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Bunnings and Bluey; a brilliant brand partnership

The famous Australian cartoon Bluey and hardware superstore Bunnings, is an inspired collaboration that benefits both brands. For February, Bunnings has rebranded several of their stores to Hammerbarn, the name of the fictional hardware store that Bluey’s family visited in the TV show. The Bluey…

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Supermarkets continue to top brand trust rankings

Leading retail brands continue to lead the Roy Morgan ‘Net Trust’ rankings while distrust is highest for Facebook and leading telcos. The top 10 list of trusted brands for the December 2022 quarter has just been released by Roy Morgan. Despite increasing inflation, the report…

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Unlocking the private label brand architecture strategies of big retailers

From supermarkets to department stores, private labels or store brands are becoming more important to both profitability and customer retention. According to a recent research report from Oracle, private label dollar growth in Australia outpaces branded products by nearly 2x. Private labels currently account for…

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Back to Neon. One of the big brand trends of 2022.

Flash, boom! Neon takes us back to the era many of us now yearn for. Neon has been a strong trend this year with so many influences from the 80s and early 90s. Nostalgic branding is very powerful, especially as millennials (my generation) are most…

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Ethical brands still prioritised by Australians, despite cost of living pressures

Research study shows as consumers tighten their spending, brand values and shopping ethically are still a top priority. Toluna’s Global Consumer Barometer Study shows that the rising cost of living continues to impact Australian consumers and is taking a toll on their health and well-being.…

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Beyond colour; demonstrating real sustainability and social impact

Sustainability branding is no longer about ‘eco’ colours or colour washing. Brands used to highly depend on their packaging and look to communicate their ‘eco-friendly’ mission. They overly used shades of Greens and Browns to show their roles in fighting climate change. Now, brands are…

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Nestlé retains title of the most valuable food brand

Brand Finance releases Food 100 Ranking for 2022 Once again Nestlé is at the top of the Food 100 ranking by a significant margin. According to Brand Finance, Nestlé’s brand value is worth $20.8 Bn, that’s almost twice as much as Yili which is second…

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Apple regains crown for most valuable brand

Kantar releases the BrandZ global ranking of most valuable brands in 2022 Apple has reclaimed its status as the leading global brand in 2022. Rising from the third position last year, Apple has increased its value by 55% and is on track to be the…

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Pride month – No shortage of brand support but is it genuine or just a Drag Race?

June, the Pride Month, is almost over and the competition between global brands on who wore the Rainbow better is coming to an end. Many global brands, especially in the USA, filled their social media accounts with glitters and confetti and happily attempted to outshine…

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Amazon retains its most valuable global brand status

Kantar BrandZ has released their Most Valuable Global Brands for 2021 and it demonstrates the power of strong brands, particularly in a crisis.

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Pizza Hut’s Retro Rebrand with Purpose

Much More than Back to the Future Branding. Here at Truly Deeply we often talk about Branding being ‘Design with Purpose’ and Pizza Hut’s recent redesign of their take away pizza box packaging is a clever case in point. When we say ‘Design with Purpose’…

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Brand Design trends for 2021 and why you should follow them.

What are Brand Design trends and why is it important for businesses to leverage them? Tracking trends in brand design as we do has proven to be fascinating over the years. When a brands seek to connect with their audience and communicate their strategic positioning…

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KFC brand adjusts for Coronavirus

Time for a brand strategy re-calibration. If I read one more coronavirus article stating how we’re all going to need to adjust to the new normal I’ll punch myself in the face. But like it or loath it, for brands of every shape and size…

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Leading CMOs prioritise Brand Strategy in the pandemic

Recent survey finds that more than a third of marketers see brand strategy as most important amid uncertain times. The Annual CMO Spend Survey 2020-2021 research provides detailed insight into how top marketers are adjusting their budget and marketing investment plans due to Covid-19. Amongst…

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Blockbuster Leverage their Brand Nostalgia

Why Blockbuster’s Last Summer Sleepover is a Showstopping Brand Strategy. The Blockbuster brand is synonomous with others such as Kodak and Melways that were once an iconic part of life, but by missing a critical opportunity to shift with consumers and technology have become dinosaurs.…

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Apple’s WFH short film taps into the new normal.

A brandertainment masterclass from Apple. There have been few times if-any over the last few decades where life has been thrown on it’s head for much of the world as has been the case due to coronavirus. One of the most significant changes has been…

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2020 Trends in Brand Identity Design

The power of understanding branding trends. As with all aspects of brand and marketing, consumers and businesses over time build firm associations between how a category of brands look and what that means for the way they associate the positioning of those businesses. As categories…

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Is the new normal for business a once in a lifetime opportunity for brands to innovate?

Inspiring Brands Innovating for the New Reality. WFH is a Japanese start-up who’s brand name is an acronym for ‘Work From Home’. Their first product which we spotted on Kickstarter is a range of Jammies designed specifically for working from home. Brainchild of design agency;…

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Media consumption up, especially video content as a result of COVID-19

New study reveals rapidly changing consumption as a result of Coronavirus (COVID-19), with many signing up for more streaming services. As the coronavirus outbreak continues, more and more communities, industries, and businesses are feeling its effects. Staying informed at this time is crucial. A new…

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The online review tide is turning for business owners and their brands

Online reviews aren’t always what they appear to be. If  I had a dollar for every conversation I’ve had with a business owner wringing their hands in despair of the impact of online reviews I’d be writing this from an island in the Bahamas. Even…

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In-N-Out Burgers launches branded kicks

The Holy Grail of Branding. When designing a brand identity for any brand, but especially a consumer brand, we look to develop visual brand assets than can become instantly recognizable to their loyal fans. These assets allow a brand to be creative in what it…

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You’ve come a long way Barbie

The 2020 Barbie range steps-out with inclusiveness. Loving the way the Barbie brand has kept pace with society and arguably takes a leadership role in diversity and inclusiveness. The range of Barbie dolls includes35 skin tones, 9 body types, a Barbie in a wheel chair,…

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Woolworths ranked most valuable Aussie brand for 2020

Brand Finance ranking of the most valuable brands for 2020 has just been released. Amongst the Australian brands, Woolworths has reclaimed the top spot, overtaking Telstra, after recording a 5% uplift in brand value to AU$11.8 billion. The study also showed that Woolworths has eclipsed…

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The Future of Retail Branding for 2020 & Beyond

The changing face of consumer behavior raises a red flag for retail brands. When I think back even just a decade ago, the demands of retail customers were not so different from the decades before. Essentially most retailers could add a functional web site and…

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Overheard blurs the line between social content and traditional print.

Instagram brand; Overheard launches physical newspaper stands. In the latest demonstration of the blurring between new digital and traditional business and brand models, Overheard launched a physical parody paper (think The Onion) along with a pop-up newsstand at Union Square in San Francisco. Overheard was…

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Victoria’s Secret plays the diversity card, but is it too little too late?

Lingerie giant celebrates major brand shift with plus sized and transgender models. Victoria’s Secret has learnt the importance of ‘never say never’ as they attempt to reverse decades of criticisms of their stand on beauty means. The brand appears to finally understand that the world,…

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Brand China continues to polarise

Study shows perception of China varies across the globe, with reputation declining in many countries. As China celebrates their 70th anniversary of Communist rule, Pew Research Centre has released their latest Global Attitudes Survey on the People’s Republic. More prominant than ever in global headlines,…

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RACQ is the top Australian brand in CX survey

Local bank and insurance brands lead the way in customer excellence. KPMG’s Customer Experience Excellence Report shows that six of the top 10 local CX brands are in the banking and insurance sector, but none are the big 4. On the back of a series…

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Pantone announces the colours set to dominate in 2020.

‘Trecking’ is the colour theme for brands to pay attention to. Each year PANTONE Colour Institute announces the colour or colours set to influence the way brands go to market in the year ahead. Driven by consumer psychology, these colours are often reflected through fashion,…

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The branding data behind Social Influencers

  84 facts every brand owner and manager should know about Social Influencers. Arguably this decade’s greatest disruptor to the way brands go-to-market has been the emerging force of social influencers. In a conversation recently with the founder of Australia’s leading cosmetic retail brands when…

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Truly Deeply & THE:5th Present at Platinum Partners Conference.

A collaboration of client and agency with a shared view on the value of brand. Truly Deeply Founder; David Ansett and Alex McBride founder of THE:5th were recently invited to present at a conference run by Reliable Education for their platinum partners. The conference delegates…

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Responsible produce packaging from Asia

Asian supermarkets use banana leaves instead of plastic packaging for fruit & veg. For decades many consumers have been pushing Australian retailers to reduce the overpacking of fruit and vegetables, but it’s still happening. Now, it seems our neighbours to the north are streets ahead…

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Sexist brand icon Playboy gets with the program

The power of re-imagining a brand icon. In a shift that has even me surprised, iconic global brand Playboy has moved with the times, evolving from a ‘sexist and proud of it’ brand proposition to one of understanding and tolerance. Playboy CMO and Rachel Webber…

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A peek behind our brand strategy work for THE:5TH

THE:5TH – A watch brand worth watching. We’ve recently begun working with next gen watch business THE:5TH. For those not familiar with the brand (which makes you over 35 and not fashion savvy) THE:5TH is a stellar example of new businesses disrupting old categories –…

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Reinventing the wheel – A brilliant brand strategy

The new product innovation set to disrupt the passenger tire category. We much more often hear from clients; “We’re not reinventing the wheel here”. We hear it so often it’s almost become a default starting point for approaching branding projects; ‘How do we get growth…

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Microcations – the latest trend hitting the travel category.

The Microcation is officially a trend Being driven predominantly by millennials, the microcation is a short getaway that is gaining popularity fast. Research from the U.S. (The 2019 Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance) has shown that 72% of millennials, 69% of Gen…

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Lacoste goes brandless to help threatened species

What stronger way to use globally recognized branding than to make it disappear? In another example of brands tapping into the growing consumer trend of social and environmental activism, Lacoste has created a bold social brand campaign to raise awareness and funds to help threatened…

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Convenience stores; The hidden fast food player.

Consumer trend breathes new life into the Servo pie. Anyone who owns or manages a cafe, restaurant or fast food business knows how tough the market is. Over the last decade the way people eat has changed dramatically with out of home eating (including delivery)…

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The urgent need for more responsible brands

‘Unpacked’ photos remind us that brands need to take more responsibility for their impact. Recently I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with several purpose-led and social enterprises. Helping create and shape brands that are not just great products but will truly make a positive…

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High fashion footwear – The latest branding billboard

The latest branding trend for fashion takes to the streets. As the on again / off again relationship with fashion brands featuring their logos on their clothes continues, the latest trend is high fashion featuring their branding loud and proud on the feet of their…

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Did brand mark design predict Trump’s rise to power?

How brand marks reflect social & cultural trends. Just like uncovering a time capsule or the remains of a petrified Mammoth, a collection of branding from any given period tells us much about that point in time. A case in point is this great snapshot…

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Social Media platforms are disconnecting from Brands.

No more sharing the love. In a move reflecting a growing frustration among brand owners and manager, global beauty brand Lush announced it will be shutting down its social media channels in the UK. For a brand as popular as Lush in a category where…

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The Impossible Whopper – A brave new fast food frontier.

One small bite for man but one big bite for meat free mankind. Recently Burger King and Impossible foods announce the launch of the Impossible Whopper – a meat free twin to the global burger brand’s hero product. For those who’ve been watching the meat…

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A Guide to marketing to Gen Z

For as long as I’ve been working in branding, I can’t remember a target audience our clients felt they knew as little about as Gen Z. To be fair, part of this confusion comes from a lack of clarity around the age bracket Gen Z…

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Busting the Millennial Smashed Avocado Myth

New study shows smashed avocados are not to blame for millennials struggling with housing affordability Our friends at the Millennial Report have once again highlighted the importance of not over-generalising this generation. The study highlights how millennials (or Gen Ys) are just as careful with…

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Global Brand rankings turned on their head.

The fast changing face of branding. The last eighteen years has seen a seismic shift in global brand rankings. It is almost impossible to believe that less than two decades ago brands such as Apple, Google and Amazon were barely a glint in the world’s…

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DJ Marshmello + Fortnite. The biggest concert to never happen.

Branding in the Virtual Experience Economy In the hullabaloo of last week’s Super Bowl you may have missed the news that DJ Marshmello played a gig to an audience of 10 million. Yep, not a typo. In a first (of many?) an estimated 10 million…

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Branding for the Third Industrial Revolution

I was forwarded an fascinating talk by social and economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin where he set-out his vision for the ‘Third Industrial Revolution’ and what a compelling vision it is. I’m a little ashamed to say his talk was published by SBS Vice back in…

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The 5 Most Interesting Consumer Trends for 2019

The very clever guys over at Trendwatching.com have released  an overview of the five most interesting consumer trends they’re seeing for the year ahead. This is part of a much deeper piece of thinking they produce each years for businesses across every category. You can…

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Pantone have announced the colour for 2019

Yes, Colour of the Year is a thing, and an especially important thing for branding. For 20 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product, packaging,…

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Adidas inspired by London Underground design

You can now wear the iconic London Tube symbol on your shoes thanks to a new collaboration between Transport for London (TfL) and adidas: adidas x TfL Inspired by the design of the London Underground, there are now limited edition adidas trainers dedicated to each…

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Easy Jet’s Look & Book, a Social Media Masterclass for Brands

The end of Instagram travel envy. The UK’s Easy Jet has launched a new booking app that takes their social media game to a new level. Look & Book is an app designed to turn Instagram travel inspiration into a reality. Look & Book identifies…

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Asian millennials; more global but not homogenous

Insights from APBN, who are the Asian millennials? Following my trip to Seoul, South Korea for the Asia Branding Conference, here’s some insights on Asian Millennials. Each country presented insights about their millennials and it was interesting to learn about some of the differences and more…

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Truly Deeply’s Michael Hughes presents on Branding for Millennials at APBN in Seoul

Recently our Director of Brand Strategy, Michael Hughes presented at the APBN conference in Seoul, South Korea. The conference was exploring trends in marketing brands to Millennials and the similarities and differences throughout the Asia Pacific region. Michael was invited to present insights on the…

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The Future of eCommerce – An Infographic

The Future of Retail will continue to be impacted by eCommerce. New technologies and innovations are continuously changing and exponentially improving the user experience and safety which, which will drive continuous eCommerce growth. When we compare what brands were doing online just five years ago…

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Truly Deeply in Seoul for APBN

Michael Hughes joins our Asian agency partners to discuss branding to Asian Millennials Truly Deeply is excited to be part of the Asia Pacific Conference on today and tomorow in Seoul, South Korea. The conference is the first from the Asia Pacific Branding Network (APBN). Organised by…

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All Hail the Pantone

  Everyone in the design industry is aware of the Pantone name and most probably even have a Pantone swatch mug gifted to them one xmas. The perfect gift for their “designery” friend or partner. Pantone is the universal language of colour which steers the…

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Fontstand is Netflix for fonts, and it’s amazing.

Fontstand front page. What is Fontstand? Fontstand is a Mac app that lets you try fonts for free and rent them by the month for desktop use for a fraction of their regular price. Typotheque developed this app in collaboration with Andrej Krátky. Conceived by independent…

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People Don’t Buy Products, They Buy Better Versions of Themselves

Today’s post is a thought piece written by Zander Nethercutt, a really interesting brand thinker from Chicago Il. with a brilliant grasp on how brands work and the role they’ve come to play in our lives. What Apple, Samsung and Starbucks learned from Pepsi The…

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A place brand in the making.

  Maker Park is a proposed adaptive reuse park that will revitalize an unused industrial site on the waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Conceived by a group of community activists, the initiative will transform the seven-acre site formerly known as the Bayside Fuel Terminal into a hub for…

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