If you have made new year resolutions this year, well done. If you have stuck to them so far, even better. Take a pat on the back from us. Resolutions are notoriously difficult to stick to, which is why there’s so much written about them.
As we enter the final year of this decade, the team at PMG are taking a longer-term approach to planning. In just a few short months, we’ll be leaving the twenty teens behind (thank goodness, since no one has yet figured out what to call it) and entering the 20s.
A century ago, the decade became knows as the roaring 20s as major societal changes in fashion, entertainment, technology and morality transformed life in Britain and around the world.
Looking ahead to the 2020s, we can see a similar collision of the need for societal change – particularly in relation to the way we use resources and protect the planet – with a continuation of the technological revolution leading to innovations in even smarter living. By the time the 20s are over, should we expect to be transported in self-driving cars while our smart kitchens prepare our meals?
Amongst all this change, your business success depends on two things: first, you and your team being good enough to exceed your clients’ needs and responsive enough to adapt to changes in the marketplace as you face them; and second, having a brand that illustrates who you are, is instantly recognisable and helps you stand out from the crowd.
Our Clever Design Studio has been helping clients with rebrands and refreshes for years and can help you find the fresh new approach you need. From developing a whole new brand to creating a brand manual or simply constructing a new logo, our designers will create work that reflects your values and helps you grab the attention of potential customers.
One of the first big branding stories of 2019 was Mastercard’s bold decision to remove words from its logo. Mastercard’s iconic interlocking yellow and red circles logo has represented the brand for more than 50 years and is recognised by 80% of consumers without the word Mastercard accompanying it.
Not only does the change help cut through the noise of modern digital communications and demonstrate that the brand is one of only a handful strong enough to be recognised by image alone (see also Amazon, Nike, Pepsi, Apple and facebook), but it also enables the company to develop its identity and product and service offering without needing to adapt its brand. For a long time, Mastercard has been about more than just the piece of plastic in your purse and now describes itself as a “technology company in the global payments business”.
The brand formally knows as WeightWatchers has experienced a similar evolution in recent months. Recognising that an obsession with weight has fallen out of fashion, the brand dropped its entire name – a name it has traded on for almost 60 years – to focus on wellness instead of weight. The new company name and logo, WW, is a natural progression from the previous logo, while using only the initial letters leaves what they stand for up for interpretation. Unfortunately, it now means that when speaking, the brand is now known as double you double you, which is, ironically, a bit of a mouthful!
As we well know, there are few brands fortunate enough to enjoy the kind of instant recognition of those described above, but as a new decade dawns, 2019 could be just the right time to ask yourself whether your branding is doing all it could be and should be to support your business through the coming years.
