Martyn Woolley
Design Context
BRAND Š NU.
OUGD 303
www.martynwoolley.com
Martyn Woolley BA(Hons.) Graphic Design OUGD303 Design Context. Brand Nu. *I Don’t know if the things in this book are right but they are what I have found & what I think on the given subject. If you have any quires or question (or completely disagree) then don’t hesitate to get in touch at brandnu@martynwoolley.com
Martyn Woolley
BRAND © NU. In this book I would like to look at and investigate what branding is and what connection it has with design.
Design Context
I shall look at what studio’s agency’s are working with the area of branding and identity design. I shall also analysis and look into a number of well know and some unknown brands that i think are successful in terms of identity and in terms of brand awareness. Is it just a logo treatment and a pantone colour? Or is it a number of things from the identity to brand strategy and client relationships.
OUGD 303 www.martynwoolley.com
BRAND IS: Ideas Design Research Strategy Marketing Advertising Product Place Smell Touch Service Name Sound Values Unique Emotion Colour
People Publications Perception Influence Control Different Desirable Seductive Connection Creative Vision Personality Quality Innovation Passion Flexible Genuine
Language Tone Efficiency Culture Corporate Friendly Interaction Storytelling Credibility Packaging Stationery Engaing Stretching Descriptive Evocative Abstract Consistent
Communication Differentiation Individualism Adaptable Complex Phenomenon Shape Typography Environment Experience Association Simplicity Feeling
Design Context OUGD 303
It seems a brand can be almost anything and that to me seems like a very interesting thing. A book is a book and a website is a website but they can both be brands. I want to investigate what a brand is and how to design an identity for a brand. Looking at studios and agency’s that do the job and creates brand identity’s that are diverse and engaing just like the definition of a brand it’s self.
Martyn Woolley
BRAND © NU.
www.martynwoolley.com
WHAT IS BRANDING? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods & services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers. Therefore it makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem. The American Marketing Association (AMA)
To understand what a brand is & how design is involved, I have chosen to look at the following studios who I think are the best at what they do. - Wolff Olins - Elmwood -LionHouse -The Beautiful Meme
BRANDING IS NOT; ADVERTISING. A LOGO. MARKETING.
BRANDING IS; UNIQUE. SEDUCTIVE. ACTION. Wolff Olins 2011.
Wolff Olins LONDON 2012. There was an awful amount of attention brought to this ‘brand’ through the clever use of an identity. I would say it’s completely different from previous attempts (making it unique) and a bit too much for people to handle, but guess what? Now they’ve got used to it there not bothered any more which means Wolff Olins have opened up the door to us, to make identities how we want them to be not the boring safe stuff clients usual go for. Its been so successful that you could say that its not the Olympics anymore it just LONDON 2012. The key thing here for me is seeing how Wolff Olins say that to create a brand it must be unique, it must be seductive and it must take action.
UNIQUE. The mark or logo that was designed for London 2012 created a bit of a kaffuel with the public when it was released for them to see. This could of been down to the fact that it completely unique and different from what past Olympics perhaps offered as an identity.
It could of also been down to the fact that papers and media released that the identity or ‘logo’ cost £400,00 I don’t know the exact figure or costing as i’m sure nobody else (who wasn’t involved) does either, but i imagine for £400,000 it wasn’t just a mark or logo or even that typeface they did. I imagine it was a lot more...... Consisting of market research, months of development and pitching, developing a brand strategy and coming up with that unique thing that sets it apart from it’s previous events.
SEDUCTIVE. At first I was like everyone else on this...... I didn’t think it looked very good, I thought it gave off connotations of a youth club or a Miami Vice 80’s party. But after researching into it and having a good think it became more apparent that the Identity was completely unique in terms of design and it was also so versatile. To use the old cliche of ‘can the mark be used as a postage stamp and can it be used on the side of a building’ well yes it can. Can the mark be used in black & white and a whole shed load of other colour ways and still hold it’s visually consistency..... Yes it can. To add to the uniqueness of this identity a new typeface was designed that visually matched up with all the other elements.
ACTION. The design of this identity is only a part of how this brand has grown and developed.
You can apply to be a volunteer or set up your own Olympics based event.
Another big part of the brand I would say is how the brand has set it sights at interacting with the public. It Invites people to take part in the brand rather than an outsider looking in.
You can even take part in more creative ways like taking part in the ‘create your own design’ using the elements of the London 2012 typeface.
WHAT THEY SAID. The emblem is 2012, an instantly recognizable symbol and a universal form – one already closely associated with the Games in London. It is unconventionally bold, deliberately spirited and unexpectedly dissonant, echoing London’s qualities of a modern, edgy city. Containing neither sporting images nor pictures of London landmarks, the emblem shows that the Games is more than London, more than sport. It is for everyone, regardless of age, culture and language. It is designed to be populated, to contain infills and images, so it is recognisable enough for everyone to feel and be part of London 2012. Wolff Olins 2011.
elmwood
Put simply, we help brands uncover what’s special and different about themselves and tell the world about it. There’s the thinking and words in brand strategy and brand language through to the visual magic of corporate design and packaging design. Our digital work brings all this together.
ELMWOOD’S STEP CHANGE ™
What’s Stepchange? Step Change is a powerful strategic and creative thinking tool. Inspired by Edward de Bono’s six hats, Step Change workshops walk participants through a series of shoes to kick-start original thinking, generate new ideas and take in fresh perspectives. It’s a powerful way of drawing out ideas as well as engendering support and enthusiasm for new thinking throughout your team or business.
We’re never happier than when we’re immersed in a complete brand identity, from logotype through to colour palettes, typography and all the applications you need. There’s no particular Elmwood ‘look’ but you’ll recognise our projects for the way our ideas are big enough to grow with you.
BRAND © NU. It would suggest here from “The world’s most effective brand design consultancy” that they are many avenues of branding. From the early stages of deciding what the client wants to say right through to how the client will look. Not only do elmwood make everything work and look spic and span they also help the client come up with ideas making them happy & proud clients. It also creates clarity for both parts involved the team understands the client and the client understand the designer.
As well as all the brand, business stuff they also make things look tip top all from brilliant idea driven design. The next few pieces of work from elmwood will show how my love for brilliantly executed design with an even better idea behind it.
Martyn Woolley
Design Context
OUGD 303
www.martynwoolley.com
LIONHOUSE I first came across Lionhouse whilst searching the net , wondering who did all the Talksport branding and identity as seeing a brilliant advert involves a picture of Ian Wright and the word Match-debating. It appealed to me and my dad who was driving but my mum gave a harsh tut. This made me realise that to design for a brand you must understand the audience it’s reaching inside out. Know what makes them tick and what makes them laugh, cry , get angry, think and act. For me this was the first time i noticed Talksport as a man brand rather than a middleweight sport radio station. Underneath is a rundown of what Lionhouse stand for and also a good example of how good copy and wording can communicate what a brand is about. If they can do it for themselves imagine what they can do for the client.
Mediocrity is the enemy.
Fight the good fight.
We are commited to supplying outstanding solutions, service and value, never forgetting that our relationship with our clients is pivotal to success.
We thrive on new challenges, always looking for innovative ways to grow and improve your business communications further.
Decorate the brave.
Life is short. Make it sweet.
We encourage personal initiative and empower our people. Always acknowledging and celebrating diversity and creative potentials. Clients in turn are rewarded for their bravery and trust with a tangible return.
We believe the working day should be fun. Lionhouse is home for happy folk.
“We work closely with our clients to deliver outstanding results for them. We listen and learn from our clients - the people who know their business best. We then deliver what we know best and everyone’s a winner.” Les Welch
LIONHOUSE CASE STUDY: TALKSPORT.
-A Lovley logo explaning that is called talksport and its a radio station its avaible through analouge signal and through digital signal, It even looks like a radio a little bit dont it?
- Classice sort after Talksport USB pen with some film about talksport on it but sod that i can put all sort of crap of my computer on that thing, I WANT ONE!
-What a couple of mugs - perfect for them lengthy hot debates on rooney and weither his behaviour as a 24 year old scouser is acceptable.
Talksport know there audience, they know what appeals to them, they know there a stubborn bunch of lads who like beer and having a laugh & an argument about football or even the government. They always think they can do a better job whether it be putting the ball in the back of the net or spending the country’s budget on better things.
And that’s exactly what i like about Lionhouse, they’ve produced some great stuff for Talksport and created some brilliant campaigns along with some brilliant products as-well as establishing them as a great ‘man brand’.
- OMG is that a spot varnish i see?
- Match deabting with talksport has got to be one of my favorite things to do.
- Spreading the brand and message around using t-shirt’s and branded merchandise.
Martyn Woolley
Design Context
OUGD 303
www.martynwoolley.com
We’re the agency for when brands are ready to change - either themselves or the world. If you want more of the marketing you’re currently doing, safe ideas or the recreation of what’s in your head then we’re definitely not the right agency for you. If you want to be surprised, given ideas that will challenge your marketplace and for your brand to tell new stories then we’re perfect. As a boutique creative agency we’re the place between art and business. We understand and draw from both worlds; a practical awareness of return on investment, sales and profitability, crossed with left-field artistic approaches, bold thinking and an immersion in the further reaches of our culture. When brands have new products, direction or vision, our injection of pure creativity takes them to places they haven’t even considered.
Our advertising ideas become change agents, both internally and externally, as well as powerful sales tools. We are called ‘The Beautiful Meme’ because it describes our creative philosophy. A meme is a unit of cultural information - a catchphrase, a concept, a tune or a fashion - that passes through society, replicating and adapting much like genes through a species. Memes can influence behaviour and change cultures. Our name is a challenge to ourselves. In every piece of creative we produce we look for the ‘beautiful meme’. A visually stunning idea that will live and spread beyond the marketing from which it springs. The Beautiful Meme.
Interview with Ben Haworth, Senior Designer @ TBM ---------------------------
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STYLING FOR MEN WHO DRESS AS WOMEN
Lesley Gray Styling for men who dress as women.
What do you think branding is and what does it involve? Branding is the story that a product or service portrays to its customers. Its there to cause emotion including inclusiveness, aspiration and satisfaction. Every decision made can effect the brand from the top end marketing strategy down to say how staff talk to each other in front of clients. Print/web media etc are usually perceived as critical to the brand as they are usually the first port of call for customer brand interaction. The people involved in the brand need to be amerced in the brand story/ vision or the whole thing falls down. If Steve Jobs was on stage with the new i-pad a 40 stone slob it would crap on the mystifying feel of the product. If the people at innocent were hard ass businessmen in suits who ran over small children to catch their VIP Jets vice versa.
Obviously they haven’t. Its a challenge to push yourself creatively but within some set perimeters. You get canny as time goes on and learn to work them if need be. Essentially though you don’t want to risk the integrity of the brand. It is a balancing act. Remember the marketing manager you’re working for could have sanctioned a £ million re-brand. For you to stand there and question them is essentially questioning him. Not a good move. When I was working at TBM i noticed that creating a story was something that happened on a regular basis could you talk us through the brief you did with Lesley Gray and how you turned it from just a business card and web site job into ( what i think ) was creating a brand?
We’ve always found its a good way to educate clients about what a brand is without mentioning the word which can What is it like working with clients who have freak people out or just send them down brand guidelines, do you stick to them? or the wrong train of thought. We didn’t do any do you break them and try to persuade? creative for Lesley until after about the 5th meeting. We were just asking her every I use to see brand guidelines as a fence question under the sun. Big one’s like why? stopping me from expressing myself Really why?! She found it hard to answer but you actually find when you have a which can ring alarm bells. If people can get beautifully written set of guidelines it opens there thinking sorted you’re not in a position up a whole new challenge. I have recently where you’re telling them why. They know been working to the Wolf Ollins Akzo Nobel why and it makes all the creative process brand guidelines and at first glance you feel more of a team job in which they feel they’ve thought of everything. included.
The Consult The consult are a brand design agency based in Leeds. I first came across there work when Alex, the co-founder came in and had a chat with us about what they did. One thing that I like about consult is that there work is on that thin line of design for designers. Everything they do is of a high design quality.
Over the years we’ve developed and refined our process to enable us to get right to the core of a brand. To find out what makes it tick and how we can visualise the promise it makes to its audience. It’s a joint journey of discovery between ourselves and clients that we call Creating Clarity.”
“The Consult is a brand design agency. Our work is focused, crafted and considered, but above all it’s effective. We connect audiences with your brand and connect you with your audience. Our work is as diverse as it is creative. We deliver considered communications to audiences across a range of relevant media including: brand identity, design strategy, annual reports, brochures, internal communications, advertising, direct mail, events & exhibition, online.
Martyn Woolley
Design Context
OUGD 303
www.martynwoolley.com
Artisan Unlimited Creating a brand for craft-based organisation. Artisan Unlimited are an organisation championing grass-roots craft skills. The brief was to develop a contemporary identity with a natural soul. Images of traditional materials, such as stone and hardwood, in their pre-crafted and crafted states form a dramatic backdrop for the striking modern type.
STACK Corporate identity and name generation for this architectural practice. Leeds based architect Robert Bumby heads up a dynamic practice working with clients ranging from the NHS, through to small independent charities. Having previously developed online branding for Rob’s previous company, we were in the prefect position to understand his company’s offering. They were looking for a fresh brand identity that would reflect its craft and, being a new organisation, they also required name generation. With a nod towards most people’s earliest experience of architecture - building blocks - The Consult developed the name ‘Stack’. A crafted typographical treatment was established alongside a stacked logotype and solid icon, forming a unique graphical look to the identity.
This is a brilliant device for any aspiring designer who want to work with identiy and branding. It breaks it down in to a simple and easy to follow system that is not only easy for client to understand what the consult do but also makes it clear and simple for the designers working at the consult when creating a brand.
MUSIC TO MY EARS
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*This is a question directed at the comments made in 12in12 by Craig Oldam check it out at http://www.craigoldham.co.uk/projects/12-in-12/
So this part of the investigation is as Brand as the rest but i thought it would be important to put in. I once picked up a brightly colored loose sheet publication in a book shop in Manchester ( I’m a sucker for day-glo colours) I went through it like you do with any other book magazine you see in a shop put it down and didn’t think any off it.
A couple of weeks later I saw the book again on the net whilst looking at cool designers on the internet. This designer happened to be the author, so i ordered a copy and eagerly awaited for it to arrive. Three weeks later it still hadn’t arrived even though i’d sent a check through the post for it. So I got in touch with Craig. He mention something about going to america or something and getting his hard drive wiped so didn’t have any records of who had ordered, I don’t know if this is true but i just reckon he was after a sneaky £3.50. My 10th penneth arrivied a couple of days later and after reading the first page I was hooked. I hate reading I always have it’s not my thing, I get bored far to quickly and would rather look at pictures or something that moves, but Craig’s writing style really had me hooked. Within the publication there was a lot of good lessons and things to think about and like i say i just really enjoyed the way it was written, it was informative and informal and I found it way easier to understand than reading some of Shaughnessy academic on goings and it just felt like everything in it made sense. So I would like to just put these quick question’s in this investigation to see what Craig thinks about branding and see why his loves ideas so much, Barnsley FC and groups A & B.
Hello Craig, I know that Music and a bunch of Manchester studio’s are the best for idea led design but what about the stuff that don’t need a good idea? ( or is there such a thing ) There are many of studios that lead a different approach to Design than what you refer to as ‘idea led’ design, but it wouldn’t be fair for me to list them as although I don’t share in their definition of design I don’t want to appear as negative towards this. Whats the point of a good idea? The point of a good idea to me is that it becomes a yard stick for creative and effective communication. It rises above other aspects in communication whilst holding them all together. They have to be relevant, they have to be creative, and they have to be effective. If you do things on a whim for arbitrary means then what’s the point? That’s what decorators do. What Do the think of “logos”, colour pallets and fancy brand guideline books do you think it hinders the designer or helps them? Guidelines help explain the brand and provide insight into it’s construction and meaning. They exist to both creative guide those whom need it and creatively inspire those whom may not. Again, designers should always have something to work with, otherwise the process is directed by whim and response to irrelevance. Do you think that bunch A* and bunch B* are destined to do different jobs and work with different clients? or do you think both can work for whoever or even together? No. It’s not about the output, it’s about the approach. No bunch is right or wrong, neither is good or bad. They can work for the same or different things, but the fundamental difference is the strive for the ideal output be it an emotional idea or a logical communication. and finally. How do you feel about the rumours of Keith Hill being brought in to aid barnsley next season? Open-minded.
MASH CREATIVE Is it a brand? Is it Helvetica blasted over everything? Or is it a creative statement on how consumer will buy into something they love.
“At Mash Creative we believe there is a niche in the market for a collection of products which turns conventional branding on its head. S/O/T/O (State of the Obvious) is a range of merchandise and apparel which does just that.
The use of Helvetica and a swiss style layout is such a big hit with designers that why not create a As the name may suggest, the collection consists of branded branded non-brand out of it. items which State the Obvious’. S/O/T/O uses the products description to create a unique brand identity.”
Corporate Branding For Retail Something that have also been looking into is brand guide lines and branding for more corporate company with stricter design rules. These are Morrison’s weekly offer design guidelines. They basically tell you how to exactly set out a web ad, everything from how to deal with typography ( font size, style and spacing) to what drop shadow should be applied to the ‘lozenge’. I suppose these guide lines create a brilliant visually consistency which portrays the company in a established light and also makes it easier for people to recognise. I spoke to a designer who creates these ads and promotion visuals for Morrision’s and asked he what he thought about brand guidelines.
The pros of brand guides for me are ; Defines who you are, Creates a ‘tone of voice’, Puts trust in your brand, Makes your company instantly identifiable, Establishes quality over time, Creates a set of rules to abide by – easier for designers to focus on the bigger picture, Consistent creative regardless of which designer is working on a project. The cons of brand guides for me are ; Can lack creative freedom to a certain extent, Designers restricted from trying new things, new concepts less likely to be developed, Branding can become over-familiar with the customer & blend into their vision, rather than jump out, High commitment/investment level – need to be 100% certain the brand works, if it generates a poor response from customers will be difficult to rectify quickly/easily.
Martyn Woolley
Design Context
OUGD 303
www.martynwoolley.com
Branding should be: •Easy to recognise •Easy to replicate •Reflect the ‘tone of voice’ of the company
From looking at these guidelines and what a ‘designer’ has to follow has made me think about how creative this job is. There is no thought process involved really in creating these ads and could make the job seem boring and mundane. On the other hand I understand why these are put in place. It makes the brand consistent, people know what there getting and it easy for people to make sense off, if every week there was a designer let loose on a add then chances are all ads would be completely different creating chaos for ‘the brand’.
From Investigating all the above above i have learnt that a branding is a lot more than a colour pallet and a logo although identity can play a massive part. I now feel comfortable knowing the difference between a brand and an identity which is something i wanted to get out of this publication.
www.martynwoolley.com OUGD 303 Design Context
Big thank you to Ben@TBM, Craig@music, Lionhouse, Chris & Rob @ Elmwood, Alex@TheConsult & Jamie Webster.
Martyn Woolley
All work belong to those who created it.
BRAND © NU.