Creating Uniquely Evocative Brand Packaging Design
Recently I cam across this beautiful wine packaging design; ‘UNA‘ wine bottles designed by cibic workshop to mark the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy. What struck me was the power of creating a different packaging form when virtually the entire industry uses the same shaped bottles.
It’s all about brand design for customer connection.
For brands looking to create bold and memorable brand gestures it’s all about finding a time and place to connect with their target market in a way that adds value to their lives. vodafone has just developed its ‘VIP recharging truck’, a solution for mobile charging at outdoor and multi-day festivals throughout the UK.
When Brand Communication does not equal Brand Behavior.
I was reminded of a great truism in brand yesterday as I passed a dilapidated sign we had designed for a client many years ago. The client was the City of Stonnington, and the place proposition for Stonnington was ‘Quality and Diversity’. More than a decade ago we designed the new visual identity for Stonnington and rolled-out an extensive signage system throughout the municipality. Whilst we were engaged for the initial execution, our recommendation for an ongoing maintenance program fell on deaf ears. The result is a City that prides itself on ‘Quality’ but communicates through the dilapidated state of their entry and place signage that quality is more of a mission statement than a true mission.
Most brands spend time and energy defining their mission, their reason for being – but few give priority to delivering on that promise through all they say and – more importantly – do. It is easy to say what you stand for as a brand, to tell the world what separates you from your competition, but it is the bold brands who truly live their credo who truly stand apart.
Dave Ansett, Brandamentalist
Quality Brand Designer
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By reading our Madly blog by now you will know that we are obsessed with a number of things, some of those brand related and others slightly strange. However Nexus Vomitus takes obsession to a whole other level. It is a collaboration between artist Millie Brown and opera singers Patricia Hammond and Zita Syme. You can still buy the artwork for
£1,500. I think that says it all.
Random Acts of Brand-Oriented Kindness
There’s been a raft of discussion recently about the strategy of integrating random acts of kindness into a brands’ communications. On the one hand we have a line of thinking that questions the motives of the brands at the center of these gestures – on the other hand we have a view that anything that creates joy is worthwhile – regardless of strings attached. This recent gesture by fruit beverage brand Tropicana has once again put the spotlight on the debate about brand-led acts of kindness (see the ad and pics after the jump).
Sometimes life is too funny.
They described the recent Royal nuptials as a ‘fairytale wedding’, and it turns out the Royal wedding was actually a remake of a Disney cartoon. The similarities between the origianl and the real-life sequel are remarkable – although the additional casting of the Pippa character was a stroke of genius.
Brand Differentiation through Design Innovation
I’m the first to admit, I’m a sucker for beautiful design. Create a newer, more stunning version of anything and I’m first in line to buy one – a tragic but aesthetically pleasing obsession. So you can imagine my delight when I came across this old-school iPod amplifier this week. Italian design studio en&is have designed this beautiful combination of form and function, tradition and cutting edge, a sublime, ceramic, organic amplifier they call ‘megaphone’. Designed for use with the iPod and iPhone, the amplifier – which was recently presented at salone satellite during milan design week 2011 – allows users to play their music aloud in a way not dissimilar from that of a gramophone. Truly an example of innovative design driving brand differentiation.
Fashion retailers in Australia are simply devaluing their brands with a seemingly unrelenting reliance on price discounting. In Melbourne we have not yet officially hit winter but many of our fashion retailers are hitting the ‘sale’ panic button. In the past week I have had the pleasure of purchasing jeans and pullover from Saba at a 30% discount. This discount was not simply available on those two items, it was available on all menswear items. The interesting thing is that I went to store specifically to get the items, not knowing the sale was on. I am a loyal customer, the very thing that brand equity is based on. They traded off 30% in gross profit margin and did nothing to make me think that I had specifically been rewarded for my loyalty – as it was a discount available to all.
To celebrate the new Audi A7, over May and June, Audi will be showcasing 16 leading figures in innovation and design. Each week, they will be profiling two icons, their work, and exploring what drives them to create. With a reputation for innovative design, and a commitment to finding the perfect balance between ‘pure elegance and vibrant athleticism’, the Icons are a celebration of Audi’s own design premise, ‘emotion taking shape’. Over the next 6 weeks, this emotion will be shared through the exploration of some of the world’s most innovative design work.
