brand that little bit different. It could be humour. Your brand could be the one you could imagine going for a cheeky pint with on a lunchtime. It could be the stalwart you can always rely on. Copywriting can really bring your brand down to earth giving a much more engaging experience, making you feel like you have a relationship with the brand, rather than simply using it’s service or products.

Projector are currently: Voting with the back of their hand on this website.

The ship’s captain (Managing Director) of Projector and all together nice guy Mr Phil Lowery was recently asked for his opinions on North East design and upcoming graduates by a:design association. Phil was only too happy to lend a moment of his time to the organisation and if you’d like to see what he has to say then follow the link.

Projector are currently: Wondering where on earth the day has gone.