The keenly observant amongst you may well have noticed something different with i2i. After almost 15 years as a yellow brick it was time to say goodbye to the old logo and introduce a fresh, more dynamic look.
Working with long-time friend and associate Alan Hayward we bounced around several ideas, colour schemes and shapes until finally settling on the new look.
We’re delighted with the look of the new brand identity and feedback has been very positive. Now I’m wishing I’d taken the plunge a few years ago but at the very least we took the important step and engaged a professional designer to sharpen up the image.
Interestingly Google also thought the time was right to re-brand with their change of font. This has delivered the usual array of positive and negative comments but from my perspective it’s spot on and timely.
If you have a brand identity are you happy with it? If so is it because, like a pair of old slippers, it’s comfortable and not hurting anyone and the thought of changing it gives you a headache? Or it might be fresh out of the box and still shiny so not ready for any tweaks.
When engaging with clients on this topic I find it can quickly become an emotional rather than rational discussion. Business owners feel protective of the brand, probably because its creation felt a little bit like the birth of their first child or most successful effort at DIY. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is a regular retort to suggestions of brand updating. I’m not unsympathetic to such views but if there is an engrained and stubborn refusal to accept an obvious flaw in a design or brand projection the business may well be losing custom simply through a perception based on looks rather than experience.
The Yellow Brick has come to the end of the road and now we’re hoping to A-peel with Orange (I can hear the groans from here you know). Essentially those involved in the business are behind the new brand and first impressions and feedback by clients has been better than we could’ve expected. As is typical in the culture of our business we don’t want to just talk about an area of marketing we want to get under the skin of it and understand it fully. By taking ourselves through this process I can assure you we understand both the pain and pleasure it can bring and for us in the short term so far the rewards.
Branding Tips
The Values what are you looking to convey – expertise, good value, professional, quality, friendly, exclusive
Making an impression – will a new design create the impact you require, look at other brands and how you have responded, what do you want you brand to say to customers.
Staff – don’t overlook those working for you. Engage with them in the process but try and avoid committee led decision making. That typically ends up with consensus but little creativity.
Strapline – This is an interesting one. Some love the idea of a tag line to a brand others avoid at all costs. It can work very well or it can undermine the overall business strategy. For i2i we kept it very simple – moving to Marketing Management two words that for us sum up what we do but still contain a full range of services. Alternatively there is the ethos of the business and examples such as Adidas “impossible is nothing”, Subway “Eat Fresh” and then there’s the bold statement such as Carlsberg “probably the best lager in the world” great examples of enduring messages that underscore and enhance the brand.
Creativity – we all have an element of creativity in us and to lesser or greater extent an ego that wants to see our ideas in lights. In truth you don’t always need an expensive brand consultancy but we would recommend investing in an experienced graphic designer who can turn the ideas into a professionally finished identity.
Colour – If trading globally be aware of international conventions with colour and their cultural references. Also be aware of the way certain colours may appear in print or online. Checking out an HTML colour wheel against a printed pantone guide can deliver two very different results.
Feedback – take comments on board but retain your focus. This is very much a subjective area and will offer up a wide variety of opinions.
Old design – don’t lose customers by moving away too dramatically or quickly from a long standing brand. If you need to modernise consider a 2 or 3 phase approach taking as many years.
Context – consider all areas where the brand will appear – online, TV, video, radio, news print, glossy print, letterhead, e-mail, business cards etc…
All in all have fun with the process if you think it’s time to bring your business forward with a refreshed redesign of your brand make like Nike and just do it.
