The Brand Union

Schweizer Emmi AG setzt bei Markengestaltung und Verpackungsdesign auf The Brand Union

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Rund 150 Emmi Produkte in der Schweiz, in Deutschland und in Österreich erhalten einen neuen Markenauftritt

Hamburg, August 2010. Große Freude in Hamburg: Die Emmi AG, größter Schweizer Milchverarbeiter und eine der führenden Premium-Molkereien in Europa, setzt bei der Markengestaltung und im Packaging auf die Branding- und Designagentur The Brand Union.

Zu den umfangreichen Aufgaben der Hamburger Designer gehörten unter anderem die Entwicklung des Markenkonzeptes sowie die Dachmarken- und Designentwicklung der Gesamt-Range. Ferner wurde eine strategische Lücke im Molkereimarkt identifiziert und eine klare Marken-Architektur entwickelt.

Rund 150 Emmi-Produkte aus den Bereichen Jogurt, Dessert, Ice Cream, Naturkäse, Fondue, Raclette, Mozzarella, Milch, Rahm und Butter wurden unter der Dachmarke „Emmi“ neupositioniert. Erstmals werden dazu gut eingeführte Produkte aus der weißen (Molkerei- und Frischprodukte) und gelben (Käse) Linie unter das gleiche Markendach gestellt. Flankiert wird der Markenauftritt von einer umfangreichen Werbeoffensive, die ab KW 35 on air geht.

„Meine Liebe zur Schweiz, gutem Design, leckersten Molkereiprodukten - da gab es für mich nur eine konzeptionelle Lösung: die Marke Emmi muss zukünftig in Europa für “be invited.” stehen“, sagt Elke Pietzsch, Consultant Director, The Brand Union.

„Diese Idee findet sich ausgedrückt unter einem liebevollen, humoristischen, eidgenössischen, köstlichen, feinen, urschweizerischen, aber auch sehr modernen Dach - das ist die neue Emmi Dachmarken-Welt: erzählerisch, frisch und einladend“, ergänzt Annette Herzel, Design Director.

The Brand Union kreierte die Bild- und Produktwelt mit typischen Schweizer Symbolen und einer Berggipfel-Silhouette in den Farben Rot und Weiß. Tragende Elemente bilden eine harmonische Bergkette sowie scherenschnittartige, landestypische Symbole wie Fahnenschwinger, Edelweiß, Kuh oder Jodler. Robin Barraclough, Leiter Marketing Emmi Gruppe: „Als Schweizer Unternehmen mit Produkten aus Schweizer Milch wollen wir die Herkunft gegenüber den Konsumenten einfach und verständlich kommunizieren. Emmi Produkte zeichnen sich durch eine hervorragende Qualität aus. Das spiegelt sich nun auch in der Verpackung.“

Passend zur Einführung illuminierte der Lichtkünstler Gerry Hofstetter am Schweizer Nationalfeiertag in allen vier Landesteilen bekannte Gebäude mit der neuen Bilderwelt der Emmi Dachmarke. Die Lichtinstallationen spielten mit der harmonischen Bergwelt und zahlreichen Schweizer Symbolen.

Ab Anfang August und in den folgenden Wochen kommt die „Emmi“ Linie mit neuer, einheitlicher Verpackung in der Schweiz, in Deutschland und Österreich in den Handel. Weitere europäische Märkte sollen folgen.

The Brand Union gewinnt zwei red dot awards

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ausgezeichnet wurden die Projekte OSRAM LEDs DECO und ToyToyToy 2010

Hamburg, August 2010. Beim diesjährigen red dot award: communication design erhält The Brand Union Hamburg zwei red dots für hohe Gestaltungsqualität.

Das neue Designkonzept LEDs DECO, das The Brand Union und OSRAM für die LED-Technologie entwickelt haben, überzeugte die hochkarätige Expertenjury. Das Design von LEDs DECO basiert auf einer spannenden Produktinszenierung mit einfacher Ikonografie und sparsamem Lichteffekten.

Ferner wurde das Kreativ-Tool ToyToyToy 2010, ein digitaler Neujahrsgruß in Form eines interaktiven Spiels von The Brand Union, ausgezeichnet. Das Spiel war kreative Inspiration für Kunden, Partner und Lieferanten und symbolisierte einen zuversichtlichen Start ins neue Jahr. Es konnten Figuren aus den Logo-Elementen von The Brand Union kreiert und individuell benannt werden. Mittlerweile bilden über 2.750 individuelle Charaktere zusammen die Brand Family.

Insgesamt wurden dieses Jahr weit über 6.000 Arbeiten aus 44 Ländern eingereicht – 610 wurden mit dem red dot prämiert. Der red dot award: communication design zählt zu den wichtigsten internationalen Designwettbewerben und genießt als Qualitätssiegel über Fachkreise hinaus hohes Ansehen. Am 8. Dezember 2010 findet die offizielle Preisverleihung in Essen statt. Alle ausgezeichneten Arbeiten werden anschließend in der Winners ́ Exhibition im red dot museum sowie online auf www.red-dot.de präsentiert.

The Brand Union Hamburg ist neuer Partner der Cannes Lions in Deutschland

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Erstmalig exklusive Kooperation in der Kategorie Design mit dem deutschen Festivalrepräsentanten WerbeWeischer Die Design- und Brandingagentur The Brand Union ist ab sofort nationaler Partner der Cannes Lions in der Kategorie Design. Damit geht der deutsche Festivalrepräsentant WerbeWeischer erstmalig eine exklusive Partnerschaft in dieser Kategorie ein. Zum dritten Mal werden am 23. Juni die begehrten Design Lions in Cannes verliehen.

„Das International Advertising Festival in Cannes ist zweifelsohne das bedeutendste Branchenfestival weltweit. Hier werden Trends gesetzt, die maßgeblich unsere Kommunikation beeinflussen werden. Speziell in der Kategorie Design haben wir in den letzten zwei Jahren herausragende Arbeiten gesehen. Daher sind wir besonders stolz, nationaler Partner dieser Kategorie zu sein. Denn auch unsere Agentur steht für herausragende Kreativität und Internationalität – und wir denken multikulturell und branchenübergreifend“, so The Brand Union CEO Alexander Schubert.

Auch der deutsche Festivalrepräsentant Florian Weischer, Geschäftsführer Weischer.Mediengruppe, freut sich auf die künftige Zusammenarbeit. „Mit The Brand Union begrüßen wir eine der weltweit renommiertesten Agenturen für Design an Bord der nationalen Cannes Lions Partner. Wir sind überzeugt, dass die Agentur dieser Kategorie in Deutschland einen weiteren Push geben wird und das Festival gerade bei den Designern in Deutschland noch bekannter machen wird.“

Um die Bekanntheit des Festivals gerade innerhalb der Designbranche weiter zu erhöhen sind von The Brand Union in den kommenden Monaten unterschiedliche Maßnahmen vorgesehen. Dazu gehören Kooperationen mit Design-, Marketing- und Kommunikationsverbänden sowie einer Vielzahl an Ausbildungseinrichtungen wie Designakademien und Hochschulen.

Ferner sind für Anfang des kommenden Jahres ein nationaler Design Lions Nachwuchswettbewerb, eine Ausstellung der Design Lions, eine Design Convention sowie eine Veranstaltung mit der Design Cannes Rolle geplant.

Eine erste Idee von der Brand Union wurde bereits realisiert. Für eine noch einheitlichere Kommunikation der nationalen Cannes Lions Partner gestaltete The Brand Union das entsprechende Logo neu.

In diesem Jahr wurden von deutschen Agenturen 155 Arbeiten in der Kategorie Design eingereicht. Dies entspricht einem Einreichplus von 12% gegenüber dem Vorjahr. In der internationalen Design-Lions-Jury sitzt ab der kommenden Woche als deutscher Vertreter Prof. Joachim Sauter von der Agentur art+com, Berlin.

Seit Einführung der Design Lions in Cannes vor zwei Jahren zählen die deutschen Agenturen jeweils zu den erfolgreichsten weltweit (2008: 8 Cannes Lions, 2009: 12 Cannes Lions): Sie belegten in beiden Jahren Platz Eins im Nationenranking.

iF communication design award 2010: The Brand Union wird dreimal ausgezeichnet

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Gleich drei Auszeichnungen gingen beim diesjährigen iF communication design award an The Brand Union Hamburg. Ausgezeichnet wurden die Beiträge „OSRAM LEDs DECO“ und „OSRAM Torches“ in der Kategorie packaging und das Kreativprojekt „Designlabor 25|25“ für crossmedia.

Die Auszeichnungen zeigen zum einen die Anerkennung der Jury für die neuen Designkonzepte, die The Brand Union und OSRAM für die LED-Technologie entwickelt haben. „OSAM ist ein tolles Beispiel dafür, wie zukunftsweisende Produktideen mit innovativen Designkonzepten einhergehen können. Es ist sehr spannend für uns, eine so erfolgreiche und innovative Marke wie OSRAM zu betreuen. Die aktuellen iF awards sind dazu das i-Tüpfelchen “, freut sich Dr. Alexander Schubert, CEO The Brand Union Hamburg. Das Design von LEDs DECO basiert auf einer spannenden Produktinszenierung mit einfacher Ikonografie und sparsamem Lichteffekten. Zum Relaunch der OSRAM-Torches wurde das klassische Taschenleuchten Sortiment um eine exklusive LED-Range erweitert, die Ästhetik und Funktionalität verbindet.

Zum anderen konnte die Branding- und Designagentur in eigener Sache im Bereich crossmedia punkten. Das Projekt Designlabor 25|25 hat nicht einfach nur eine Werbebotschaft für Design über verschiedene Kommunikationskanäle gesendet, sondern aktiv den Dialog über Design geführt. Das Video zum Projekt gibt es unter www.designlabor25-25.de.

Im diesjährigen iF communication design award wurden insgesamt 1.687 Einreichungen (2009: 1.368 Einreichungen) aus 26 Ländern juriert. Die 30 Besten des Wettbewerbs, die iF gold awards, werden am 3. September im Rahmen der Preisverleihung in der BMW Welt in München bekannt gegeben.

Buderus Gussrohrtechnik und TRM werden zu Duktus. The Brand Union kreiert Corporate Identity

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Die 300 Teilnehmer des internationalen Branchentreffens der Wasserwirtschaft und des Tiefbaus in Hall, Tirol, waren begeistert. Als am 15. April gegen 22 Uhr der Vertriebsvorstand der vormaligen Pipe and Pile Gruppe, Ulrich Päßler, mit einer pyrotechnischen Inszenierung den neuen Firmennamen und das neue Logo enthüllte, erhoben sie sich spontan zu Standing Ovations von ihren Plätzen.

Nach der Ausgliederung der Buderus Gießerei in Wetzlar und den Tiroler Röhren- und Metallwerken aus dem Bosch Konzern im Jahre 2005 und der Entwicklung in eine eigenständige mittelständische Unternehmensgruppe in den Folgejahren tritt das Unternehmen ab sofort unter dem neuen, gemeinsamen Namen Duktus auf. Die Duktus Gruppe entwickelt, produziert und vermarktet hochwertige Rohrsysteme für den Wassertransport und die Tiefgründung von Bauwerken – aus duktilem Guss. Duktus gehört zu den weltweit führenden Anbietern in diesem Segment.

Entwickelt wurde die neue Unternehmensidentität in Zusammenarbeit mit The Brand Union Hamburg, von der Umsetzung des Unternehmensleitbilds über die Namensentwicklung, das neue Firmenlogo, die Gestaltung von Website (www.duktus.com), Broschüren und Kommunikationsmitteln bis hin zur Produktion eines Unternehmensfilms und der Inszenierung des Markeneinführungs-Events.

"Wir sind sehr stolz darauf, eine so attraktive Marke wie Duktus entwickelt zu haben, die sowohl intern bei den Mitarbeitern als auch bei den Kunden in aller Welt uneingeschränkte Zustimmung, ja sogar Begeisterung auslöst," berichtet der CEO von The Brand Union, Alexander Schubert. Und Christine Cesian, Senior Consultant bei The Brand Union, erläutert: „Der Name Duktus spielt sowohl auf den besonderen Stil der Firmenkultur an, die den Menschen und die Kundenbeziehung in den Mittelpunkt stellt, als auch auf den Führungsanspruch der Marke im Bereich von Rohrleitungen (engl. duct) und Lösungen aus 'duktilem' Guss.“ Das Signet mit dem negativ ausgesparten "u" und der rot befüllten Punze symbolisiert die Rohrverbindungen sowie eine Gießpfanne mit flüssigem Eisen.

Sowohl die Agentur als auch der Kunde zeigen sich begeistert von der positiven und effektiven Zusammenarbeit. "Wir haben die Entscheidung für The Brand Union keine Sekunde lang bereut," bestätigt Vorstand Ulrich Päßler. "Vom ersten Briefing bis hin zur strategischen und kreativen Entwicklung und dem absoluten Höhepunkt, der Launch-Veranstaltung, hat das Team um Projektleiterin Christine Cesian, CEO Schubert und Kreativdirektor Norman Quadflieg einen absolut professionellen Job gemacht. Von Anfang an hat The Brand Union es verstanden, dieses Projekt nicht lediglich als „Branding“-Projekt zu verstehen. Es ging um das Selbstverständnis und die Identität einer ganzen Unternehmensgruppe. „Duktus“ repräsentiert für uns diesen Anspruch auf hervorragende Weise. Außerdem hat zu jeder Zeit die menschliche Komponente gestimmt. Wir haben nicht nur ein perfektes Ergebnis erzielt, sondern die Zusammenarbeit hat allen Beteiligten einen Riesenspaß gemacht."

Boris Bullwinkel wird Director Business Development bei The Brand Union Hamburg

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Seit zwei Wochen wurde spekuliert – nun ist es offiziell: Nach fast zehn Jahren in Diensten der Weischer.Mediengruppe wechselt Boris Bullwinkel auf Agenturseite: Ab dem 1. April startet der 38-Jährige bei der Branding- und Designagentur The Brand Union Hamburg als Director Business Development.

In seiner neuen Funktion wird Bullwinkel die Abteilung Marketing, PR und New Business leiten und die Neugeschäftstrategie der Agentur weiter entwickeln. „Wir freuen uns sehr, dass es uns gelungen ist, eine so hochkarätige Verstärkung für unsere Agentur zu gewinnen“, sagt Dr. Alexander Schubert, CEO von The Brand Union Hamburg. „Boris Bullwinkel hat hervorragende Kontakte zu Unternehmen aller Branchen, zu Medien und Multiplikatoren. Durch seine langjährige Arbeit als deutscher Repräsentant der Cannes Lions und des Eurobest Festivals hat er eine besondere Affinität zu herausragender Kreation. Wir sind überzeugt, dass wir mit seinem Know-How unsere Serviceangebote noch weiter verbessern und unsere Reputation als strategisch wie kreativ führende Agentur weiter steigern können.“

Boris Bullwinkel weist eine langjährige Erfahrung in Marketing, PR und Kommunikation auf. In unterschiedlichen leitenden Positionen war der gelernte Journalist fast zehn Jahre lang bei dem Kino- und Out-of-Home-Vermarkter Weischer.Mediengruppe für Teile des Marketing und die gesamte Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit verantwortlich. Einen weiteren Aufgabenschwerpunkt bildete die Repräsentanz der Kreativfestivals Cannes Lions, Eurobest, Dubai Lynx und Spikes Asia.

Boris Bullwinkel sagt selbst über seine neue Aufgabe: „Ich freue mich sehr darauf, gemeinsam mit dem Team von The Brand Union das Profil der Agentur weiterzuentwickeln, neue Themenfelder voranzutreiben und das Neugeschäft mit renommierten Kunden weiter auszubauen.“

The Brand Union ist Design Agency of the Year

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Marketing Design Award ging an das Londoner Büro der Agentur

Hamburg/London, Dezember 2009. Mit der Auszeichnung Design Agentur des Jahres würdigt das renommierte Marketing Magazine den Erfolg von The Brand Union London. Nachdem die Agentur bereits im letzten Jahr auf die „one to watch“ Shortlist kam, schaffte sie es dieses Jahr auf den Spitzenplatz. Dabei spielten vor allem die Neugeschäftserfolge, die Qualität der Arbeit und verstärkte Aktionen im Bereich Corporate Social Responsibility eine Rolle. Immerhin fünfzehn Neukunden gewann The Brand Union 2009 und baute zudem die Zusammenarbeit mit den bestehenden Kunden wie HSBC Private Bank, Canon und anderen aus. Auch der neue Studiengang „Brand Development“, den die Agentur zusammen mit der Londoner Universität Goldsmiths eingeführt hat, fand großen Anklang bei der Jury.

Darüber hinaus erhielt The Brand Union 2009 den DBA Design Effectiveness Award und eine Eintragung im D&AD Annual. Somit steht die Agentur zwei Jahre nach der Einführung des neuen Namens bereits an der Spitze der Designagenturen.

Al Hilal Bank helps its customers reconnect with the true message of Ramadan

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Holy Month of Ramadan is a very important time for all Muslims. With the help of The Brand Union, Al Hilal Bank wanted to mark the occasion by helping its customers remember the key messages of the Holy Month.

"As part of our ongoing communication approach to engaging closely with our customers and providing a more personal expierence to banking, the 'Embrace Ramdan' initiative, shied away from the big expensive communication campaign, choosing instead a more low key approach to put across our message and help our customers and employees live and commit to the whole experience of Ramadan," said Anas Al Naji, Al Hilal Bank's Marketing Manager.

The big idea involved creating distinctive gift boxes for its customers and employees, consisting of everything needed to help them truly live Ramadan and what it represents.

Customers were invited to embrace the religious month and encouraged their commitment by presenting them with a simple yet distinctive gift box. Inside could be found a beautifully produced Holy Quran, a unique Imsakiya with all the prayer times clearly marked and specially created colouring cards for children. Also, as a reminder of the importance of being charitable at this time, The Brand Union created a bag and envelope in which to donate any unwanted clothes and money to those who desperately need help. These would be distributed to the poor and needy through its partnership operation with the charity organisation The Red Crescent.

“As always with Al Hilal Bank, we wanted to create something never tried before in banking. For us it was a great opportunity to get back to basics and reconnect with what Ramadan stands for. Tthrough the Holy Month the bank would act as a guide to the customers and employees encouraging them to commit to what Ramadan truly represents,” said Joe Moufarrej, The Brand Union’s Client Director.

The gift boxes were distributed through Al Hilal Bank’s network of branches right across the UAE, and again reinforces their position as a bank with fresh ideas totally committed to the customer experience.

Neuer Studiengang zur Markenentwicklung

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Brand Union und die Londoner Universität Goldsmiths rufen „Brand Development“-Studium ins Leben

London, Juni 2009. Das globale Branding- und Designnetzwerk The Brand Union und die Londoner Universität Goldsmiths werden den internationalen Masterstudiengang „Brand Development“ gemeinsam einführen. Im September wird der Aufbau-Studiengang starten, der sich mit der sowohl wissenschaftlichen als auch praxisrelevanten Betrachtung aktueller Branding- und Kommunikationsmethoden sowie ihren sozialen, ökonomischen und politischen Zusammenhängen beschäftigt. Darüber hinaus werden Schlüsselthemen wie die geistige Urheberschaft, das sich wandelnde Medienumfeld, Globalisierung und Auswirkungen der digitalen Kommunikation und Marketing-Technologien auf dem Lehrplan stehen.

Der bisher einzigartige Masterstudiengang ist eine gemeinschaftliche Initiative von Crispin Jameson, Chief Strategy Officer von The Brand Union, und Prof. James Curran, Direktor des Goldsmiths Leverhulme Media Forschungszentrum, welche zusammen die Kursstruktur und -inhalte erarbeitet haben. The Brand Union spielt dabei eine Schlüsselrolle: Die Branding- und Designagentur lädt Gastdozenten und Redner aus ihrem weltweiten Netzwerk ein und beteiligt die Studenten an der Bearbeitung von echten Kundenaufträgen. Am Ende des Studiums ist ein beruflicher Einstieg innerhalb des Agenturnetzwerkes möglich.

Simon Bolton, weltweiter CEO von The Brand Union, erklärt: “Mit dem gemeinsamen Masterstudiengang an der Goldsmiths Universität knüpfen wir direkt an unsere Philosophie der „Brand Mastery“ an. Die renommierte Hochschule ist für ihre innovativen und kreativen Ansätze bekannt.“

Dr. Alexander Schubert, CEO The Band Union Deutschland, ergänzt: "Wir finden diese Kooperation sehr spannend. Damit findet unsere Vision "Mastering the Art and Science of Brand Building" einen angemessenen Ausdruck und ein echtes Masterzertifikat in Sachen Branding. Mit dem Masterstudiengang möchten wir eine sinnvolle Verbindung von Theorie und Praxis schaffen, die die Studenten für den Einstieg in unsere Branche qualifiziert."

James Curran, Professor für Kommunikation an der Goldsmiths Universität, fügt hinzu: „Die Partnerschaft mit The Brand Union bietet unseren Studierenden unbezahlbare Erfahrungen und praktische Einblicke in die Welt der großen Marken."

Für The Brand Union ist dies ein erster Schritt. Weitere internationale Kooperationen, etwa mit den Goldsmiths Partneruniversitäten Xinghua in Beijing oder mit dem MIT in den USA sind in Zukunft durchaus denkbar.

Wäsche zum Auspacken schön - The Brand Union entwickelt Unterwäscheverpackungen von Palmers neu.

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hamburg, Juni 2009. Unterwäsche auszuwählen fällt oft schwer. Kaufentscheidungen erfolgen sehr bewusst, neben der Ästhetik spielt Information im Auswahl- und Kaufprozess eine wichtige Rolle. Doch wenn die Wäsche sicher verpackt im Regal liegt, ist es gar nicht so einfach, sich im vielfältigen Angebot zurechtzufinden. So kann der POS leicht zum Point of Stress werden. Um Kunden eine leichtere Entscheidungshilfe innerhalb ihres Unterwäsche-Basissortiments an die Hand zu geben, hat The Brand Union die Verpackungen von Palmers weiterentwickelt und damit eine attraktivere und wertigere Gesamterscheinung dieses Sortimentsbereiches geschaffen.

Seit kurzem ist die überarbeitete Basisrange bestehend aus den Serien soft cotton, micro fine, pure line, sowie body touch im Handel. „Die Herausforderung war, nicht nur die Attraktivität zu erhöhen, sondern auch ein rasch nachvollziehbares Leitsystem zu schaffen, das die Kundin möglichst schnell und einfach durch die Palmers Basisserien navigiert und gleichzeitig die Kategoriesignale und den Kaufprozess berücksichtigt“, sagt Jens Tarnowski, Senior Consultant bei The Brand Union. Die Informationshierarchie betreffend Serie, Schnittform, Stofflichkeit sowie Farbe und Größen-Angabe auf der Verpackung wurde erneuert. „Wir haben die jeweiligen Alleinstellungsmerkmale visuell und textlich herausgestellt,“ ergänzt Ina Biallas, Senior Designerin. Und weiter: „Dazu haben wir den Bildstil neu inszeniert und eine eigenständige Ästhetik geschaffen. In Verbindung mit dem neuen Naming und einer klaren Botschaft wurde die gesamte Range optimiert.“ Palmers hat bereits 2005 durch den gesamten Corporate Design Relaunch die Marke am POS erfolgreich neupositioniert. „Die Weiterentwicklung der Verpackungen mit Brand Union führt dazu, dass Palmers an Attraktivität gewinnt und sich klar von anderen Marken differenziert,“ so Palmers Sprecherin Anna Georgiades.

NYC launch united new identity for Avid

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Avid (www.avid.com), the market leader in digital audio and video technology, and WPP-owned global brand strategy and design agency The Brand Union, (www.thebrandunion.com), have unveiled a new brand identity as part of an overall effort to unite the five separate brands under one unique yet distinguishable mark.

As part of the company’s business transformation, Avid is on a mission to better serve the interests and needs of its customers as well as better integrate its five industry-leading businesses: Avid, Digidesign®, M-Audio®, Pinnacle Systems® and Sibelius®. The Brand Union was charged with the task to create a logo that unites all these separate brands under one name while at the same time making it identifiable with Avid.

At the center of the company’s new brand identity is the new logo, created by a design team led by Dennis Thomas, a Design Director at The Brand Union. Composed of simple yet iconic shapes, the new logo forms a visual connection that represents “volume up, volume down, play, pause, record and forward” while at the same time spelling out the company’s name.

Through this new identity, The Brand Union was able to bring together Avid’s category-creating technologies under a unified masterbrand to complement Avid’s new offerings, a new strategy, and a new operating model.

“Avid is a highly regarded brand among industry professionals,” said Thomas. “What we wanted to do was create a brand identity that would encompass all of Avid’s separate, industry-leading businesses while at the same time capitalizing on the union of digital audio and video technology. Through the use of the color purple and the universally recognized forms that make up the new logo, we were able to create a mark that alternates between being a graphic symbol and a word mark while still being clearly identifiable with Avid.”

The logo and news of the changes going on at Avid were unveiled at the NAB Show in Las Vegas in April. This was the first time Avid showcased audio and video products side-by-side in integrated workflows.

The Brand Union creates Art of Car

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

To adapt to changing customer needs, The Brand Union helped Al Hilal Bank extend their brand into auto sales and provide their customers with alternative and convenient ways of purchasing their dream vehicle.

Customers changing needs

In response to changing customer's needs, The Brand Union helped Al Hilal Bank extend their brand into auto sales and provide their customers with alternative and convenient way of purchasing their dream vehicle.

Customer Journey

The customer journey, from walking in, to driving out, delivered against the bank's brand promise of 'it's all about you'. The customer journey took you through an enjoyable and inspirational voyage that celebrates the car.

The Art

Unique and dynamic art pieces were displayed in the auto showroom which highlighted the inspirational art behind the car. This further delivered on the bank's brand promise by encouraging customers to interact and spend time in the branch by creating environments that are inspiring and enjoyable.

'The art pieces that were created for Al Hilal Bank's Auto is an illustration of what cars mean to different people; what they love about cars, what inspires them about cars and what they see as a reflection of cars. These pieces of art were transformed into truly bright ideas, beautifully crafted and displayed in various shapes and forms in the Al Hilal Bank's Auto Mall,' says Matthew Laubscher, Executive Creative Director.

The Campaign

A communication campaign was created to promote Al Hilal auto sales and finance offering. The message centred on 'Walk in, drive out'. Customers were invited to bring their documents, choose their car, process all forms and drive out, all in 60 minutes.

Following the opening, Al Hilal Bank also provided 0% down payment and 4% profit rate as an introductory offer to customers who bought their car during a four-day car festival event.

The Al Hilal Bank car showroom is located at the Al Sahel Towers, mall branch in Abu Dhabi.

Singapore office appointed for Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Following a three month pitch process, the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) appointed The Brand Union Singapore as the consultant to develop the brand identity for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

A new initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the YOG seeks to engage the youth of the world through the twin pillars of sport, culture and education. Singapore will be hosting the first YOG in August 2010.

TBU Singapore is responsible for the strategy, design and consultancy on the Look of the Games for Singapore 2010. Working closely with SYOGOC, TBU Singapore developed the brand vision, and adapted and refined the official logo, which was chosen from a number of entries submitted by the general public and Singaporean design companies. The official logo was unveiled in Singapore on 10th January 2009.

The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games will see some 3,600 athletes and 800 officials from the 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Young athletes – aged 14 to 18 years – will compete in 26 sports and take part in a Culture and Education Programme during the Games.

In the months leading up to the Games, TBU Singapore will be participating in the creation of core graphics and pictograms for the Games, and a host of other projects such as the development of ‘Look of the Games’ to create excitement and understanding of Singapore 2010 and to prepare the city for the eyes of the world.

The Brand Union offers clients a new horizon

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Brand Union’s new home on 43rd floor of Business Central Towers signifies the appreciation for a more refined and demanding market. The new office has been dynamically modelled around the changing needs of clients.

The Brand Union Dubai, the hub of the Middle East operation, announces its move to region’s creative centre in Dubai Media City.

The Brand Union’s new home on 43^rd floor of Business Central Towers signifies the appreciation for a more refined and demanding market. The new office has been dynamically modelled around the changing needs of clients.

Agility and collaboration are at the heart of the design with the ability to invite visiting international consultants, partners and clients to click in and work with The Brand Union teams in a dynamic and inspirational environment.

Hermann Behrens, CEO of The Brand Union Middle East says: “The office space has been designed to encourage knowledge sharing, collaboration and co-inspiration across our teams and also bring us closer to our clients and their business.”

The Brand Union methodologies and visual identity have been a big inspiration in the design of the space. The Brand Union’s in-house design teams used their skill set to devise a design for a new era to better serve their clients synergy. The design team infused the aspect of art and science of brand building literally into the space.

The customised furniture combines hand made artistic pieces with modern high tech elements and shapes. The angles which make up The Brand Union identity can be seen within the core of the space creating the walls for the informal meeting spaces and offices.

The Brand Union is actively involved in building powerful brands across the region and the move cements the agency’s continued commitment to the region, as well as the increasing need for world class branding consultancies.

During the past year the agency has experienced significant growth and launched the only branding agency with a fully operational team in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi.

2008 prepared the foundations and matured the business. This year, The Brand Union is looking forward to continuing to demonstrate the value it adds to their clients’ brands and businesses. The company is actively building partnerships with clients to help them grow, direct and protect their brands.

The Brand Union is synonymous with helping clients build long-term brand value to leading brands such as: Al Hilal Bank, Limitless, Mubadala, Sorouh, TDIC, Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage, Al Qasba, Emaar, Tatweer, Tawuniya, Saraya Holdings and Al Rajhi bank.

Worldwide CEO of The Brand Union, Simon Bolton says: “I am delighted to be here to officially open the new Dubai office. At the core of our offering is brand mastery and this is a leading example of how this is infused into everything we do: To better deliver valuable and memorable brand worlds and ultimately long-term brand value for our clients.”

The Brand Union develops the stylish brand for Dubai Marina’s mall

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Brand Union has crafted the brand identity, brand style, brand messaging and tone of voice for the Dubai Marina Mall to connect with residents and visitors to Dubai Marina.

A Fresh Approach

The eagerly awaited Dubai Marina Mall is a fresh approach to shopping, entertainment and lifestyle that compliments marina living.

The Brand Union crafted the brand identity, brand style, brand messaging and tone of voice for the Dubai Marina Mall to connect with residents and visitors to Dubai Marina.

Effortless Living

The Dubai Marina Mall brand is all about effortless living. It embraces the cosmopolitan marina lifestyle, offering everyday shopping convenience in its natural setting and well-considered retail spaces.

“The identity takes its cues from the environment visually connecting the unique and free-spirited setting of the marina with the convenience, freedom and intimacy of the mall,” says Matthew Laubscher, The Brand Union’s Executive Creative Director.

Graphically

Graphically, the identity depicts individuality through its signature, which is both a monogram (dmm) and pictogram (waves and spirit). The visual language and communication stem directly from the identity

Customer Experience

The Brand Union considered the customer experience at every touch-point to develop a visually distinct and engaging Brand World. This is brought to life through a set of illustrations that form a distinctive visual brand language. These illustrations are hand drawn and reflect the illustrative style of Dubai Marina Mall brand mark.

The illustrations are linked through the brand positioning of effortless living. The positioning is then tailored through key messages with the illustrations in order to create conversation. The messaging includes ‘Talk about fashion’, ‘Talk about cafés’, ‘Talk about convenience’ and ‘Talk about effortless’.

the Brand World

Another part of Dubai Marina Mall’s Brand World is the unique photographic style used that has been crafted in three parts: Environmental, Personal and Intimate. The encompassing tone is relaxed, captures everyday moments, yet still has a sophisticated undertone.

Dubai Marina Mall is managed by Emaar Malls.

定义“亚洲设计”

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

设计，在极大程度上定义了我们所知的今日世界，无疑也将塑造未来世界之面貌。它是一种非常具象而感性的手法，可以施用于我们日常生活的方方面面。大到文化、国家、企业组织，具体到产品、传播、甚至是我们所呼吸的空气，设计无所不在，并影响着我们的思维方式、生活方式与行为方式。

设计，在极大程度上定义了我们所知的今日世界，无疑也将塑造未来世界之面貌。它是一种非常具象而感性的手法，可以施用于我们日常生活的方方面面。大到文化、国家、企业组织，具体到产品、传播、甚至是我们所呼吸的空气，设计无所不在，并影响着我们的思维方式、生活方式与行为方式。

在这个世界上，许多国家在设计或设计理念方面享有特殊的声誉，而这些国家通常在其它领域也表现出色。有例为证，在全球最富有的五国之中，有四个国家在设计界都拥有令人瞩目的成绩。但是，在这个富国圈子外，还有一个国家，它为西方世界贡献了最具影响力的设计理念。它就是意大利。想想法拉利(Ferrari)、阿玛尼(Armani)、伯乐表(Bertolucci)，无一不是梦幻之作；或者在脑海中描绘一下托斯卡纳农舍这种以功能性见长的建筑？它们就像拼成钻石的每一面，旋即向你折射出这个国家灿烂动人的美学。它们都擅长讲述故事，拥有打动人心的力量，每当听到或看到它们的名字，我们每个人内心那幅关于“意大利设计”的拼图就更形完整。最终，设计就是要超越形体而诉诸情感，在一千个人心中唤起一千个莎士比亚。

让我们再放眼欧洲(或者至少是在它分裂成27个不同国家之前的老欧洲)。大部分人对于 “欧洲的设计”都有一个明确的认知，能够把“欧洲的设计”与斯堪的纳维亚或是北美的设计风格区别开来。相较之下，“亚洲的设计”就不那么容易说清楚。

究竟什么是“亚洲的设计”，该怎么定义它？或者它到底能不能被定义？虽说设计本来就是主观的产物，不过当人们说起亚洲的设计时，都会立刻想到日本――索尼(Sony)、任天堂(Nintendo)、Nissan GTR、宫崎骏、新干线(Hayao Miyazaki)、新干线以及其它成百上千的超级品牌、潮流标志和创意文化。若对日本的图形和3D设计稍加探究，就会发现这里充斥着无数的、被精心算计和严格设计过的产品与零售环境，以繁复、通俗、极简、无所不包的各种风格迎合着各类受众。其中诉求日本传统美学和科技的一些设计，算得上是独步亚洲、扬名世界。但如果拿着“有没有哪个亚洲国家的设计水准是你所看重的”这个问题去请教任何一个知名的韩国设计师，他都会回答说“没有”。在最近十年中，韩国政府向设计产业投入了几百万美元，韩国设计师们已经把眼光投向了英国、北欧以及美国的设计界。

不过日本确实有一些世界上最棒的图形设计课程。如果说技术与创意是设计的一体两面，那么通过这些课程的学习，学生的设计技术得到了精细打磨，对技术的重视也深入骨髓――所有人都认为，细节决定成败。从排版到图标，从颜色到处理工艺，设计的精准度被视作首要原则。同时，业界并不鼓励年轻的设计师学习(甚至只是讨论)从一个创意概念出发来发展完整的设计。这种内生的缺陷导致设计作品在情感表达和相关性上与现实世界脱节。事实上，大部分商业设计作品正是要从情感和视觉上将品牌的各个面向粘合在一起，变成一种持续、一致、全身心的体验，推动品牌向现实世界长驱直入。这就是日本式设计和品牌意识的软肋所在――过于强调单个的设计，而不是把网站、产品、办公环境等等视为一个会讲故事的整体。此外，学生们大多依靠自己勤奋学习，但其实更好的成长过程应当是看似自由散漫、实则博采广纳。令人遗憾的是，这种教育方式不只见于日本，也同样应用于中国。

来上海的莫干山路逛一逛画廊和艺术家工作室吧，这就是创意、艺术表现(非政治性)和设计产业在中国迅速成长的明证。北京奥运会的开幕式已经赢得了全世界的喝彩。但是，若在中国的互联网上逛一逛，就会发现一个同样显而易见的事实：在数字世界迅猛发展的同时，中国网站的使用界面都缺乏最基本的信息规划和以用户为中心的设计，更不用说从品牌出发的设计。具有讽刺意义的是，眼下数字技术正是激动人心的独特艺术的催生者。现实与艺术之间的这种不协调发展将会阻碍中国成为世界级的设计中心。中国设计界仍在摸索中前进，客户们提出的设计要求也多是“我想要它看起来就像这样(西方的某个品牌或者某种设计)”。

缺乏出色设计的这一现实，部分地归因于中国的历史。只是从最近一二十年以来，中国才开始回溯自己发展数千年的艺术脉络，从中探寻自己独有的创意和设计灵魂。

新加坡也曾走过类似的道路，在亚洲，它现在已经被称为世界级的设计中心。这个名号其实有点不太准确――新加坡的世界级设计并不是生长在它内在的文化基因上，而是来源于这个国家的国际性。

在新加坡于1965年宣布独立后的几十年中，流失了大量的创意人才，包括编剧、诗人、艺术家、作家、设计师，一时间出现了文化空白期，直至今天仍然可见其后遗症――新加坡缺少鲜活的原生创意文化。在本世纪初，政府意识到了这一缺陷，并把“创意”作为一项课程引入学校，以催生“新加坡式创意”。其效果还有待观察。

亚洲无疑具有多元的文化、深厚的历史底蕴，对具象艺术有独到的敏锐，对新技术也充满热情，在设计领域，它将发出越来越强的声音。若有某一亚洲国家脱颖而出、真正赢得“世界级设计”这一盛名，将是我们所乐见的。

What doesn't kill you...

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Biomedical scientists, so say last month’s press, are the next step closer to cracking the common cold and finding a cure. The shape-shifter of the century more adaptable than Madonna, the dreaded lurgy that accounts for more sick days only second to hangovers may one day be finally foiled. Trumped by a tissue. Snuffed out with a sniff. Cleaned up by a Kleenex.

But don’t hold your breath. The small print admits that “results may vary outside of a test tube”, markedly different to a human nose. At the risk of calling Madge a virus – though comparably contagious and partial to viral campaigns – both contortionists have demonstrated an uncanny ability to endure through a capacity for reinvention and mutation, infecting their audiences the world over.

Decades to get here, it’ll undoubtedly take decades more until an over-the-counter remedy is on hand. For the cold, that is. I suspect Madge might be around a while longer.

And so, the only reliable means of defence remains not to swaddle yourself in swabs and bandages and stake out an antiseptic sanctuary somewhere, but to put yourself in the frontline of the flu firing squad and take what comes. Just like the kid at playschool whose popularity peaks when he has chicken pox, it’s only through exposure to the world out there that you’re able to build up your natural defences.

What’s that got to do with the price of eggs, you’re wondering? Or, more pointedly, your share price.

Everything.

Short of an over-the-counter remedy, your immunity is your best line of defence. And, for organisations today, it’s your Brand’s Immunity System.

In today’s market place, lurking with marauding maladies in various guises – competitors, clients, even your customers, and more – your staff, your systems, your service – your brand’s immunity, the ability to withstand a battering from a battalion of bugs, is your ultimate survival tool kit.

No quick fix, immune systems are built over time.

New pressures face us every day and organisations like organisms effectively stand naked without protection. Ever better at exposing falsehoods and untruths, every consumer is an activist; ever sceptical, the media’s probing is aggressive; ever baying for your blood, competitors are always on the look-out for your vulnerabilities, a gap in the armour of your value proposition, a chink in the chainmail of your brand promise.

As “viruses” find new ways of infecting us and reconfiguring into new shapes and sizes, our immune system must adapt accordingly. Brand managers need to find new antidotes, new means of combat and response, new antennae for detecting future trends, new ways of thinking and new products, always staying one step ahead.

Discord equals dis-ease
Western medicine’s remedial approach is a knee-jerk reaction to ailment with on-the-spot tinctures for specific symptoms. But germs have got more savvy, a shot in the arm is a short-term solution and antibiotics leave you weaker. Alternative therapies, however, prescribing a blend of art and science, take a more holistic focus on the overall wellbeing of the patient through preventative action.

Acupuncture, for example, maintains that overall wellbeing is achieved through energy balance, believing that health is composed of equal and opposite qualities (the Yin and the Yang). When these become out of whack, illness is more often the outcome.

Inserting fine needles into channels of energy, acupuncturists believe this stimulates the body’s own healing response and helps restore natural balance. So too can a “brand therapist”, if you will, apply art with science to build their patients into strong and healthy entities capable of delivering real value, not merely surviving but flourishing.

Static old-school brands with their heads in the sand are in danger of becoming extinct. Today, corporations can no longer hide behind their portfolio of brands: consumers are calling for the real face behind the message, the purveyor of the product. The real pocket behind each brand’s price tag. Or, they’ll call for your head. Contrary to what’s comfortable, it means laying bare in the call for transparency and exposing yourself to the world.

But new-thinking brands have built an aura around them. With healthy brand immune systems that continuously adapt by producing antidotes to ward off deadly attacks, astute brand managers have a permanent finger on the pulse of what poses a virus and pinpointing the pressure points open for attack.

Assessing your brand’s Vitals
What the Central Nervous System is to the body, Brand is to a healthy organisation. Your brand is the synaptic highway that connects the company’s organs, functions, behaviours and responses. Through identifying specific touch points, you can help trigger the desired outcome in one area by treating a separate but vital area in another. So, to uplift your Growth potential, for example, an ailing company with falling market share may require attention in the areas of brand differentiation and delivery on promise. Or, a focus on solid brand architecture and effective communication may precipitate a revitalised Direction for your business, while maintaining pole position through heightened employee engagement underpins Protection.

Linking together all the activities of the organisation – R&D, product development, sales, marketing, HR and more, brand is the connective energy, the life force, the golden thread that ensures consistency of delivery and distributes wellbeing– through products, services or the organisation as a whole. But brands today need to be founded on more than promise – it’s about the ability to execute. And superior execution is about connectivity.

But, in my experience, many organisations are still not designed to deliver consistency – they’re set up in silos with the left hand oblivious to what the right hand is doing. Sometimes the widest gap in alignment is the divide between the external and the internal, creating the biggest disconnect – and hurdle – to Superior Execution. The number one priority in last year’s Grant Thornton survey of US business leaders, Superior Execution ranked in the Top Three spot of 60% of CEOs.

Usain Bolt didn’t smash the world record for the 100m dash on long legs along. Apart from a handy leg up in the form of a fortunate gene pool, he delivered 9,69 seconds of Olympic speed through a holistic combination of factors: his coaches, dieticians, physios, biokineticists, shrinks, shoes, supplements.

Bolt is but the face of a myriad contributors. He is a brand that delivered on solid preparation, incisive strategy, superior design and exceptional execution. And enlightened and healthy organisations have recognised the need to break down barriers and clear blockages to energy flows if true synergies are to be achieved.

The Age of the Super Bug
But, self-applied protective shields are not enough and we don’t propose a single apply-all antidote. MRSA is The Cold’s answer to your antiseptic and antibiotics. Traditionally, companies have relied on the remedies of Marketing and PR to see them through the down times, combating the parasites of bad press, poor perception, misaligned communications. But, when the basic hygiene factors and corporate disciplines are neglected and overlooked, your natural immune system is vulnerable. So, when superbugs contort, strengthen and discover new ways to outsmart your man-made defences, the smallest cut or bite can be fatal. Like the lightning speed at which bad news can travel in our inter-connected, 24/7 multimedia society, infections spread like wild fire and often too quickly for the antibiotics of recovery plans and crisis communications to take effect.

If the foundation for good health is correct diet, exercise and balance, the cornerstones for brand wellbeing are a compelling and true brand positioning, a durable global brand architecture, distinctive and appropriate visual language and tone of voice and, most importantly, engaged employees who deliver a brand experience that sets them apart from their competitors. And no quick fixes like Botox or cosmetic surgery will paper over the cracks. Okay from a distance, it doesn’t match the experience when you get close.

GDP
So, if superior execution is about healthy components coming together and working in harmony, wellbeing is about the capacity of the brand’s immune system to ward off deadly viruses that conspire towards your demise. Companies today need to operate in a state of continual adaptation and the brand pressure points need a longer-term, holistic treatment that promotes and maintains wellbeing. Our job then should not be to heal ailing brands or give tonics to the tired, but provide guidance and preventative therapy.

Your brand diagnostician needs to understand your real challenges as a brand, the issues you face and where you are in the development of your business. They need to assess all the pressure points, from your brand strategy to your vision, your reputation, your aspirations and all the turns and trends at that are likely to present challenges in the future. It could be about a key product losing a distinctive market position. It could be about an identity or retail experience losing relevance and credibility. It could be about disaffected employees in certain parts of the organisation.

They must identify how to boost your immune system by adapting the brand to cope with ongoing invasions from the antigens of mistrustful media, probing consumer interest, competitor attack and staff inflammation.

So, what does this mean in real terms? It means measuring both quantitatively and qualitatively the wellbeing of brands, using a diagnostic filter like GDP™ that pinpoints the pressure points in the brand body and triggers Growth, Direction and Protection. It means ensuring the strategies of both your Business and your Brand are aligned. And Brand, as the CNS, in turn infiltrates and influences all the operational and functional drivers of your business, giving you the durability, robustness and continuum of a Super Brand that can outwit and outlast any colds, coughs, pop stars and other super bugs.

Al Hilal Bank embraces Ramadan

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

To embrace the holy month of Ramadan, Al Hilal Bank in collaboration with The Brand Union has transformed the banking experience to bring to life the traditions and values behind this religious month.

'As part of Al Hilal Bank's philosophy of engaging their customers and personalising the banking experience, The Brand Union created artistic impressions that reflect the spirit of Ramadan,' says The Brand Union's Managing Director of Abu Dhabi, Toby Southgate.

The exhibition, 'Faces of The Moon' showcases the various states of the moon in the 30 days of Ramadan. The Brand Union created a visual message that communicates 'Hilal' meaning 'crescent' by creating 30 different pieces of art to celebrate each day of the lunar cycle throughout Ramadan.

The exhibition is tailored to each branch. The mall branch at Al Sahel Towers features a large gallery with the customised art in the shape of discs, while the artwork is exhibited on large banners and posters in the other branches. In addition, The Brand Union created gift bags, postcards, calendars, large banners, posters, ATM Animation, LCD Animation, touch screen animation and web animation to showcase the extraordinary works of art.

The exhibition that The Brand Union crafted enhances Al Hilal Bank's exceptional and personalised banking experience. It also further delivers on key brand differentiation of creating environments that encourage customers to enjoy the banking experience as well as enlightening and engaging customers with what is important to them. 'The basis of this experience is about exhibition and education. A fundamental part of the customer journey is the element of a community hub. This community hub showcases Islamic Artists, photographers, historical exhibitions, and more,' Explains Matthew Laubscher, The Brand Union's Executive Director of Creative.

The Brand Union invited different cultures across the UAE to create their artistic impression of Ramadan. The result is a collection of unique interpretations that are inspired from personal connection and understanding of Ramadan and Al Hilal Bank, so it truly is 'all about you'.

Miller Genuine Draft gets new global identity from The Brand Union

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Global brand agency The Brand Union is set to roll out a new international identity for SABMiller’s most established beer brand, Miller Genuine Draft.

Briefed to harmonise a brand across multiple markets, The Brand Union developed strong and consistent iconography. A contemporary take on a classic beer, the revitalised design retains the iconic Miller eagle but breathes new life into it with an uplifting treatment, also embossed on the neck. The long neck of the bottle will also feature the Miller Brewing Company crest and heritage story, applied here for quality cues. And a new colour palette sees richer blacks and reds and a fresher gold lift the primary and secondary packaging, while the overall label detailing has been simplified to deliver maximum impact and brand recognition.

First brewed in 1855 and launched to the American market in 1986, Miller Genuine Draft is produced through a pioneering filtration process that bypasses the heat treatment used by most brewers. Instead, the beer is cold filtered four times to deliver a unique fresh, easy-drinking taste experience.

Jonny Westcar, Managing Client Director for The Brand Union, comments: "It was an honour to work on such a legendary brand. Unmistakably American and unique in its heritage, ingredients and brewing provenance, it would have been a mistake to stray too far from Miller Genuine Draft's iconic identity and equity. Instead, we have refreshed the brand and supported it with comprehensive guidelines on applying its identity seamlessly across every market it occupies. This is a contemporary refresh, designed to create a powerful, unified feel for a world-famous brand."

Andy Routley, International Brand Marketing Director at SABMiller, adds: "Miller Genuine Draft is the most established beer brand in our portfolio and The Brand Union’s work amplifies its heritage for a new generation. The refreshed identity clarifies the brand values and ensures that they are communicated consistently to the beer’s international audience."

The Brand Union Middle East launches ‘benchmark’ banking brand

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

CEO of Al Hilal Bank declares new brand will set regional standards

The Brand Union, one of the world’s leading branding consultancies, recently unveiled its creation of the brand for the region’s newest bank – Al Hilal Bank.

This announcement further establishes The Brand Union’s dedication to brand mastery and the fields of banking and finance. Its past high profile financial brand development includes Saudi brands Al Rajhi Bank and Tawuniya Insurance and the global leader Credit Suisse.

Al Hilal Bank selected The Brand Union for its proficiency in aligning business and brand strategies to create memorable and valuable brand worlds.

Our ambition is to become a leader and that is why we chose the Brand Union because they are leaders in branding with a combination of regional experience and global expertise,” said Al Hilal CEO, Mohammad Berro.

Driven by Shariah compliance, the bank provides progressive financial products and personalised services to build value for all key stakeholders.

Building a powerful brand is fundamental to our future success and we felt that The Brand Union’s strategic and creative approach would help us develop a brand which stands out in the public eye now and in the future,” added Berro.

The Brand Union utilised their global network and resources to conduct extensive trend and market analysis, combined with customised qualitative audience research across the UAE.

Our research discovered that, globally, the banking industry has suffered from fiscal policies that have meant continual cutbacks on staff in an effort to become more profitable. The result has been a gradual shift towards to unfriendly automated services and less interaction with people,” says The Brand Union’s Executive Director of Strategy, Michael Hughes.

The agency’s strategy work identified a growing demand for Islamic banking products and services but also highlighted the belief that Islamic banks’ service and product offerings are inferior to that of conventional banks.

In the UAE, while customers have a lot of choice most banks are not building differentiation or customer loyalty. The Brand Union and Al Hilal recognised the opportunity to develop a bank that puts ‘people first’ - at the heart of the brand,” concluded Hughes.

The Brand Union developed a brand concept that revolves around personalising the Al Hilal brand experience for all its customers.

The unique brand identity for Al Hilal Bank follows the strategic lead of placing the customer at the centre,” commented The Brand Union’s Executive Director of Creative, Matthew Laubscher.

The square depicts that the customer is at the centre of everything we do and also illustrates the importance of attending to the individual needs of our customers, while the circle represents Al Hilal Bank and our all-embracing approach to its customers,” adds Laubscher.

The customer-centric approach, lead the conceptualisation and design of a truly different branch environment. A key brand touch point, The Brand Union crafted the environments to encourage customers to enjoy the banking experience.

The basis of this experience is about exhibition and education. A fundamental part of the customer journey is the element of a community hub. This community hub showcases Islamic Artists, photographers, historical exhibitions, and more,” concluded Laubscher.

The Brand Union’s brand experience team created a world first with the concept of a ‘banking mall’. The signature branch in Al Sahel, Abu Dhabi is the epitome of a new banking experience where each sector has its own unique touch, sense, look and personality. Through research and collaboration with Al Hilal Bank, The Brand Union tapped into what each customer segment responds to and how these elements can be instilled into the environment.

The brand created for Al Hilal bank has set a new approach and benchmark for the banking industry and we have made it extremely difficult for anyone to compete with us,” concluded Berro.

Al Hilal Bank currently has four branches - two in Abu Dhabi, one in Al Ain and one in Dubai but plans to have 10 branches by the end of this year and 20 branches by next year expanding to other regions of the UAE.

Over the last 12 months we have developed a genuine partnership with Al Hilal. We are extremely proud of the support and encouragement Al Hilal has extended to us through the establishment of our Abu Dhabi office,” says The Brand Union’s Managing Director of Abu Dhabi, Toby Southgate.

We share Al Hilal’s ambition, and we are now working with Al Hilal to develop their brand as they expand rapidly across the region”.

Mid year talent boost at the Brand Union

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Leading Brand Consultancy, The Brand Union, boosts its talent pool with a number of new appointments.

Internally, the marketing department has seen some changes. Nicole Dickens moves from Client Director to assume a well-deserved, newly created role of Marketing and Knowledge Manager. Dickens has a number of years experience in marketing, with 5 of them focussed on brand development, marketing strategies & sponsorships. Says CEO, Anthony Swart “With 10 years experience in marketing within the financial service and hospitality industry, we feel that Nicole is ideally equipped to take us to the next level”.

Another change to the Marketing team is the appointment of a new PR Manager, Bridget Reynolds. Bridget hails from a FMCG background and will compliment the newly formed marketing team. Says Dickens “Bridget’s fresh approach and passion for brand led business growth is a great asset to us”

On the consultancy’s client service front, Dylan Baxter was appointed Client Director in May 2008. Dylan has a vast marketing and sales knowledge and will be overseeing accounts such as Silverstar Casino, Kulula, Toyota SA & Neotel (to name but a few). It’s wonderful for us to have Dylan on board, he is an important asset to the formidable client service team we are building.” Says Fiona Hitchcock, Managing Client Director.

Along with Dylan, Kgomotso Pooe was appointed Senior Account Manager and will be handling the Mercedes-Benz South Africa, Lexus, Toyota South Africa accounts. “Kgomotso’s background in Marketing Innovation has well-equipped him for this new challenge. We are excited to have him on board” says Dylan Baxter.

Following on from the internal move of Cindi Thomas to the newly created role of Client Director – Africa, Lauren Singleton joins the team in capacity as Account Manager for the Africa division. “Lauren’s in-depth knowledge of CRM, Key Account Management, great energy and enthusiasm for art and science will stand her in good stead in building fantastic relationships with some of our key clients in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and other African countries” says Thomas.

The strategy department saw the appointment of Katherine Honer (an attorney by qualification) as Brand Strategist. Katherine has spent the last four years working exclusively in a marketing capacity in the cosmetic industry. “We are very pleased that Katherine has joined The Brand Union team. Katherine's client-side marketing experience will bring added dimension to our strategy capability, adding to the strength we have been building into our brand consulting offer."
says Gary Bryant, Strategy Manager.

Concludes Swart “It is one of our priorities to ensure that to be best in the business we need a staff complement that reflects this goal! The first half of 2008 has shown a tremendous stride in our growth and no-doubt this will continue throughout the year.”

The Brand Union appointed as Vattenfall brand and design consultancy

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

From January 1 2008, the branding and design agency The Brand Union (formerly Enterprise IG) will be the main consultancy for strategic brand counsel and design services to one of Europe’s leading energy companies, Vattenfall, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. The agreement, following an international public tender process, involves co-operation across all of Vattenfall’s markets with client coordination led from the Stockholm office. Through this agreement Vattenfall will become one of The Brand Union’s primary international clients.

The Brand Union will assist Vattenfall with an international team, covering professionals from the Stockholm, Hamburg and London offices. The Brand Union’s collaboration partner Moby Dick will support Vattenfall in the Polish market.

"Vattenfall is embarking on an interesting journey that involves challenging developments in the European energy sector, and we are very pleased to be a preferred partner in supporting them in meeting up to their ambitious mission" says Elisabeth Ström, CEO at The Brand Union in Stockholm.

"Our public tender process presented The Brand Union with the highest relative scores in accordance with our business requirements, and we look forward to the cooperation" says Stefan Nerpin, VP, Head of Group Marketing Communications, Vattenfall AB.

The Brand Union has 21 offices across the world, and is part of the global agency network WPP. On January 1 2008, The Brand Union in Stockholm was complemented with the consultancy Everystone (former Lowe Plus), as a part of The Brand Union’s efforts to focus its branding and business development resources to the London and Stockholm offices.

Vattenfall’s vision is to be a leading European energy company. Vattenfall’s main products are electricity and heat. Today, Vattenfall generates electricity, produces heat and supplies energy to several million customers in the Nordic countries and central Europe. Major customers are industrial plants, energy companies, municipalities, property companies and housing associations.

The Brand Union transforms NCCI to Tawuniya

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Saudi’s leading insurer transformed by The Brand Union.

The Brand Union's initial relationship with Tawuniya has resulted in much more than a superficial name change explains the agency's Head of Strategy, Michael Hughes.

'We wanted to leverage NCCI's brand heritage in Saudi Arabia, where the company has the reputation of delivering dependable, cooperative products and services. We used this status to reposition the new brand in the light of its internal reorganization and renewed market position as the premier insurance company in the country.'

'What we did was to evolve the brand with a new name, identity and created a strong and distinctive personality that reflects Tawuniya's true character and position. The new name and identity takes ownership of the co-operative insurance category and evokes a strong emotional connection to customers,' adds Hughes.

The brand evolution Hughes speaks of stemmed from a number of factors affecting Tawuniya's business including new competitive entry, internal structural reorganization and the insurer's establishment as a joint stock company.

NCCI's vast network and local experience had already ensured that the company was considered as the most trusted insurer in Saudi Arabia. However, The Brand Union still set about researching NCCI's retail and corporate customers, concluding that a course of brand revitalization would consolidate this strong position and eradicate any potential areas of brand weakness.

'The insurance market in Saudi Arabia is very competitive and smaller companies are merging in order to meet the challenges the environment presents. However, our new brand achieves several objectives, the most prominent of which is customer awareness of the changes the company has gone through in the recent past and driving forwards our mission and vision,' commented Ali Al-Subaihin, CEO, Tawuniya.

The result is a stronger brand and The Brand Union continues to further grow its business in Saudi Arabia. In the meantime, Tawuniya's new brand is assisting it in bolstering its strong position in Saudi Arabia thanks to its partnership with the GCC's brand masters.

Impressive work by The Brand Union, which has its Middle East business headquartered in Dubai. On the ground research and regular face-to-face co-operation with Tawuniya, before administering the new brand demonstrated how committed the agency is to this particular market.

'The Kingdom is the largest market in the region and our partnership with Tawuniya is a clear manifestation of our abilities and intention,' points out Hermann Behrens, CEO of The Brand Union Middle East.

The Brand Union promotes Simon Bailey to Managing Director

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Fresh from its relaunch, The Brand Union (formerly Enterprise IG) has announced some top level restructuring. Client Services Director Simon Bailey will take the reins as Managing Director in London.

Bailey joined The Brand Union in 2004. Since joining, he has assumed the role of Client Services Director with overall responsibility for the agency’s Vodafone account. His move to Managing Director now sees him taking a much broader commercial overview of the day-to-day business.

In turn, Craig Page-Lee has moved from The Brand Union’s Johannesburg office to assume the role of Managing Client Director. With responsibility for developing high-level client relationships and providing strategic branding insight, Craig will now lead the Vodafone account. As a result, he is also part of Team WPP Vodafone, which helps Vodafone coordinate activities across the network of WPP agencies.

Dave Brown, UK Chairman at The Brand Union says of the new appointments:

"Simon is an exceptional talent and combined with his considerable experience he undoubtedly has the skills to strengthen the London office. Both Simon and Craig have been instrumental in defining our new proposition and their promotions herald the first of many positive new developments here at The Brand Union."

Simon Bailey, Managing Director at The Brand Union adds:

"This new position allows me to play a much broader role in the day-to-day running of the business. For the immediate future, I look forward to working closely with the UK Executive Board in helping to deliver The Brand Union’s new proposition."

WPP’s global brand agency Enterprise IG becomes The Brand Union

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Simon Bolton, Worldwide CEO of The Brand Union, announces “This is an important juncture for the company. The new name and positioning takes our network to the next level. I’m pleased with our growth to date, but now I believe we will make a quantum leap.”

In a move that seeks to fully align a business that comprises 21 offices globally, the name change and new identity are just the first steps in a full relaunch programme masterminded by Bolton, who moved to the group from advertising network JWT in 2006. The revitalised agency will enhance WPP’s drive in the global brand arena. This change comes at a time when the agency has won major new briefs from Tesco, Deutsche Post (DPWN), Samsung, Emaar, Schroders and GE Money.

The company has been on a strong organic upward growth path over the last three years particularly in emerging markets. With the business benefits of the relaunch embedded in The Brand Union, we anticipate revenue growth approaching 50% through the combination of organic and planned acquisition activity. At the heart of this new effort is the intention to further professionalise and strengthen the business offer around the concept of ‘Brand Mastery’. The Brand Union’s management is in detailed conversations to create and co-sponsor an international Brand Management course with Goldsmith’s University in London, Tsinghua University in Beijing and MIT in the US.

Bolton said, “We started with a comprehensive brand audit. Our clients felt that our name no longer represented who we were, or the full array of services that span out strategic, design and engagement capabilities. The Brand Union name, coupled with our new positioning, is our way of saying that we are unified, but not uniform. We now have a client-centric global brand agency that operates in all major markets, delivering the highest standards in brand growth, direction and protection. We want to be valued for mastering the art and science of brand building.”

Bolton continues, “At the heart of the re-launch is the concept of Brand Mastery. For us to live up to that expectation we need to recruit the best talent in the market and we have recently hired Crispin Jameson as Chief Strategy Officer, Julia Rice as Worldwide HR Director, Wally Krantz as Executive Creative Director in New York, John Rooney, CEO in Dublin and David Lett as Executive Creative Director in Johannesburg. Together with our existing talent, this makes us a force to be reckoned with in the world of branding.

Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP comments: “I’m convinced The Brand Union will achieve significant growth, given the talented team and unique proposition that Simon Bolton has brought together.”

Notes for Editors

The Brand Union is one of the world’s leading brand and design networks, bringing together talent from the world’s best agencies into a seamless, global offering encompassing great clients and talent alike. The Brand Union delivers its expertise at all touch points with a footprint that extends from Research to Strategy to Design to Engagement to Evaluation.

Established in 1976 by Terry Tyrrell and Sam Sampson, and formerly known as Sampson Tyrrell and Enterprise IG, the network has evolved to operate across 21 international offices with 500 people. Headquartered in London, The Brand Union also has a presence in Abu Dhabi, Bangalore, Beijing, Cairo, Dubai, Dublin, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm and Tokyo.

Recent clients include: American Express, Hewlett Packard, Bank of America, COFCO, SABMiller, Unilever, Mars Inc, Motorola, Vodafone, Credit Suisse, Corus and KPMG.

The Brand Union is a WPP company.

Simon Bolton Worldwide CEO – The Brand Union Biography

A short stint as a chef, a longer stint in advertising and a working career that has led to Simon living in six different countries spanning Asia, Europe and North Amer

The Brand Union creates ideal launch platform for Emaar destination brand

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Brand Union, the leading global branding agency, has been lauded for its most recent brand development for world renowned property developer, Emaar.

Marassi is the 6.2 million square metre premium, mixed use destination resort being developed by Emaar at an estimated cost of $1.7 billion. The resort, due for completion in five years, is located on a seven kilometre strip of land at Sidi Abdel Rahman and Alamein on the Northern coast of Egypt.

Marassi will incorporate a world-class beach resort, a bustling town centre, a marina, golf course and healthcare facilities amongst Greek, Andalusian, Italian, Tunisian and Moroccan architectural styled districts.

The Brand Union was presented with the challenge of creating a brand strategy that would communicate the development’s premium quality to an elite Egyptian audience.

The Marassi brand identity design took inspiration from the pure natural beauty of the destination and from the charming reminiscence stirred from the generations of families who have fond memories of summer holidays past.

Meanwhile, the design of the Marassi sales centre was crafted to provide a real environment for interested parties to sense what the destination will offer.

"The launch of Marassi was a resounding success creating a real buzz in Egypt," says Rasha Lababidi, Regional Senior Marketing Manager, Emaar.

"This had to be balanced with the need to communicate the reminiscent essence that summer holidays near Alexandria have given the Egyptian population and foreign tourists many happy memories," says Francis Lotz, Design Director, The Brand Union Middle East.

"We created a unique and approachable wordmark that is truly organic by design. The brand comes to life through a visual language that reflects the brand essence that Marassi is truly somewhere else".

"The Marassi brand was brought to life through a sales centre experience aimed to capture the customer journey based around the exploration of the senses: the magnificent view, the smell and sound of the sea and the touch of all the different textures. Located at the site of the development, the sales office provides total brand engagement by allowing potential buyers to absorb the feel of this environment through their senses," adds Cheryl Mundy, Senior 3D Designer, The Brand Union Middle East.

"The result: an exceptional launch platform and a very happy client."

Rahsa Lababidi of Emaar concludes: "The Brand Union worked closely with the Emaar team in Dubai and Egypt to develop the brand strategy and an identity that perfectly captures the brand's essence 'Truly somewhere else'."

The Brand Union backs Creative Excellence Scholarships at Reed’s School

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 02:27:00 GMT

The Brand Union announces today its sponsorship of a series of Creative Excellence Scholarships at Reed's School in Cobham, Surrey.

Reed's School's Art and Graphics Department has enjoyed considerable success under the leadership of teachers Alison Johnson and Malcolm Macdonald. In the light of this success, The Brand Union is sponsoring "Creative Excellence" scholarships in the School in the Lower Sixth Form starting this month.

In September 2008 there will be six scholarships. The launch of these scholarships is perfectly timed as Reed's Graphic Design students have been in the top five in the country at A Level over the last few years. Two students were in the top five again this year; Ollie Gibbs and Sophie Paulides.

The Marketing and Development Director at Reed’s, Richard Garrett, explained that Reed's is keen to develop partnerships with local businesses so that more opportunities are created for the students and for the businesses.

Glenn Tutssel, Executive Creative Director, The Brand Union said:

"This initiative represents an opportunity for real talent to be rewarded and I believe it will create opportunities for the scholars to gain work experience as part of their development at Reed's and both University and Art College."

David Jarrett, Headmaster at Reed’s School, Cobham said:

"The performance in Graphics reflects the achievements of Reed's School academically given that this year, 75% of the A Level grades were at either A or B and the GCSE students achieved a 98% pass rate (A* - C). The breadth of our success was reflected in the fact that one pupil, Ben Palmer, was in the top 10 in the country for GCSE Astronomy. Three students in the Upper Sixth also secured places at Oxford and Cambridge."

The Brand Union mixes the old with the new for Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage

Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Brand Union has just completed a comprehensive branding solution for Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage.

Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage was established to fulfil the vision of His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan of preserving and promoting the identity and culture of the people of the UAE. The authority aims to achieve an integrated approach to the promotion and enhancement of the deep-rooted identity of the United Arab Emirates.

Engaged to take the role of brand builder for Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage, The Brand Union's challenge was to create and develop a brand that would represent Abu Dhabi’s heritage and culture and in particular appeal to the local youth. The brand also needed to communicate with all stakeholders and evoke a sense of pride in their culture and heritage. In addition, there are very few obvious tangible symbols of Abu Dhabi's culture and heritage, therefore part of the challenge was to find something that was iconic and uniquely Abu Dhabi.

To achieve this The Brand Union searched for the compelling truth of the brand – fathering the identity of Abu Dhabi. From this compelling truth, an exceptionally iconic identity was crafted for Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage that captures the spirit of Abu Dhabi – a complex and intriguing combination of many cultures, people, traditions, and icons – in one powerful symbol.

Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage brings cultural awareness closer to the youth, encouraging creative thinking among the community and ensuring culture is accessible to both residents and visitors of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage hosts monthly programmes including lectures, seminars, workshops, and forums, as well as literary and artistic events. The annual cultural activities include the Emirates Film Festival, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and other specialised workshops and events.

"The Brand Union has successfully captured the spirit and vision of the organisation in an original concept that encapsulates the many facets of Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage. The new brand is an original idea which dared to go beyond the traditional approach of branding for governmental institutions. We see it as a work of art that is both accessible and innovative," says Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Director General, Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage.

Matthew Laubscher, Executive Creative Director, The Brand Union, says: "By utilising loose, expressive strokes we were able to combine the many facets of Abu Dhabi's rich culture and heritage into a distinguished identity that draws on craftsmanship, expression and interpretation. A modern approach portraying years of customs and tradition, the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage brand is intended to nurture Abu Dhabi's heritage – educating and exciting the next generation about their past."

"Working with The Brand Union on the development of a new brand for Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage has been a creative and personal endeavour," continues Al Mazrouei. "We are proud of this brand and pleased with the working relationship we have developed with The Brand Union and we look forward to working together in the future on other initiatives."

The Brand Union Madrid to review and update Rioja Designation of Origin's brand

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The Board of Denominación de Origen Calificada Rioja has selected The Brand Union Madrid to renew its existing brand and relaunch it globally.

The global strategy, design and brand engagement expert, faces the challenge to redefine the positioning of Rioja Wines, as well as renewing its corporate identity in line with the defined strategic plans for the forthcoming years. With this change, the Council intends to enforce its presence within international markets such as the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom or Germany, as well as reinvigorating its already secured position in Spain.

The Brand Union Madrid's objective consists of creating a new image that truly represents the current momentum of Rioja wines and wineries.

"The evolution of Rioja's brand is a key element for its growth and consolidation in the global market".

Pilar Domingo, Managing Director, The Brand Union Madrid

The Brand Union, South Africa: Six clients named number one.

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 02:28:00 GMT

Six clients of The Brand Union, South Africa, scooped top honours in this year's Top Brands survey, South Africa's favourite brands poll. A further 16 brands of the brand consultancy's clients ranked within the top three.

Six clients of The Brand Union, South Africa, scooped top honours in this year's Top Brands survey, coming in as category leaders of South Africa's favourite brands poll. As South Africa's top brand consultancy, The Brand Union is proud to have partnered with these number one brands, tallied by the Sunday Times Markinor Top Brands survey.

Scoring the winning position in their respective categories this year are Absa, KFC, Toyota, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Mercedes-Benz.

Says Anthony Swart, CEO for the African office, "The Brand Union focuses on brand-led business growth and so we’re particularly pleased to see this evidenced by our clients' consistent performance, not just in the short term but over a number of years." He adds, "All of these clients have successfully retained their number one position, year on year, while a further 16 brands that we’ve worked with rank within the top three of their respective industry categories".

The Sunday Times Markinor Top Brands survey, which started in 1992, is considered by many to be the leading study in the country when assessing an organisation's brand strength and competitiveness. The results are based on a composite metric called the Brand Relationship Score which is an assemblage of three factors: spontaneous awareness, level of trust and confidence, and commitment.

"We’re very proud of our clients' brand successes, which are a combination of hard work, commitment and performance, underpinned by solid brand strategy," says Swart.

A multidisciplinary brand consultancy, The Brand Union offers a holistic approach to brand building through the specialist services of Strategy, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Packaging, Architecture, Retail Interior Design and Brand Engagement – all under one roof.

Over its almost three decades experience in the local market, The Brand Union, South Africa, has worked with the likes of SABMiller, Coca-Cola, Cell C, Neotel, DaimlerChrysler, Aveng, Old Mutual, MTN, BP, Southern Sun, JD Group, Eskom, Sun International, Deloitte, FirstRand, Nedbank, OUTsurance and Transnet – among others.

Operating in Southern Africa for almost 30 years, The Brand Union is owned by the WPP Group and is a division of the world’s largest brand design agency, providing access to the resources and expertise of over 550 specialists in 26 offices in 23 countries.

Front runners of their respective industry categories are The Brand Union's clients:

Absa -- Banks
Toyota -- Cars
KFC -- Fast Food & Restaurants
Standard Bank -- Corporate & Merchant Banks – Business
Mercedes-Benz -- Cars - Business
Old Mutual -- Long Term Insurance

Merc’s new South African showrooms are show-stoppers

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:28:00 GMT

Mercedes-Benz has stepped up the gear of its offering to commercial vehicle customers with their new head turning facilities, designed by The Brand Union, South Africa.

Mercedes-Benz has stepped up the gear of its offering to commercial vehicle customers with their new head turning facilities in Centurion and the East Rand in Gauteng, South Africa.

Unusual for a commercial vehicle centre – which sells trucks, buses and fleet vehicles – the new facilities have taken key design ingredients from their sisters in passenger vehicle sales, aligning the two customer sets’ experiences.

Says Faan Nel, Creative Director for The Brand Union, South Africa, "These buildings challenge the conventions of commercial vehicle centres which are traditionally drab and overlooked in favour of the more glamorous passenger vehicle showrooms. Mercedes-Benz has raised the bar of what CV customers everywhere will come to expect."

The Brand Union, South Africa’s leading brand consultancy, designed a showroom that proudly displays commercial vehicles in an enclosed, celebrated space – uncommon in a CV centre which traditionally neglects this area. Staff-customer relationships are key to sales in this sector: albeit less frequent, CV sales represent significantly larger one-off transactions than passenger vehicle sales.

The first class facilities capitalise on their highway location with excellent highway visibility for both the Centurion and the East Rand centres while delivering on all the brand values of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

In keeping with the premium status of the Mercedes-Benz brand, top quality finishes have been used and attention to detail with the same design principles applied here as to passenger showrooms: porcelain tiles, tiled walls, large expanses of glass and imported woollen carpets in the sales area. A comfortable bistro caters to visitors and waiting customers and a retail store sells Mercedes-Benz branded merchandise.

Centurion’s showroom boasts a circular, double volume brand gallery that resides in the centre of the building, celebrating the rich heritage of Mercedes-Benz with brand-relevant lifestyle visuals displayed on the walls.

This gallery is also the centre point that links the three areas of customer interaction – Parts, Sales and Service – radiating outwards from the centre.

Says DaimlerChrysler’s Gary Dodds, "We have created a facility that successfully aligns the aesthetic with various operational practicalities. These centres cater to the needs of the sales floor, the service workshop, parts facility and pre-owned vehicles – all under one roof."

The space proudly displays the service environment – the workshop is specifically angled to as to be visible to the highway and large expanses of glass allow the customer views into the workshop from the showroom and vice versa. Large display graphics form backdrops to the vehicles on display in dedicated bays outside that face the highway.

The Mercedes-Benz star rotates on top of the building, on the roof above the central gallery and is strikingly illuminated at night.

While adding to the aesthetics of the building, the design promotes technical competence, minimising service downtime, a key requirement of a CV customer. The Centurion centre has since been awarded the group DCSA Chairman’s Award for Dealer of the Year.

"These centres are outstanding in many respects – from a vehicle display point of view, staff-customer interaction, sales and service, customer comfort and first class facilities", says Nel.

Iconic landmark buildings positioned on prominent roadside real estate, they are indeed traffic-stopping.

"These buildings challenge the conventions of commercial vehicle centres which are traditionally drab and overlooked in favour of the more glamorous passenger vehicle showrooms. Mercedes-Benz has raised the bar of what CV customers everywhere will come to expect." – Faan Nel, Creative Director, The Brand Union

Tourism Ireland appoints The Brand Union for major review of Ireland Brand

Sun, 20 May 2007 02:27:00 GMT

Following a competitive tender process, Tourism Ireland has announced the appointment of leading international brand strategy consultants The Brand Union, to assist in a major review of the Ireland brand.

The last comprehensive review of the Ireland Brand was undertaken in 1995 which led to the development of Tourism Brand Ireland which has been used in all marketing communications since that time and refined in 2001 and 2004 to reflect the changing nature of the island of Ireland.

The current expression of the brand has served the island of Ireland well and has been a key contributor to attracting increasing visitor numbers to the island of Ireland, culminating in a record 8.8 million visitors to the island in 2006.

The review will be comprehensive, incorporating all aspects of the brand from a tourism perspective and will include extensive research amongst consumers and trade in overseas markets, as well as consultation with both industry and stakeholders on the island of Ireland.

The Brand Union develops new brand identity for the International Business Leaders Forum

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 02:27:00 GMT

The Brand Union unveils today a new visual identity for the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), a not-for-profit organisation set up to promote responsible business leadership.

The new brand identity will support the organisation's aim to raise its profile and position the IBLF as an authority on sustainable business development.

We led the development of the brand identity concept, which involved carrying out comprehensive stakeholder research and presenting the full concept to IBLF's Board of Trustees to ensure the delivery of a consistent message across all platforms.

The result is a brand architecture that has a cleaner and more spacious feel, helping to reflect the brand's core values that are central to IBLF's work; namely change – helping to put sustainable business at the heart of development; catalyse – raising awareness of issues that are not yet in the public eye and connect – connecting individuals and organisations from business and government.

The new visual identity helps bring all these values to life and adds extra gravitas to the look of the brand - from the fluid curve of the wave logo which connects the original black and white imagery on the page to the sophisticated grey typography; to the box containing the logo, which acts as a catalyst for change and, to some extent, is symbolic of the organisation itself. The new identity will be rolled out across all platforms including printed collateral, website and above-the-line activity.

Robert Davies, CEO of IBLF comments:

"Over many years IBLF has been seen by its supporters and partners as being at the leading edge of business and development issues, but we have recognised that in order to achieve our goals, we need an identity which communicates this. This new brand and identity, together with our long-term strategy will give greater clarity for IBLF to do this, as we engage with new audiences and stakeholders. We are grateful to Enterprise IG for producing our new brand which so clearly captures what IBLF is about."

John Mathers, CEO of The Brand Union, UK, adds:

"We are delighted to have partnered with the IBLF on the creation of the new identity. This is an exciting step which will help position the IBLF as an organisation at the forefront of sustainable development."