• Developed by brand consultancy Wolff Olins, Decathlon's rebrand aims to transform the sports giant into a "future-fit" sports brand. As part of the new positioning, the company now focuses on a sense of play and enjoyment through sports. This rebrand retains the interconnected 'C' and 'A' but introduces a darker blue and a new brand icon. The Decathlon Sans typeface has also changed with looser kerning, making it more legible than before.

    Wednesday, March 13, 2024
  • This report explores the beer industry's opportunities, strategies, and concepts across brand strategy, brand architecture, and package design trends.

    Md Impact
  • Many brands move quickly to protect their copyrighted materials and likenesses. Coca-Cola has recently launched a campaign that does the opposite, celebrating the many interpretations of its logo created worldwide for generations. The ‘Every Coca-Cola is Welcome’ campaign embraces and showcases grassroots interpretations of the company's wordmark created by bodegas, shopkeepers, and local artists instead of slapping these creators with lawsuits.

  • This handbook outlines 6 steps to naming a brand or product. It walks through 16 types of brand names, brainstorming strategies, 40 tools and resources, and over 100 examples. It displays domain and trademark research once you’ve selected a name.

    Hi Impact
  • Klaviyo leveraged its brand and partnership network to reach nearly $700 million in revenue in a crowded marketing automation industry. Direct traffic is Klaviyo's leading traffic channel, in part because word of mouth has been part of the company's DNA since its early startup days. The brand has also driven the association between its name and marketing revenue attribution, with tactics like branded-metrics within the tool. Klaviyo has created a flywheel effect by partnering with companies like Shopify, WooCommerce, and marketing agencies.

  • The ISO's new brand system by Motherbird introduces a scalable grid called "Micro Meso Macro" for flexible communication and uses the inclusive, open-source typeface Inter. Customizable illustrations and clear color guidelines enhance diversity and consistency, maintaining the brand's equity while adding a more approachable feel.

    Hi Impact
  • "Branding Love Letters," focusing on emotional connections in branding, "Unseen Unknown," emphasizing strategic futurism and cultural insights, and "Can Marketing Save The Planet?" explores the role of marketers in promoting sustainability.

    Md Impact
  • This 85-slide deck prepared by Cultural Intelligence Studio deconstructs celebrity branding and translates it into cultural narratives and actionable insights. It provides a brief history of celebrity advertising, the evolution of celebrity brands in the last 20 years, today's new generation of celebrity brands, and best practices.

  • Branding is creating associations in people's minds, as Aston Martin did when it associated its car with the cool and stylish James Bond. Types of brand associations include the experience of the product/service, hard brand attributes like logos or jingles, soft brand attributes like repeated messaging, and news stories that stick with the brand. Build the right brand associations in customers' minds by having an intentional and consistent message, avoiding making negative associations worse with poor handling, and sticking to fewer messages that you repeat often.

  • Cereal brands are models of consistency due to their repeated use of taglines and branding. A person must hear about your brand many times before they'll remember it, let alone be moved enough to buy something from you. Companies may choose to drive home a category, a use case, a tagline, or a slogan repeatedly and consistently in order to build a memorable brand. Doing customer research and listening to how people talk about your brand can help you hone the right message.

  • Amplie's branding, designed by Victor Berriel and Lorena Giostri, uses a calming blue palette and a modular logo to evoke trust and simplify the user experience in financial management. This thoughtful design approach strengthens the company's mission to consolidate credit cards and fosters lasting customer relationships by ensuring security and clarity in every interaction.

  • Oatly was founded in the 90s, but over the last 10 years, it has carved out a sizable niche within a saturated alt-milk market. The company uses its branding to stand out, using “weird” but authentic messaging that makes it feel fresh in an old industry. It leverages baristas as the ultimate influencer, tailoring its messaging to speak to them. Oatly's ad strategy focuses on starting a conversation rather than making an immediate conversion. Its holistic marketing strategy has allowed the brand to become the face of a category it created.

    Hi Impact
  • PayPal's revamped logo, designed by Pentagram, replaces its previous dynamic, blue-toned logo with a plainer, black standalone wordmark. The company is aiming to differentiate itself from other fintech firms that predominantly use blue. The logo has been critiqued for following the trend of flattening logos, which often results in a less recognizable brand identity.

  • The article "What Manhole Covers Can Teach Us About Branding" by Bruno Benedini explores the unexpected lessons that can be drawn from the design and functionality of manhole covers, applying these insights to branding strategies. The author begins by posing a thought-provoking question about the relevance of manhole covers to branding, suggesting that both fields can offer valuable cross-functional lessons. One of the key lessons highlighted is the importance of purposeful design. The article references a common interview question posed by Microsoft regarding the shape of manhole covers, emphasizing that round covers are practical for several reasons: they are easier to move, cannot fall into the hole, and align with the circular holes created by machinery. This analogy is extended to branding, where simplicity and utility should be prioritized in design. For instance, a logo for an airline should be designed with its application in mind, just as a round cover fits a round hole. The second lesson focuses on optimization and the creative use of space. Initially, manhole covers served a purely functional purpose, but over time, they evolved to convey important information and even aesthetic value. The article notes that cities have begun to use manhole covers to display maps, direct water flow, and celebrate local culture through artistic designs. This serves as a reminder for brands to leverage all available spaces—such as product packaging and digital platforms—to communicate their identity and values effectively. The third takeaway emphasizes the balance between functionality and style. A well-designed manhole cover is not only visually appealing but also serves a practical purpose. Similarly, brands should strive to create designs that are both functional and attractive, ensuring they leave a lasting impression on their audience. In conclusion, the article posits that branding, much like the humble manhole cover, encompasses more than just basic functionality. It involves clarity, safety, and even beauty, encouraging brands to make a meaningful impact and express their identity creatively. The author invites readers to appreciate the design of manhole covers and consider the branding lessons they can offer, highlighting that inspiration can often be found in the most unexpected places.