Jul 03
In what has to be the most under whelming unveiling yet — and a bad case of stolen thunder — for one of the largest retailers in the world, Walmart (unhyphenated as a single word from now on) just uploaded a formal, band-aid of a press release to their web site confirming the logo change that surfaced over the weekend when The Wall Street Journal reported that the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development had received documents from Walmart with the intent of opening a prototype store there. An artist rendering on those documents showed a new sign over the facade of the proposed store, wrote Armin at UnderConsideration.
As a reason of why the logo change, the reports on newspapers all allude to Walmart’s continued evolution and progression from its less-than-glamorous reputation and image as an invasive retailer with less-than-desirable employment and environmental practices. And the evasive press release does little to explain anything:But what really matters is what happens out there in the stores. This update to the logo is simply a reflection of the refresh taking place inside our stores and our renewed sense of purpose to help people save money so they can live better.
So with no reasoning or no explanation of what the new star burst stands for, or why the decision to change to a single word, all we have to go by is the logo that replaces the 16-year-old sans serif that was as thick and heavy as the beige boxes it adorned for so long. The new logo is rumored to have been designed by New York-based Lippincott — and I will happily amend this as soon as there is more information available. The change to title case helps humanize Walmart with a name that reads more like John, Albert, Sarah or Wilbur; it really looks very different and sets a different tone. The wordmark is nice and friendly and has enough customization to feel more proprietary than out-of-the-box. The new icon, however, is very questionable. It reflects technology start-up or telecommunications company before it does discount retailing that will make anyone live better. Sure, it might represent a flower or a sun, but the execution is too modern and cold to be seen as a natural element
The new store environment and applications of the logo will define how good this can be and if the whole package supports this initial tease. I remain skeptical yet optimistic, but not too much. To leave you with some inspiration, here are Walmarts’ logos over the years, picked from this page — do note the tuscan-faced logo of the 1960s, wow.
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May 21
We’re pleased to announce our redesign of Yuca Bites (formerly known as Pan de Yuca). This yuca bread treat was selling well in South America, but Yogurt Persa, the makers, wanted to bring the product to the U.S. market, and to make a splash. We branded the name “Yuca Bites”, and designed the package from top to bottom using existing product photography.
The brand moniker, a custom font created from scratch and hand drawn, conveys warmth and natural goodness.
The company hopes to gain a foothold in the U.S. market, and promote its education- and eco-friendly practices.
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Apr 28
We’re proud to have designed the new label and bottle for Seven+, Exfuze’s all-natural açai extract nutritional drink. As part of a complete brand overhaul, IDY Creative wiped the slate clean on a bland, dated Seven+ label, and created a completely new brand ID. The new product is designed to compete directly with Mona Vie, a rival açai-based nutritional drink.
As usual, we began with multiple concept sketches and color studies. We designed the logotype with a modern font for readability and recognition, and incorporated the “+” sign into it. This unifies the logo with the “Seven” being dominant and the “+” subdominant. Fresh new colors were used.
The fountain shape was carefully designed to convey liquid and energy simultaneously, while the seven circles signify each of the seven important ingredients that make up the drink. The shape will be used interchangeably with the logotype, depending on the application.
Our goal was to give the product its best shot to overtake its competitors and be recognized worldwide as “the most nutritious drink on the planet”.
What do you think of the new design? Please comment
Apr 27
IDY Creative, Inc. is proud to have designed the new brand identity for Exfuze, manufacturer of the highly successful Seven+ nutritional drink known as “The most nutritious drink on the planet”. Exfuze retained us to elevate the brand’s position among its competitors. We enhanced the energy of the corporate logo by streamlining the human “X” form, and modernizing the base structure with bold letterforms and a color that symbolizes the seven ingredients in Seven+.
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Additionally, the IDY Creative team designed a whole new Seven+ logo. The dated brand needed modernization to keep pace with the onslaught of açai-based nutritional drinks flooding the market. The new design incorporates specific elements representing the seven extracts that make up the drink (gac, açai, goji, noni, fucoidan, mangosteen and seabuckthorn). This is, in my view, the only açai nutrition drink that actually tastes good!
What are your thoughts on this new design?
Finally, we designed the company’s corporate identity, trade show graphics and corporate web site. The result is a powerful new brand that embodies the energy of Exfuze and Seven+.
Mar 21
That naming and branding paradise otherwise known as 7-Eleven has just debuted a Super Big Gulp of product names for us all to savor just after being named the #1 franchise in the country by USA Today revealed an article at name development.
First off is the Signature 7 line of products that include “31 snacks, including beef jerky, chips, cookies, nuts, trail mix and candy.†You can wash that stuff down with “Inked,” the company’s new tattoo friendly energy drink.
Or grab an Asian roller or a 7-Eleven hotdog, 7-Eleven sells more of them than any other store in America, making them the “king of all hotdog vendors!”
On the other hand, you can just grab a cup of coffee. Last month they amped up their coffee branding with their “freshness guaranteed†blitz. But if you’re smart, you’ll go for the Slurpuccino, “the love child of a Slurpee and a cappuccino,†according to The Stew.
The Slurpuccino. I love it. That’s the name of the week, folks.
Feb 15
The restaurateurs behind restaurants The Real Greek and Livebait launched Yesterday Feb. 14th their latest food retail concept, visualised and branded with the help of R&D&Co, revealed Design Week.
R&D&Co clinched the contract to create a brand identity, packaging and retail interiors scheme last October, as a result of its previous branding work with The Real Greek team in early 2006.
R&D&Co creative director Rob Andrews explains that the interior scheme is focused on the kitchen, an organic-styled bronze counter structure, which he refers to as the ‘pod’.
It is hoped that the interior component could eventually be taken to outdoor events, festivals and concerts, where consumers will instantly recognise it as the Gourmet Hotdog brand.
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Feb 04
Okay, I’m no tree hugger, but Cadillac’s latest Escalade TV commercials take waste to a whole new level.
There are at least two spots; each showing a giant 5,550 lb. Escalade (EXT or ESV?) slipping through blurry lights of the city strip, its 60.3 cu. ft. of cargo space completely void of any lumber or tractor parts; Not to mention a single family member. The woman, all 98 lbs of her, looks dolled-up for a posh cocktail party. No, she’s not going to pick up groceries or the kids from school. She’s out to make a statement in her “statement ride”.
The scariest part is, GM’s campaign seems to be working. I see plenty of Escalades on the road - empty, of course, except for their 98 lb. drivers.
Look, people. The only thing that’s going to bring change in these car companies is for you to stop plunking down your 60k for these gas-hog tanks, and grab a smaller, lighter, cheaper fuel efficient vehicle instead. As a good friend told me, “My mom hauled me and my 3 brothers around, plus the groceries, in our Fiat station wagon just fine.”
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Jan 11
Strategic Name development wrote an article that reveals how xerox has refreshed its brand identity in order to get a little distance from simply being perceived as a copier company.
The revised Xerox “wordmark,” just like Google, has seen its name used as a noun and a verb and has struggled with “genericide.â€
Gone are the imposing high capital letters, replaced by a friendlier rounded lowercase font treatment with a globe icon beside it.
Some have observed, that the X on the globe of Xerox logo is surprisingly similar to Microsoft’s Xbox logo.
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Dec 20
Kraft’s decision to omit the word “diet” in its South Beach Diet brand name and replace it with South Beach Living will probably turn out to be an excellent marketing move, revealed Strategic Name Development.
The South Beach brand name is well entrenched - it is not only a food line, but a vending machine name and a diet bar.
Other brands also opt to omit the word “diet” in their product names as well. Take Coke Zero, for example. This brand is flourishing partly because it’s gender neutral and doesn’t describe itself as “diet.”
According to the Diet Blog, the word diet often connotes to consumers bad tasting food aimed at an older demographic as well as, incredibly, “failure.”
I’d rather talk about “living” than “dieting” any day of the week. Good move, Kraft.
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Dec 07
An article in Name Development revealed that the company, as a whole, has been in decline for some time now. However, AOL, as a brand name, still holds a lot of leverage.
Instead of leveraging the established AOL brand, the company has been actively developing brands that do not include the AOL name, like TMZ.com or Truveo, and adding a new ad division called “Platform A.”
These new developments seem to fit with AOL’s new strategy of getting away from the Internet portal and instead becoming an online advertising giant.
AOL’s CEO Randy Falco sees AOL as a house of brands, like Proctor & Gamble.
However, the “You’ve Got Mail” announcement has become part of popular culture, and products, such as AIM, which still hold most of the market share, in their respective markets.
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