Brand design and integrated communication
From an article in the Toronto Star. “This year again, the label on the Negrar Novello from Italy features a lion design by Toronto designer Daryl Woods.” The article also appeared in the newspaper edition.
I was shocked when I opened the newspaper the other morning. There was an article and photo of one of my client’s products. It nicely showcased the package design I created for it so I was initially excited. But why did they show it twice? As I read the headline, surprise turned to horror. The product had been counterfeited. The photo illustrated the differences between the authentic product and the fake.
How was it introduced? It seems that genuine product was purchased and the counterfeit was returned to retailers for refunds. The knockoff was likely produced for a fraction of the cost of the original. The problem was that a great deal of the fake had been restocked and resold. A recall was issued immediately. Police are investigating.
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This is Volkswagen’s Superbowl XLV ad entitled The Force. As I’m writing this, the video has been viewed almost 13 million times on YouTube. Crazy right! But what’s really crazy is that right now, the game is still a few hours away. That’s right! The commercial hasn’t even officially aired on television yet.
It’s a good commercial but not a great one in my opinion. And I’m partial to the brand. I’ve owned four VWs. So how has this video gone so wildly viral? Two reasons. One is because it includes a Star Wars reference. If you watch Big Bang Theory you probably know anything Star Wars has tremendous geek/nerd appeal. What group could be better for sharing your video on the internet. This cohort is likely the origin of the piece trending in social media. But this is where viral luck kicks in.
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You’d think in the aftermath of The Gap logo revision debacle that most major brands would reconsider tinkering with their brand identities. Enter Starbucks. Yesterday they unveiled a new version of their logo. Unlike The Gap, this new design is more evolution than revolution. All they’ve really done is removed the brand name and rings from around the siren symbol and change her colour from black to their iconic green. I know the graphic has been nuanced but that’s the essence of the change.
But many people hate change or see no need for it. Social media channels exploded with commentary within minutes of the public release. I got the impression that many were hoping for Gap II
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I can’t believe the exposure I received in the Toronto Star article, It’s Nouveau and Novello time in Toronto again. Writer Gordon Stimmell notes.”…the label of the Italian Negrar Novello, a visually arresting lion motif by Toronto designer Daryl Woods.”
