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Business leaders say branding is key to recovery

Thursday, February 12th, 2009 | Industry News | No Comments

A majority of UK companies see a successful rebrand as a key way of weathering the recession, according to new research.

Implementation, Rebranding and Design, a report commissioned by branding consultancy the Principle Group, surveyed 250 marketing directors of blue chip companies and UK business owners, and found that the majority recognise the importance of rebranding in a downturn and acknowledge the role of design in assisting business recovery.

Levels of confidence varied across the survey, but itfound that 65 per cent of business leaders and managers believe rebranding will help large corporate institutions get back on track, and 85 per cent say design will play an important role in generating a recovery for some, or all, brands. A successful rebranding was seen by 64 per cent of UK business leaders as a route to gaining ‘a competitive edge in a downturn’. Similarly, 63 per cent agreed that a new identity signified ‘a bold embracing of change’.

Commenting on the research, Ron Cregan, business strategy director at consultancy Navyblue, says, ‘Any brand with the appetite to develop its brand identity in a recession demonstrates a willingness to challenge the market and a commitment to its businesses, services and products.’

But he adds that many companies will ‘restrain their brand and marketing spend’, for fear of being seen to be ’spending while people are losing their jobs’.

There is a case, made by 76 per cent of business leaders, that designers themselves should be more effective in communicating the strength of design. Of these, 8 per cent reasoned that ‘designers could understand marketplace and client requirements better’.

Cregan adds that, in a recession, ‘validation is a necessity’, and consultancies can promote the benefits of design using case studies, client testimonials, independent analysis and industry reports.

James Quayle, head of strategy at Lambie-Nairn, says that, for companies, ‘doing nothing suggests apathy and self-interest’, adding that ‘a change of look and feel should be the signal of deeper and more fundamental change’.

Joel Biswas, senior strategy consultant at FutureBrand, says repositioning while retaining core values, rather than rebranding, is the answer for businesses.

He cites the examples of Tesco retaining its ‘Every Little Helps’ approach and the willingness of ‘middle-class shoppers’ to use budget supermarket Aldi, which has retained its ‘value’ strategy.

‘Consumers want brands they can trust,’ Biswas says. ‘Rebranding can be self-defeating. It should be more about leveraging what people like about the brand.’

Citroën has chosen to take definitive action - last week it launched a new identity, designed by Landor Associates Paris and Citroën’s in-house team, ahead of a complete repositioning that will see six new car models launched in the next three years.

Citroën communications director Mark Raven says, ‘At a time when the bulk of the automotive industry is suffering a loss in confidence, we’re using the opportunity of a difficult climate to change the relationship with customers and show them that the company is reinventing itself.’

Implementation, Rebranding and Design:

• 85% of UK business leaders and managers believe that design will play an important role in generating a recovery for some, or all, brands

• 56% of marketing directors of blue chip companies believe that a downturn could be the best time strategically to rebrand

• 63% of business leaders agree that the act of launching a new brand identity in uncertain times signals a bold embracing of change

• 65% of business leaders believe that rebranding would help large corporate institutions get back on track

Source/ The Survey Shop, commissioned by Principle Group

Taken from the DesignWeek website
http://www.designweek.co.uk/Articles/141281/Business+leaders+say+branding+is+key+to+recovery+.html

Tags: Branding, re-brand

SMF Website Goes Live

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 | Company News, Our Work, Website Design | No Comments

SMF Website Goes Live

Impact Media have been re-branding our client Special Metals Fabrication over the past few weeks, in this re-brand we have created a new identity for the company, business stationery, marketing folders, promotional gifts and incentives and we have now just completed the new website which went live today.

www.smfuk.co.uk

A more detailed case study will be added to our website in the new year.

Tags: new logo, new website, re-brand, smf, website re-design

Impact Win CML Pitch

Saturday, October 25th, 2008 | Company News | No Comments

Council of Mortgage Lenders

Over the past couple of weeks we have been pitching along with 4 other design companies to win the Council of Mortgage Lenders account; and today we were given confirmation that Impact Media Design have been awarded the account.

We are looking forward to working with the CML and getting stuck into helping them achieve a fresh new look.

For 2009 the CML are looking to launch a fresh new identity throughout the company, we are set to re-design their existing company logo which has been with the company since their launch back in the 1990’s, a firm set of brand guidelines along with many other stationery and marketing requirements.

The CML are also looking at launching a new sub brand to promote their commercial services, training programmes, seminars, conferences, dinners and their annual conference.

Impact are set to complete this early December.

Tags: cml, logo design, logo re-design, re-brand, rebrand

SMF To Get Brand Facelift

Friday, September 5th, 2008 | Branding, Our Work | No Comments

One of our clients Special Metals Fabrication recently decided it was time for a brand facelift. Their existing identity was wearing thin and inconsistent throughout the company. Impact were asked to create a new identity for the business and apply the new identity throughout the business - website, stationery, marketing and advertising.

Phase one of the project is now complete with the new logo approved, we are now cementing the website layouts for phase 2.

Tags: brand fcelift, logo design, re-brand, smf, Website Design