Expressing a brand in three 足dimensions by Jens-Ole Kracht
Creating and managing brand value TM
Expressing a brand in three dimensions by Jens-Ole Kracht
“Expressed in three dimensions, the brand personality takes on a more tangible, sensuous quality. People can grasp and feel it.” Can a detail as mundane as the choice of building materials tell us something about a brand? It might sound absurd at first, but let’s take a bank, for example. An interior made of light-colored birchwood makes a bright, friendly impression. It’s a style we associate with Scandinavia or the Netherlands. It connotes a friendly, conversational approach. The impression imparted by dark wood tones like wenge or ebony is very different. They are perceived as solemn and earnest, and lead us to expect to be addressed with the polite formality afforded customers of powerful financial institutions like Deutsche Bank or UBS, where people wear suits and ties. So even the kind of wood used can influence the
way a brand is perceived. In the spatial dimension, branding involves much more than hanging up a logo or applying a coat of paint in the corporate color. When properly designed, spaces can merge many individual stimuli into a synaesthetic overall impression of the brand. Ideally they enable people to sense and experience the brand’s vision, strategy and positioning. To achieve this goal, all aspects of three-dimensional (3D) design must play a role. Design elements such as color, typography, materials and 3D shapes must interact harmoniously. The result is a mental impression of the brand – be it a trade fair exhibit, a retail store or the interior design of a company location. A precisely designed environment is the
best way to create spaces that skillfully present the brand in all its facets, thereby deepening the trust people place in the company. Expressed in 3D, the brand personality takes on a more tangible, sensuous quality. People can grasp and feel it.
Basic-Character-Tool for determining the essential characteristics of the room
Wording concepts relevant to the design
Material samples to choose from
How do we choose the right materials, colors, shapes and ambience? Interbrand has developed a way to bring architectural spaces to life and imbue them with a consistent, 3D brand identity. It has proven to be an efficient and very successful instrument for creating holistic brand experiences. Because each project – like each brand – is unique, we use a customized approach rather than a standardized process. Our solutions are tailor-
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made to meet the needs and requirements of our clients. First we analyze the task and sharpen the focus by clarifying the requirements with the help of existing documentation and comprehensive research. The foundation is laid in a 3D workshop During a special workshop, the material and spatial connotations of the brand and concrete visualizations of the brand positioning and brand experience are developed on the basis of the existing corporate identity and positioning, with special attention to an overall idea that sets the brand apart from the competition. We collaborate with the client to set the essential parameters and lay the foundation for the future design. The workshop also helps the client understand the principles that determine how the brand will be perceived in the 3D environment. Interbrand initially creates a 3D matrix that represents the aspects that influence brand perception in spatial environments – form, function, construction, material, color and light are interpreted on the basis of the brand values. Attributes such as value-creating, integrating, agile are aligned with aspects relevant to design, e.g. self-supporting, transparent, dynamic.The 3D matrix forms the basis for the workshop and the subsequent work steps. The client workshop itself 1 We generally begin the workshop with a session on “architectural archetypes”. The primary objective is to define the basic character of the space to be designed. What should it symbolize, and what level of quality should it exhibit? The participants divide up into small groups and use images to plot opposites such as private and public or shelter and representation on a graph and apply it to the planned 3D application.
capable of being expressed in 3D design. This provides an appropriate introduction for participants who are usually more accustomed to working with words. 3 The “associative images” tool helps to pin down the desired atmosphere and ambience. From a picture pool of various interiors, participants select those that adequately illustrate the brand. The discussion among participants is at least as important as the actual images selected. Participants’ contributions and comments are recorded and documented.
4 Aside from influencing the visual appearance of a room, the selection of prototypical materials also determines its haptic characteristics. Participants evaluate a pre-selected collection of materials to determine which best represent the character of the brand. 5 The abstract associative 3D shapes range form hard and angular to rounded and amorphous. They are used to describe the formal design principles for the objects and structural elements that will define the space.
YOUR 3D BRAND WORLD
Superu vis v vision Gu u Guidelin n lines
Step 5
Step 6
Implep a mentation Step 4
Detailed et C Con Concepts Step 3
Concept c ce Ideas ea Step 2
3D 3 Workshop W Wor Step 1
Research a d and Analysis ys
YOUR YO Y O B BR RA BRAND
2 In a second step, we select three or four attributes from a pool of characteristics
L oika Dialog K100 bruary 2008 5 IBZ&L for Troika Dialog 08TRK100 20 February 2008 Slide 21
Selection of the materials and colors
Associative shapes for the design of the room
Precise adjustment of the moodboard
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Exemplary moodboard
During the workshop, each group creates a collage comprising the various elements it has selected and presents it to the others. On the basis of the information, impressions and results gained in the run-up to the workshop and the workshop itself, Interbrand composes a moodboard illustrating the final results. The moodboard serves as an intermediary between the brand itself and the design elements that express its personality. It represents a pact between Interbrand and the client, and all subsequent design steps will be evaluated on the basis of this work. The rest of the process usually comprises four steps:
Basic idea
Concept ideas On the basis of the mood board, Interbrand sketches out a central vision with several alternative design concepts for expressing the brand personality in three dimensions. Detailed concepts In this phase, Interbrand further develops a selected design concept, defining it in detail with the help of renderings and scale drawings. What you see is what you get.
evaluating bids to ensure a smooth and efficient implementation process. Supervision/Guidelines In this final step, we supervise and docu ment the construction and roll-out of prototypes. This process is customized for the client’s brand and produces guidelines for future activities.
Detailed planning/Implementation Construction plans are developed and specifications for the prototype are set out. Materials, colors and textures are decided upon. Interbrand assists in soliciting and
Detailed concepts
Detailed planning
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Dipl.- Designer Jens-Ole Kracht Creative Director 3D
Jens-Ole Kracht is Creative Director 3D at Interbrand. In this position he brings strong brands to life three-dimensionally through a creative process. Jens-Ole Kracht joined Interbrand in 2006 as Creative Director and significantly shaped the appearance of many brands since. Jens-Ole Kracht studied Industrial-Design and Architecture at the University of Arts, Berlin and finished his degree with honor. Contact: jens-ole.kracht@interbrand.com
Expressing a brand in three dimensions | by Jens-Ole Kracht