Rebranding a Company

Every now and then companies seek out the assistance of a graphic Designer with their brand image, to either elevate it or change it completely. When a company rebrands it is either because their brand is is failing to succeed or it is ready evolve in the business world and gain further recognition. Rebranding is a strategy undergone by a company to change its name, term, symbol or design thereof. The intention is to re-establish the brand in the minds of the consumer, Investors and competitors. These changes are aimed at dispelling any negative connotations which were previously associated with the brand. In rebranding a company is able to reposition itself and communicate effectively.

A company may also want to rebrand if it is entering into a new line of business that is not in line with its current brand identity e.g. Apple changing from being Apple Computers so simple being known as Apple. Relevancy is also a cause for change as the identity must reflect the company’s current positioning of itself. And sometimes competition can serve as a catalyst for change; a competitor’s image can render your company’s as old outdated. Rebranding may be the only way for a company to regain its foothold in the market. A shining example of this is Microsoft, a company which has undergone a gradual rebranding of its products between 2011 and 2012 following the release of the Windows Phone 7. It also changed its logo, services and website to adapt to the market and compete with frontrunners like Apple and Google in its sector. It is considered wise for a company to inform its customers of its rebranding so that they won’t be completely shocked when it does happen.

For a past school project I had the opportunity to pick a company I thought needed a new identity and rebrand it completely. The company I chose is Retrofontein, a street wear brand characterised by its use of bright bold patterns in its clothing designs. The company started in 2012 and is based in Johannesburg. The target market is 16 to 25 year old males and females living in urban areas attending high school and tertiary. The problem I found with the company is that its previous logo did not reflect its products and neither did the brand extension (of which there was very little). So I was tasked with the creation of a brand identity which would stand out amongst the competition and reflect their offering to the market. I came up with a logotype for them with a repetitive pattern in movement and then I abstracted an element from it to create a pattern for the brand extension. The new logo and brand extension I created for them reflects who they are what they do and it gives them a new competitive advantage.  So what do you think of the new brand identity?

Old logo.

New Logo.

Business card.

Letterhead

Flyer.

Poster/Magazine advert.

Billboard.

References:
http://aytm.com/blog/research-junction/rebranding-essentials-why-rebrand/
http://www.pencilscoop.com/2013/04/5-amazing-examples-of-successful-rebranding/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebranding

The importance of naming a brand correctly

The name of a brand is one of the foremost determinants of whether people will fall in love with it or hate it. A consumer can form an opinion about a brand just from hearing its name. So when naming a brand a company should pay close attention as to whether it will resonate with its target audience. Although there are no rules in particular to naming a brand, I found and summarised ten steps that one should consider following when naming a brand and they are as follows:

1.       Give the naming process priority; do not treat it as an afterthought: In the creative world the product or service offered by a company is often given much more attention than its naming and thus results in a last minute rush for a name. The naming should fall into the development part of the brand.

2.       The naming process is as strategic as it is creative: A great name does not come simply, as it is suppose to define the personality and position of the brand. Strong brands transcend the physical attributes of a company, products or services. They form emotional connections with consumers. A brand name should have enough flexibility to cater to an evolving market.

3.       Never underestimate the importance of a creative brief: A naming brief should be specific, highlight the elements of the strategy to be communicated and set clear understandable parameters on its construction. The brief should act as a lens through which you filter a suitable name for your organisation.

4.       Do not confuse differentiation with communication: Companies more often than not, use descriptive terms to name themselves in a bid to lessen the need to explain what their brand is all about. They often think that the more detailed the name is the more likely customers will understand it when in fact picking a simple name makes it easier to remember and allows them to associate a chosen meaning to it.

5.       Look into trademarks to avoid issues: There are approximately over thirteen million trademarks in the world and two hundred and fifty thousand words in the English dictionary. So chances are your name might end up not being yours alone. Therefore names should be pre-screened during the trademark process to illuminate ones that are off limits. Pre-screening saves you time and endless legal battles.

6.       Pay attention to global implications: Make sure that your name is not inappropriate to translates to something thereof in another language. Global Linguistics should be evaluated on a name after it has been shortlisted or chosen. The last thing any company wants is a name which translates as offensive to cultural group.

7.       Choose a name subjectively: Choose a name based on the criteria for success by having a strong brand strategy, clear role of the name and key attributes it should communicate. Research will help you tremendously in this department.

8.       Not everything requires a name: As an organisation grows so do its products and services, thus compelling the naming of each and every one of them. Too many names associated to a brand tend to confuse the customer and this can work against it. Not everything requires naming, just the right strategy to push it.

9.       Get rid of irrelevant names: Brands evolve over time due to changes in the market and customer demand. The current name may not be able to carry the company to the next level of its restructuring. Therefore a company should consider renaming its brand/s in a manner which is not abrupt but gradual.

10.   Do not end the verbal identity process at a name: A brand is more than just the name given to it. The name forms one part a of brand’s verbal identity, Brands should speak to their audiences in a language which has an appropriate tone for a positive response. This determines whether or not they will manage to draw up an emotional connection with their audiences.

The naming process is just as important, if not more, as any other when coming up with or restructuring a brand. The name can be what sell or kills the brand. Brands that do succeed and continue to do so know the importance of a name and paid close attention to it. So the next time you fall in love with a brand name, think of how much thought process went into making it appeal to you.

References: 

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/05/the-science-of-naming-brands-from-ipad-to-ice-cream/238820/

http://www.interbrand.com/en/knowledge/papers-and-articles/10-Most-Common-Naming-Mistakes.aspx

Brand Campaigns

Branding has become something a company cannot do without when wanting to sell its products and services to the masses. A brand has to speak to a person’s senses and influence them to buy into the brand. In order to make a brand work a company has to define its values, the image its wants to portray and the action it wants people to take after coming into contact with it. One of many mechanisms used to measure the success of a campaign is called ‘brand recall’ this is measured by whether a consumer can remember the name of a brand, company or product as part of a particular class. And because consumers have a lot on their minds on a daily basis, brands have to work hard at occupying the limited space available in the consumers mind in order to reinforce their message.

Now a short lived branding campaign has to work even harder at this as it has a limited time in which to implement itself in the consumers mind. On the positive side short campaigns increase urgency for the retailer to sell the product and the consumer to buy it as soon as possible. I had the pleasure of producing a short branding campaign for a school project in the form of Women Writers 2013. For this project I had to pick a female author and create a brand campaign around them, three of their books and a book launch which would happen on the 9^th of August on Women’s Day.

The Author that I chose is Toni Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford, February 18, 1931). She is a world renowned American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are famed for having richly detailed characters which take the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride. She has a string of awards under her belt including a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Nobel Prize. The three novels that I went with for my book trilogy are:

1.       The Bluest Eye: Written in 1970 this was Toni’s first novel, written while she was still teaching at Howard University. The story revolves around a little girl named Picola who because of being mocked everyday by other kids for her dark skin, constantly prays for beauty, blonde hair and blue eyes.

2.       Song of Solomon: The story revolves around Macon Dead Jr. nicknamed “Milkman”. The story follows his compelling journey from being an arrogant boy to a compassionate man.

3.       Tar Baby: This story revolves around Jadine Childs, a black fashion model with a white patron. She falls deeply in love with a black fugitive named Son. The Story chronicles the forbidden love between the two in a racial setting.

The logo that I created for the event was inspired by a pen and the form of a figure meditating, which is something one has to do in order to reach a calm place in order to write. I then abstracted the two and fused them into one. I extended the logo by making it form dandelion seeds which are blown into the air by the wind. Dandelion seeds being blown into the air evoke emotions of lightness, happiness and tranquillity. I decided to shoot all my book covers and theme them around figures standing in the sunset. Here are a few pieces from the campaign:

Logo

 Poster

Bookmark

The Bluest Eye

Song of Solomon

Tar Baby

Promotional bag

Notebook

Web Advert

 3D book reading environment

The campaign taught me that for a brand to work all of the different marketing tools used have to communicate the same visual message, they can have variety but essentially they must look like a family well spread out.

References:

https://www.promoboxx.com/blog/2013/08/long-or-short-campaigns-which-is-right-for-your-brand/

http://ivarsmore.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/how-branding-campaigns-work-for-brand-recall/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Morrison

Emotional Branding

I work at a retail shop on weekends, so I am exposed to the selling and marketing of brands on a regular basis, you might even say I am a part of the brand marketing machine. I work in the sports section of the shop where I witness and assist an abundance of customers come in looking for a specific shoe from a specific brand. When they don’t find what they are looking for it is either they walks away with their spirits down or, every salesperson’s nightmare, throw a ridiculous tantrum and demand that you find what they are looking for. And when their mind is set, requesting that they chose something similar from another brand only further induces their tantrum.

Why does this happen you may ask, well it is because these people and  many other have fallen prey to a skilful little vice that brands use, it is referred to as ‘emotional  branding’.  This is when a brand appeals to a consumer’s emotional state, needs and desires. It is a term used mostly within Marketing Communication. Emotional branding triggers an emotional response in the consumer, a desire and longing for the product which they cannot fully understand or explain.  The consumer even goes as far as developing an attachment, bond and feeling of love towards the brand.

The origin of branding lies within the symbols that brands use. These symbols are created by graphic designers to hold a particular meaning and thus connect with the consumer’s emotions and beliefs about themselves. The idea of associating a brand to a lifestyle was first used by Thomas J. Barrett [1]in the 1900’s when he used advertising to associate high culture and quality to brand Pears Soap[2]. The successful marketing of this product using emotional manipulation saw other brands take note and follow suit.

Emotional branding is meant to create an undeniable bond between the product and the consumer. It embeds a subconscious need for the consumer to acquire the product in order to feel content, this why brands now strive to have a personal relationship with their consumers. This is where brand personality comes into play, when a brand has a personality it assumes human traits in order to achieve differentiation.

So in terms of those customers I encounter on a weekly basis asking them to consider another brand over their preferred one is like asking them to drop a long time companion. I myself am guilty of falling prey to emotional branding and developing a strong preference for certain brands because of the image which they portray.

Reference:

http://www.managementstudyguide.com/brand-personality.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_branding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Barratt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pears_Soap

---

[1] He was a pioneer of brand marketing and was the chairman of soap manufacturer A&F Pears.

[2] Pears Soap is a brand of soap first produced and sold in 1789 by Andrew Pierce.

kulula’s controversial rebranding

Figure 1: kulula airline


Figure 2: South African Airways airline

To recap on past branding events you might have missed, in March 0f 2013 kulula revealed their new branding strategy. This branding was primarily focused on rebranding their line of fleets with the slogan ‘The Most South African Airways’. Now if you happen to ignore the first two words in the phrase you might notice the distinct resemblance it bears to the brand name of another well known airline. At the official press conference Nadine Damen, kulula’s Marketing Manager spoke of how proud they were of the slogan and hoped it would be received well by their target audience. It goes without mention that the company being copied, South African Airways was pretty peeved about the move.

Now since its inception in 2001 khulula prides itself in being the only privately owned airline in the country, now South African Airways on the other hand was founded in 1934 after the South African Government acquired Union Airways. South African Airways has higher brand recognition because of how long it has been with the country. The re-branding proposed by kulula boasted the phrase “The Most South African Airways” written on the side of the planes in a font suspiciously similar to  the one used by South African Airways to brand their planes. To put the last nail in the coffin the back tail of their planes utilised the South African flag in graphic representation similar to the South African Airways logo.

A few days after the unveiling of the “new” branding strategy kulula held yet another awkward press conference promising to review their proposed branding. This came after a number of people voiced their concerns over the company’s proposed rebranding of their fleet and South African Airways having lodged a complaint with The Advertising Standards Authority.

This was not a wise move for kulula as they went through all that trouble to be labelled as copycats at the end of the day. One out of plain curiosity is compelled to try and decipher why they would go through so much trouble to rebrand themselves in a way which would make them  similar to their biggest competitor. The last time I checked company’s re/branded in order to stand apart from their competitors. This little stunt they pulled is akin to Nandos advertising, its hilarious.

Reference: 

http://www.news24.com/Travel/Flights/kulula-launches-controversial-rebranding-20130306

http://wallstreet.platinumdeplus.com/south-african-airways-against-kulula/

http://www.flightsforafrica.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/9.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Airways

Graphic Design and its role in the South African economy

Design has always played a role in how a society functions in relation to its surroundings. Graphic Design is a term first coined by William Addison Dwiggins in 1922. It is a discourse in which a designer seeks to convey a message to an audience specific to the client. While the discipline has witnessed tremendous growth and acknowledgement around the world for its role in driving the economy, South Africa has only just begun to understand its importance. South Africa is yet to see design as a powerful national resource. The discipline can assist the nation into developing local markets, competing on a global market place and meeting the requirements of social reconstruction. Graphic Design should begin to take a pivotal position in the South African economy. Since Graphic Design is so young in the country, it is only beginning to find its unique creative expression. The expression was evident during the world cup through campaigns such as ‘Fly the Flag’ and ‘Football Friday’. This also demonstrated the passion which the Nation can exude when behind a credible and cohesive brand image. Now imagine if that same kind of immense energy and unity could be channelled by the country through its national branding initiative. There is no doubt in my mind that the South African brand lacks that unique visual nuance to make it unforgettable.  There is a vast amount of Graphic Designers and design houses in the country which would be more than willing to assist in re-branding the nation. The evidence can be found in Design Indaba’s Brand the Beloved Country initiative and the amount of visual material designers create themed around the national flag.

Refferences:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphic_design

Marian Sauthoff, 2004, Walking the Tightrope: Comments on Graphic Design in South Africa, Design Issues: Volume 20.

NBI (Nation Brand Index)

Countries are constantly in competition with each other to attract investors, tourists and build up an image for themselves to inspire support from their respective citizens. The success of a country in doing so is measured using the NBI (Nation Brand Index). The NBI was developed by Simon Anholt a world leading specialist in creating strategies for countries, cities and regions. When it was launched in 2005 it was referred to as the ‘Simon Anholt Nations Brands Index’ and it was fielded four times a year.

Nation branding is practised by many states including South Africa, America, Europe, Canada, France, Japan, China etc. In these countries it is officially referred to as public diplomacy. These Countries Governments have resources dedicated to nation branding. They do this in hopes that it will improve their global standing, as a well put together image of a country can influence its success in attracting investment, tourism and increase its political influence in the world.

The NBI is also parent to another survey known as the ‘Monocle Soft Power Survey’ which was established in 2009. This survey ranks nations according to their attractiveness and level of influence on the world. The following elements of a country are evaluated: Diplomatic infrastructure, cultural output, level of governance, appeal to business and capacity of education. The list is then calculated with the use of an estimated fifty factors which indicate the use of soft power. These factors include but are not limited to: Olympic medals, cultural missions, business brands and the quality of country’s architecture.

South Africa is not doing too well on either of these surveys. On the NBI it is sitting at number thirty six and on the Monocle Soft Power Survey it is at number twenty. South Africa did not make it to the top ten of either survey. This essentially means that South Africa has very little influence globally despite the fact that it is the largest exporter of gold, other minerals, and has and internationally revered political icon in the form of Nelson Mandela. South Africa has all the potential to make it to the top of the rankings yet it lacks what it needs most at this point; a carefully articulated and successful brand image.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_branding

http://mountainrunner.us/2011/01/bruce_gregory_reading_list_54/#.Ue0srNL-HTo

http://www.southafrica.info/business/investing/anholt-241012.htm#.Ue0paNL-HTo

Branding South Africa

Have you ever thought about whether countries brand themselves, and how some manage to keep their image intact no matter what situation they come across? Well then just like companies have structures in place to promote and maintain their image countries do the same, but the only difference is the type of branding countries undertake is slightly different and referred to as 'policy based branding. What this essentially means is that all the money spent on it directly benefits the economy.

Every country is united under its largest symbol, its national flag. The flags are symbolic representations of everything the country stands for and it is also through these flags that countries identify each other e.g. In the South African flag the black, yellow and green are colours used by the democratically elected ruling party the ANC, the other three colours red, white and blue were used on the old flag of Transvaal, and the blue and white were also found in the old South African Flag. This fusion of colours signifies a country embracing its past, present and future. Some countries such as America have created successful brand extensions of these flags with strategic placement for maximum visibility e.g. the uniform worn by the American Olympic team. This allows them to imprint their brand image on everyone’s mind repetitively.

South Africa has been trying to build a brand for itself of similar calibre ever since 2002 when Brand S.A was established. It is a marketing initiative mandated by former president Thabo Mbeki to Change the country’s image locally and internationally. Unfortunately it has not achieved much within the last decade, which is disappointing considering the ample amount of time and money given to the cause. My research paper seeks to understand why South Africa’s image has remained stagnant and how it can be saved.

References: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_South_Africa

Fable Font Creation

I have recently undertaken a personal task to design a decorative font, for my own amusement. It came about when I was tasked with the production of a logo for a perfume. It was one of my two strongest ideas, but obviously one got chosen over this one. Fable always stuck out in my mind though, there was a childlike innocence about it which I liked a lot, hence me carrying out the initial idea and extending it into a full font.

The term fable is defined as a short story, typically with animals, inanimate objects, plants or forces of nature conveying a moral. A fable is one of the most enduring forms of folk literature; they can be found almost everywhere. They are most often stories passed down from parent to child throughout generations, one that I can vividly remember being told by my grandmother is that of ‘The Tortoise and The Hare’ a story that I’m sure most are familiar with.

The inspiration behind the font is the popularized cartoon depiction of a beehive, derived from Skeps which originated two thousand years ago. These structures are made of straw and meant to protect the honeycomb which the bees produce inside the Skep.

The font can be used to write titles for a series of kids books and products which would be extensions of these books. I will post the rest of the font when I am done with it, but for now below are pictures of the inspiration and what is to come.

a Skep.

 Cartoon beehive.

Font outline.Fable Font.

Branding 101

When a company succeeds in the working environment it is most likely because it has been well branded. Branding can be defined as "as a name, logo, slogan and/or design scheme associated with a product or service" and brand management is "the application of marketing techniques to a specific product" (Wikipedia).

Companies like Coca Cola are a quintessential example of good branding. Cola Cola is arguably the most recognizable brand in the world as it appeals to the young and old. The company has even been honored with the Cannes Creative Marketer of the Year Award for 2013.

With successful branding a company gets prospective customers to see it providing the only solution to their problem e.g. when you are thirsty and within close proximity to a shop you automatically think about buying Coca Cola. the company has embedded itself in the consumers minds as a thirst quencher.

When you brand a product you are also giving it a personality, which is like assigning human characteristics to it e.g. loving, caring, exciting etc. This makes a product easily receivables to consumers. The design aspect   is also important as it forms the foundation and makes the product distinct from its competitors. The main types of brand personalities are as follows.

1. Excitement
2. Sincerity
3. Ruggedness
4. Competence
5. Sophistication

Coca Cola fits into the excitement category as it presents itself as young, carefree and spirited. I used Coca Cola to explain the key elements of branding as i understand them because just about everyone has come across their beverages and is familiar with their marketing.

Throwback Monday: Waya Waya

Hi, itsThrowback Monday today and this is when I post past work that I have done, do enjoy. This was the first proper logo I produced in first year and the first 70% (of many to come) that I ever got for a brief. The brief was to create a logo for a beverage of choice. I chose do do an energy drink  and named it 'WAYA WAYA' which is a slang word for 'on and on'. The idea was to create a typographic logo which would appeal to a young active audience (16 - 25), living in urban areas, and it had to depict motion .It was a struggle to get to the final design, but it all worked out in the end.

Alex Trochut

One of my favourite Graphic design artists in the world has to be (wait for it).... Alex Trochut. I swear this guy's graphic pieces speak to my soul! His philosophy to design is "more is more" which makes sense since all his creations are colourful  complex and yet make so much sense. he has a very clean style of execution which is very difficult to pull of in a complex graphic piece. He has worked with world famous brands such  as Nike, Adidas, Coca Cola, Absolut Vodka, and the list goes on. My favourite piece of his is a toss between   'Holy mother' for Wallpaper Magazine and '10 Ways to get a job' for Computer Arts Magazine. Here are a few of his pieces and the above mentioned favourite ones of mine. Enjoy.