Filed under: Comment
Brand consultancies are a weird bunch.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s some very smart people in them, but as an industry – like advertising – they spout an incredible amount of shit.
If I see one more ‘case study’ that implies their new [or let’s face it, updated] brand logo is solely responsible for a particular companies “double digit” growth, I swear to god, I might have an aneurism.
[I know … I know … they do more than that, but am I the only one who finds it funny they always seem to suggest the development of a new logo is a vital component to making all their hard work, work. Cynical? Me? Never]
Maybe my blood pressure would feel a bit more inclined to calm down if the logos they designed were interesting, distinctive, progressive or differentiated – but no – most of the time they follow the blueprint for blandness and beige.
Now I appreciate that for all the talk companies give about being ‘different’, the fact is many have a compulsion not to stand out [living in fear of that they might alienate potential customers rather than thinking about how it could attract] … but seriously, some of these designs that are created could make magnolia coloured, woodchip wallpaper look exciting.
A while ago I wrote a piece for MTV about what brands could learn from bands, well if I was going to update it, I might call it, ‘What Brand Consultancies Learn From Rock Bands About Logo Design’.
What am I going on about?
This.
Yes, it’s a range of ‘logos’ from a bunch of bands.
Now I appreciate you might not recognise all of them, but I bet you know more than you thought … or certainly more than you’d recognize if I’d put up a bunch of margarine brand logos instead.
However, if you were a Rock music fan – which I know you’re not – I’m pretty sure you’d recognise all of them, even if you’re not really a fan of that bands particular music.
So what am I saying?
Well, in each case, they are distinctive, instantly recognisable and represent a key characteristic of the brands attitude or attributes.
They’re not trying to blend in … they’re not trying to appeal to everyone … they don’t ‘relaunch’ every 12 months … they’re doing exactly what a logo is supposed to be, be distinctive and recognisable, regardless of the category it operates in.
Sure, you could argue some look a bit dated and in need of a freshen up – but I would say most, if not all – are still more interesting and differentiated than most company logos out there, even the ones produced by the amazing proprietary tools that Branding Consultancies love to bang on about.
While the music industry is dying, bands are very much alive and many, arguably, can look forward to a more prosperous future than many of the uber-researched, mass-spending, brand-onion-or-pyramid-loving brands out there.
We should all take note, especially the brand consultancies.
Filed under: Comment
Compare this ad for 7-11 in Australia …
… with this for Four n’ 20 pies, also in Australia …
They’re basically saying the same thing to the same audience except one doesn’t make you feel you’re watching a car crash unfold in front of your eyes.
I know making ads can be horrifically expensive … I know a lot of them are nothing more than pretentious and egotistical style over zero or bland substance … I even know a lot of agencies make most of their money from doing television shoots, but when you see the horror of a commercial that’s been made – and developed – on the uber cheap, you realize that maybe adland actually knows what they’re talking about and instead of trying to rip you off, they’re actually trying to help you stand a chance of prospering.
And don’t give me any of that, “but the 7-11 ad is so bad, it’s good and memorable” shit, because ‘disruptive’ doesn’t always mean commercially attractive – just ask TBWA and some of their Singapore Airways ads.
Filed under: Comment
I know American’s like to view Canadian’s as ‘Mexicans In Jumpers’, but at least they don’t need the most childish instructions for every aspect of life – from how to cook a frozen pizza to telling people roads are wet when it rains – because they’ve allowed an over zealous litigious culture to survive and thrive*.
And no, I’m not saying that because my wife – and a whole bunch of my colleagues – come from Mooseland.
OK, I am, it’s just I needed an excuse to show this photograph. Sorry.
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* Conveniently ignoring that yesterday’s post completely counters the ‘point’ of this one.
With all the horribleness that the World media revels in shouting at the World, it’s easy to forget that every single day, good trumps bad.
Whether it’s a person offering their seat to someone in need, a stranger smiling at a stranger or just the simple act of giving a hug to someone you love, we are surrounded by good things and that’s something worth remembering.
Of course there are times when there’s a more generous act … a more obvious demonstration of goodness … and those are wonderful too, because they have the power to make us sit up and take notice and remember that while the press likes to present the streets as full of darkness and danger, they’re actually full of people that are bursting with kindness, generosity and decency.
This is one of those moments.
Filed under: Comment
Yes, I know I’ve talked about time machines before and that turned out to be a rubbish post about digital radio’s, but this is better.
OK, so ‘better’ might be a bit of an over-statement, but it’s certainly got more cred in being a time machine than listening to TalkSport.
What am I going on about?
A brilliant – and entertaining – experiment on how technology has affected family dynamics.
I know … I know … tech has had a profound way on how we live, but as I’ve always said, for every positive, there is a dark side – regardless how much we like to dismiss it – and while I most certainly wouldn’t like to go back to the lack of comfort gadgets I enjoy today [which recently has been supplemented with this. Don’t ask. Just don’t ask.], the simplicity of maintaining family closeness is something I think we could all do with a little more of because as I wrote a while back, that’s something even Skype can’t quite pull off.
Anyway, as I know the majority of people who stupidly come to this blog work in advertising, I know you’ll have more than enough time to watch each hour long episode of how we lived – and how technology changed that – in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, so with that, sit back and enjoy but as you watch in amazement, please remember the following:
1. This is basically the story of my life, except that in terms of fashion, shoes & music, I haven’t moved on from the 70’s.
2. If you were born in the 80’s, you missed out on an amazing decade. Especially in terms of bicycles because the Raleigh Chopper and Grifter [both from Nottingham] rocked.
3. If you were born in the 90’s, you really shouldn’t be on this blog.
[You can watch the 80’s episode here, and the 90’s here]