Category Archives: Branding

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 10 months you will know that the 4.3 million people of Scotland will today answer the simple question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”. There are only two simple answers: Yes or No. Even though the political arguments for each side will and should be at the forefront of voter’s minds, the subliminal design choices to present each option will have had a subliminal impact for some. I have...

It’s now been just over 5 years since the logo for the London 2012 Olympics Games was revealed and so we finally get to see it in action, much like the athletes. Never before has the design of a logo grabbed so many headlines, with not just designer geeks venting their disgust but the general public chiming in with their own opinion on the oddly shaped & coloured icon. In general, the logo received very negative feedback with one of...

A mascot – which is defined as any person, animal or identifiable object that is visually used to represent something, can help to bring recognition to a brand identity. As they are also able to help distinguish between competitors and strike an emotional connection with consumers, you could argue that a brand mascot is just as powerful as a logo. You will notice that most brands that have a mascot will often include them in the official logo artwork. The...

So looks like the US clothing retailer, GAP (or should I now say ‘Gap’), has decided to rebrand. The new logo first appeared on their new website today. I really can’t understand the thinking behind this move. I mean, GAP was never really the most fashionable of stores but it serves a purpose and at least the old logo looked like a ’boutique’, something you would expect to see down the high street. The new logo is ultra simple, even...

In this article I am going to be talking about logos, brand identity, wedding cakes & doughnuts. Let’s set a scenario for a moment… A new business owner has a great new product or service that he or she aims to sell. They have a brilliant idea, know exactly who they are going to sell it to and where it is going to be sold. The competition has been analysed and the price has been set. The only task they...

What would you do if you wanted to buy…say..an electric toothbrush? You might inquire at your dentist or take a chance at the local chemist but I would put money on most ordering from a website. Before the dawn of the internet, when most people shopped in REAL shops, there was a store that claimed to stock everything. From jewellery to spice racks, it had it all. And it still does. That company is Argos. Here is the logo you...

For a music channel that is 30 years old next year it could be forgivable for them to show signs of aging, maybe even a little stuck in their ways. But a brand aimed at a younger fashion savvy generation can’t afford to be left behind, and I think this is reason for the recent brand overhaul of MTV. See below: Is it fatter or shorter? I will let you decide. However, the most notable change is the removal of...

If you love soft drinks or have an interest in branding then I am sure you have seen the new Pepsi logo by now. If not, feast your eyes on this for a second: The new brand is said to have brought the image of Pepsi into the 21st century but has been met with some fierce criticism from the design community. Some have suggested the new logo is of reference to the recent Barack Obama electorial campaign, whilst others...