SEPTEMBER 2019
COMPUTERARTS.CREATIVEBLOQ.COMR
ecently, the logos of the world’s
biggest brands have opted to go
character-less, rather than
character-full. Pinterest, Google, Uber,
eBay and Microsoft have all stripped
back, simplified and lost their ooomph.
Indistinctive, inoffensive and strictly
no fun seems to be the order of the day.
But it’s no longer just an issue with
logo design. It’s branding in general.
Once brands get established, risk
aversion seems to drive the once-fun,
opinionated and loveable start-ups down
a more serious path. So why do our most
successful start-ups eventually feel the
need to be safe and conform?
Are we just biding our time until the
likes of Oatly, Monzo and Habito opt
for a more buttoned-up approach to
attract a global audience? Does growing
up mean you have to lose a lot of what
made you great in the first place?
When new brands are born they have
the flexibility to play. They can take
risks, be light-hearted, look different and
divide opinion. They’ve got little to lose,
so a fresh, alternative approach helps them stand out
and engage with consumers.
But as brands develop they often find it harder to
be fun and show their personality. They worry that
it may isolate and deter potential customers. They
feel the need to be seen as a safe bet, becoming more
serious. And naturally the fun tails off.
It’s our role as designers to try and break this
predictable pattern. Yes, there are times when we
have to be more subtle, but what are we here for if
we can’t have fun with our work and push our clients
creatively? We need to reassure our clients that
they’ve built a powerful brand with that approach –
why change as soon as you become successful?
The same goes for the more traditionally ‘serious’
sectors. Just because you’re working in financial
services and law, for example, doesn’t mean you can’t
strive to be different or have fun.
At & SMITH, we’re guilty of it too. Several years
ago we partnered with a firm of solicitors on their
new identity. We presented what we thought was the
perfect brand for a legal team: quiet, trustworthy,
reassuring, corporate. It was exactly what they didn’t
want. The firm had built their reputation taking
COLUMNDAN BERNSTEIN
on challenging cases and doing things
differently and wanted a brand to match.
We tried again. And failed. And again.
And failed. So, we decided to start from
scratch, trying to unsee and unlearn all
that we knew visually about the sector.
It felt like designing a funeral director’s
logo in Comic Sans. It didn’t sit quite
right, but we knew we had to get out of
our comfort zone and have some fun.
We got there in the end. The job
resulted in A1-sized screen prints with
personalised logos for each member
of staff. And although it was difficult
to stomach at the time, we realised it
was real turning point in & SMITH’s
development and approach to branding
in general.
We learned that it’s possible to have
fun in a serious sector. In fact, there are
brands out there actively searching for
it. When you look more closely there
are some brilliant examples where
mainstream brands have found joy in
the everyday. Take the McCafé ‘Flat
what?’ advert, for example. It’s a clever
piece of advertising that highlights just how difficult
the simple things in life have become (like ordering a
cup of coffee) and makes a joke out of it. It’s playful,
lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek, but still looks and
feels like McDonald’s.
Today, too many brands get drawn into adopting
commercially led identities rather than those rich in
character. And it’s too easy for designers and brand
creators to follow trends with little originality or
point of difference.
The brands that rise head and shoulders above
the competition are those that stand for something.
Being decisive makes for compelling brands, but
decisive doesn’t have to be dull. It’s our job to open
our clients’ eyes to the possibilities of design.
There are some great brands out there that have
stuck to their guns going through growth and
expansion but remaining opinionated, emotional,
brave, fun and different. Brands like Marmite,
Virgin, Channel 4, Dr Martens. Let’s hope in years to
come these brands don’t become a rare species.Do you think large companies should use branding with
personality? Tweet @ComputerArts using #DesignMattersDan Bernein laments companies that ditch their chara erful identities
Where has the fun gone in branding?
DAN BERNSTEIN
CREATIVE PARTNER,
& SMITH
http://www.andsmithdesign.com