Blog

Is this the toughest retail environment on the planet? On a trip to Vietnam this month I spent a couple of days sweltering through the streets of Hanoi Old Town. The mercury hit 37 degrees and the humidity was thick enough to cut with a…

Never make a brand promise you can’t keep. A three-year-old TVC has gone viral recently, as social media users have enthusiastically shared it as much for its beauty as for the disconnect between the ad and the brand it represents. The stunning film was made…

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…

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…

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 –…

New brand strategy and identity for Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) created by Melbourne brand agency Truly Deeply. The new brand proposition is all about helping both consumers and providers ‘find a clear way forward’. This is supported by clear and simple messaging that explains what…

StartOut is an inspiring not-for-profit organisation who match young people with role models to help build resilience, self-acceptance, help break negative self-image and to help navigate their sexuality. We worked with StartOut to create a brand that was inclusive of all diverse sex, sexuality and gender…

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…

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…

The dual benefits of brands behaving responsibly. It’s not by good fortune that Uber has become one of the world’s most recognizable brands. From it’s earliest days, Uber and UberEats have demonstrated an effortless ability to weave branding gold whilst retaining the edge of a…

Brand Strategy provides clear direction for business growth Fonda Mexican is a group of eight restaurants located in Melbourne and Sydney. Fonda have redefined Mexican in Australia, shifting market awareness from unhealthy Tex Mex to a healthier, more contemporary Fresh Mexican. Fonda are seen as…

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…

The web is ablaze with ‘social commentary’ on Tiffany’s ‘Everyday Object Collection’. At first sight the US$1500 Tiffany 18k gold paperclip is a brilliant example of the power of brand. After-all, anyone can head down to the local stationery store and pick-up a regular gold…

Finding the hidden opportunities for retail branding. An interesting piece of the puzzle for retailers is managing the reluctant customer. So much focus goes in to setting up the store design and merchandising to cater to the customer whose interest brought them into the store.…

Leading think-tank rebrand brings to life a new purpose and improves engagement with the broader community. The new brand is designed to strengthen, humanise and highlight the organisation’s practical approach.   Working with key stakeholders and the organisation’s board, we created a new strategic proposition…

Redefining one of Australia’s favourite shoe brands to appeal to new generations. Truly Deeply builds on Homyped’s comfort heritage to reposition the brand as smart solutions for healthy feet. The new brand identity leverages the product’s technological and medical credibility to create a more aspirational…

Few brand purchase decisions we make are as strong a reflection of how we see ourselves as consumers and how we wish the world to see us as  choice of the car we drive. Even those who claim to not care what brand of car…

An engaging way to deliver the service experience your customers want, when they want it. Understanding when to provide service to the contemporary consumer and when to leave them to shop under their own steam is a challenge for retailers. Bug them with unwanted offers…

Consulting brand creates value for company, customers, and the community. Building on Hugh’s personal reputation in shared value strategy, we created a strong and distinctive consulting brand to engage corporate, philanthropic and public sector leaders. “Getting some good thinking into the brand identity process right…

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…

A Delicious Brand Partnership. A branding strategy that is underutilized yet regularly pays dividends is brand collaborations (especially when it comes to food). When co-branding is envisaged strategically and executed with brand sensitivity, the result can be an extraordinary brand experience – introducing new customers…

Brand strategy, naming, design and packaging for Gen Z skin and hair care range. Innovative, all natural and eco-friendly, Umii is a new range of body and skin care products specifically designed for girls and guys aged 8-18. Real, assertive and bold, Umii doesn’t tell…

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…

Branding‘s big pay-off. We often hear the sentiment that branding is a ‘soft’ business investment. It’s considered a ‘nice to have’ and ‘hard to measure its value’. Having spent the last 28 years working with clients to build their brands, our experience over hundreds of…

A Bold & Courageous Brand Identity One of my favorite branding projects of 2018 is this strategy and identity for the Susan McKinnon Foundation. Susan McKinnon Foundation is a non-partisan, not for profit organisation committed to working with all sides of politics to find common…

Two tough truths about selling your business. So you’ve spent years (often decades) building a business with your blood, sweat and tears and it’s finally time to sell and collect the reward for all your hard work, ingenuity and perseverance. There’s only two problems with…

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…

When it comes to rebranding, all agencies aren’t equal. After more than 25 years of running a branding agency, it’s not every day a conversation with a client re-frames my perspective on our business. But recently, that happened. I was talking to the founder of…

Even the big boys can have a bad day… Recently a pic of a livery mistake on a Cathay Pacific jet went viral on social media – well viral in the world of plane and brand watchers at least. Somehow, someone in the chain from…

The Value of Good Advice. Recently I re-read Confessions of the Pricing Man by Hermann Simon, arguably the best book ever written on the subject of pricing. I’ve always seen the subject of pricing as directly connected to branding. As Simon says: “People have asked…

Are brand values are more important than brand value? Nike this week rolled out their 30th anniversary ‘Just do it’ campaign featuring the ex 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. In a move that will define the brand for the future, Nike have made an incredible brave move.…

New proposition, name and identity for leading ultrasound educator and trainer.  The new brand proposition provides Zedu with a compelling new brand story, messaging, personality and a new inviting tagline that encourages their learners to “see the difference, be the difference”. This was further reinforced…

A brand with extraordinary category extension discipline. Arguably no brand has stretched into new categories like Richard Branson’s Virgin has. Capturing the personality of Branson’s own brand, Virgin has come to represent a brand that challenges the paradigm of the categories it enters, usually looking…

Today’s post is an article written by Brandhook, good friends of ours and the sharpest brand research and insights agency around. Apple recently announced the introduction of a new software tool to help wean people off their devices, offering users a ‘digital detox’. There’s a…

Toy brand introduces first sustainable pieces It’s the only plastic toy that gets a thumbs up from most sustainably minded parents I know. It’s great to see it making a move to becoming a sustainable brand. Lego has introduced it’s first sustainable pieces as the…

Harley focuses on product development and growth but disregards its long held brand beliefs As a brand strategist I have often admired and held up Harley Davidson as great example of a powerful brand. Not because I own or want to own a Harley (so…

Finally, there’s movement on plastic bags We’ve been entertained by the carry on over plastic bags by the giant retail brands Coles and Woolworths over the last few months. While the brands themselves may see this as them taking a leadership roll in an overdue change…

The Founder-Led Branding Dilemma. I recently caught up with the news that global pizza chain Papa John’s is set to remove the image of their founder from company branding. Papa John’s Chairman and founder, John Schnatter made a racist remark during an internal training session…

Study suggests most Australian businesses are not recognising the value of brand. A new Deloitte study of 300 marketing professionals found that most believe that digital and social media are the best channels for building a brand. This is despite strong evidence that shows brands…

More than just luck. The coffee unicorn brand that’s the talk of China. China’s thirst for their own ‘new retail’ brands continues to fuel investor and consumer frenzy and coffee is the latest battleground. Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi now dominate over Apple in…

Recently I spent the day at PWC’s Melbourne Office for a business planning retreat. It was the first time I’m been to visit their new digs and was immediately struck by the first impression provided by their foyer and reception. For a consulting firm with…

Things were remarkably different at Wimbledon last week when Roger Federer stepped onto centre court for his first appearance of the tournament, surprising us all by wearing new sponsor Uniqlo. Swapping his signature RF brandmark and ‘swoosh’ for the Uniqlo red squares in a lucrative…

Crayola’s crayons are part of our collective childhood. The brand is constantly innovating with new pastels, markers (texters) and other child friendly colouring equipment. But their foray takes things to a whole new market and shows the value of a strong brand visual language. They’ve…

 Building a commercial banking brand connected to community value The best brand campaigns are those that connect a product or service with a need (conscious or unconscious) in a way that paints a vivid picture of a mutually beneficial outcome. In the case of this…

More than a rebrand. There’s been something interesting going on at Choice. More than a logo refresh, it seems the stalwart reviewer is starting to develop its activist side. While Choice is known for its product reviews and buying guides more than it’s disruptive activist…

Digital agency rebrand brings to life a passion to create ambitious, purposeful digital products that amplify human potential. Working closely with the Squareweave team, Truly Deeply unlocked their compelling truth and created a new internal mantra of ‘purposeful solutions amplify potential’. This was then supported…

Repositioning the Royal brand so it remains relevant is no doubt a strategy the British Monarchy are comfortable pursuing if the recent wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and her presence in the Royal Family is any indication to go by. I was one…

We’re constantly working with start-ups and entrepreneurs looking to get their brand up and running on limited funding. Wondering what they can do to guarantee value from the process and ways to use the budget as efficiently as possible. Over my next two blogs, I’m…

Australian technology business set to disrupt the global building industry. Yeah, that’s a pretty big claim, but in the case of Australia’s Fastbrick Robotics, it’s more likely a prediction than fanciful mission statement. Fastbrick’s first prototype; the Hadrian X is nearing commercial readiness, with the…

New name, strategy and identity for major Canberra shopping centre Working together with key stakeholders, we helped refine and reposition one of Canberra’s main shopping centres. The new brand positioning, name and identity is now helping to re-engage the local trade area and excite tenants…

The digital revolution is a bonanza of new brands. The web does two amazing things at the same time, it provides a seemingly infinite number of sites, information and social platforms whilst at the same time intuitively sorting them so we are only exposed to…