Nearly ten years ago, BP rebranded themselves as "beyond petroleum". However, with this year's controversial oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Greenpeace has suggested that the company is in need of a new logo better suited for its "dirty business" and has launched a contest in search of the best redesign. The winning entry will be used as a part of Greenpeace's international tar sands campaign against BP.
Recently I have been reviewing Alina Wheeler’s book “Designing Brand Identity,” and was particularly interested in the study on simple brand identity elements and their meaning.
I decided to test my son, who is 5 and not quite reading yet. I gathered some of the most recognizable brands and asked him what they were and what they meant to him. I was curious which brands he could identify and then wondered if he could explain what they stood for. He did better than I expected. It’s amazing the power that some of these brands have, and how they are able to communicate at such a basic level.
Here are the results. It’s interesting how the simple answers relate to what each brand delivers. (The captions below are how my son identified each brand)
1) “McDonalds” - That’s were you get french fries”
2) "Coca-Cola - Gives you coke”
3) “UPS - Gives you packages” (Grandpa is a retired UPS man)
4) "Computer - Sends you email sometimes”
5) “Target - You buy stuff there”
6) “The World - You can live on it” (This could be an interesting campaign for AT&T)
7) "Disney - You can go there and go on all kinds of rides, see Tinker Bell and Cinderella's castle” (We have never been to Disney land)
8) “The Post Office - Where you mail stuff”
9) “Wii - You can play games”
10) “Piggly Wiggly - You buy stuff there” (We refer to this place as “The Pig”)
11) “Soccer - You can buy soccer stuff” (Not surprising, he just started playing soccer this spring)
Thanksgiving has always been one of our favorite holidays, here at Soulsight.
This morning, as we waited patiently in line at the market to pay for our groceries, we began to reflect on how some brands connect to the holiday as if they were one of our guests.
There are brands that in their own unique way provide an authenticity and nostalgia that we have begun to attribute to the warm experience, ritual and tradition of Thanksgiving.
Of course, some brands are just about having fun, which is a lot like Thanksgiving too.
Whether it is a memorable name, an iconic brand character or the promise of a "stressless" pop up timer, ultimately, it is an emotional connection that allows a product to transcend into a Brand. Emotion, especially this time of year, becomes the conduit between product and experience. It is the key ingredient in any brand's recipe for success.
What Brands help define Thanksgiving? Butterball Turkey, Reddi-Wip, French’s Onions, Libby’s Pumpkin Pie, Ocean Spray Cranberries, and Stove Top Stuffing.
So as you gather together this Thanksgiving, be thankful not only for your family and friends, but give a little thanks to all those Brands that help you create your own rituals and traditions.
It's Cinco de Mayo – a celebration that began with the Battle of Puebla, and one that continues hard fought in coolers today. Miller Chill, the first "light beer with lime, " was a reveler favorite in 2007 until the competition took note and launched a "me too" offering backed by aggressive distribution and above-the-line support. In an effort to regain lost volume and reconnect with consumers, Miller Chill tapped into the growing trends of health consciousness and the Latinization of American culture and reformulated its recipe to only 100 calories, with a splash of natural lime flavor.
Optima Soulsight breathed new life into the packaging and delivered a design that reflected the new “light beer with lime” proposition.
The result? A dynamic and distinctive new look for the brand that boldly takes over the limelight, offering 100 calories of refreshing, Latin fun – the perfect party starter for Cinco de Mayo!
Faced with growing competition, FTD needed to revitalize its floral business. Optima Soulsight created a brand identity and package design system centered around their globally recognized brand icon, the fleet-footed Mercury Man. We removed him from the constraints of the FTD logo and gave him a life of his own, making him bolder and more dynamic.
Drawing from FTD’s strong black and gold equity, we put the emphasis on black — an unusual choice for a flower company — and created a striking backdrop for FTD’s colorful floral arrangements. The beautiful shipper also became an eye-catching advertisement – the ideal place to bring the brand icon to life.
