Our 2013 New Logo Wish List

We saw a lot of brand revisions over the last 12 months.

Some good, some not-so-good.

Nearly all following a trend in “less is more/K.I.S.S.” marketing design.

But while many brands decided to go under the knife this year, there’s many more that did not, but should have.

And so, without further ado, here’s just a  short list of the brands we’d like to see transformed in 2013.

In alphabetical order:

Bed Bath & Beyond

I almost always mistakenly say Bath & Body Works. Anyone else? Talk about a lack of brand equity!

Bed. Bath. And Beyond. The name itself is an alliteration of 3 B-words of public domain. How about Boring Bland and Bloated? And speaking of bloated, the word “BEYOND.”  I get what they’re trying to do here; intimate their store carries EVERYTHING. But it just looks lazy and out of date.

They need something that’s more compact, even when stacked. The words themselves are uninspired, so BB&B should work to build some sort of brand personality out of the font/character style and colors they choose. Partner the name with a mascot even? It couldn’t hurt.

Buick

I’ll never understand why GM would give the ax to Pontiac only to leave Buick standing. Pontiac drove excitement, what’s Buick drive? Grandmas and grandpas to church, that’s what. And not very fast.

I’m guessing that I’m not Buick’s target market. But really, I want to know where GM sees this nameplate within its brand ecosystem. While Cadillac is old luxury, is Buick the other 99%? Our grandparents loved them, but that was 20+ years ago. As our parents take their place in the family tree they’re not just going to concede themselves to driving mom and dad’s car. And so, a new Buick for a new generation of Buick owners! That’s what we need.

The circle + 3 bands of armor could be completely reimagined. Maybe it’s a rectangle with a tighter crop on the shields? Maybe in includes a new palate of color? Maybe the word “Buick” comes back in dropped casing? How to get there is up to you. Just get there.

Burger King

I'm pretty sure my Burger King Kids Club (BKKC) membership documents boasted the same corporate seal back in 1992.

The primary blue + red + yellow just feels greasy and chock full of saturated fat. Use brand revision as an opportunity to more clearly articulate your position in the face of competition. It doesn’t have to be drastic like Wendy’s Q1 forecasted change (ick). Maybe, like Arby’s, it’s just a matter of growing up a bit.

Instead of basic, garish color, opt for a silver, almost-metallic finish? Or maybe rich earth tones? Down play “Burger King” for an abbreviated “BK” in a stately new font. Finally put a crown on the thing (subtle, yet kitschy).

 

Neiman Marcus

Is it too early to call the Target-Neiman holiday partnership a flop? It was a decent attempt at meeting next-gen luxury buyers where they are today, but with store shelves still stocked, year-end mark downs were imminent. It might be time to take brand redefinition a new direction.

50% off and STILL not moving?

A quick stroll down Chicago’s Michigan Ave this time of year will help size up the competition. For Saks, it’s a simple-stoic Christmas, classic luxury. Nordstrom is warm charming eclectic (oh, and obsessed with birds). Then on the other end of the spectrum, Bloomingdales hosts a bright and boisterous, high-energy holiday. These auras transcend the stores’ holiday motifs into everyday branding. And so I ask again, who is Neiman-Marcus?

Neiman’s is taupe walls and tan dated marble floors. Neiman’s is your rich (great) aunt’s store – where she can still buy loose knit sweaters with sparkles and extra-high shoulder pads. It’s stuffy with heavy perfume and always at least 10 degrees too hot.

I realize for heritage retail brands it's a giant leap of faith to stray on logo. But there's no equity in ultra-80's squiggle fonts. It looks like it should be spelling out “you can do it!” on the wall of a jazzercise class. You’re on your own with this one, guys – but there’s got to be something you can do to breathe some new life into NM.

Pizza Hut

I know, we loved the 90's too, but they aren't coming back. Actually, the clothes might, but let’s not wait up, OK?

The font feels like it belongs to a Mexican fast-casual restaurant. And seriously, what’s with the squirt of yellow mustard at the bottom? And the jalapeño pepper dotted “i?” Do you even have jalapeño peppers? The iconic roofline has been reduced to a misshapen mess that even the most agreeable Red Hat Society gal would refuse to wear.

Put simply, the logo is sloppy and doesn’t compute well in the age of digital. Cleaner lines, less scribbles. As the menu expands, maybe consider dropping to “The Hut?”

Verizon Wireless

I suppose they’re too busy ruling the air to come down to earth for a brand tune up. The logo is not half bad. It’s just over-exposed.

We see it daily; across every advertising channel imaginable. 34(ish)% of us see it every time we go to return a text. Sprint refreshed when it purchased Nextel and AT&T recently refined casing and their globe. So maybe it’s just that Verizon seems to be the only one still using last generation’s logo. If there’s any industry where you want to feel young, hip, and cutting edge, it’s mobile telecom. And yet, every time I see the Verizon logo, I think of my first cell phone, the Qualcomm Kyocera (circa 2000).

It was cool on flip phones. Now what do you got for smart phones?

So there you have it. 6 brands on my new logo wish list for 2013.

Do you have any others to add?
Please, share with us!

….and Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers,
Daniel

High-fashion gateway drugs – this Christmas, at Target

Relax, Blu. Now you can go to Target for your ‘Neiman-Marcus shopping spree-ah.’

We’ll admit we were concerned when we first heard Neiman Marcus was partnering with Target on an exclusive collection this Holiday. (Original blog post)

It’s not without the potential of being a win-win.

Target, always looking for new ways to distance itself from down-market, low-cost leader Wal-Mart, would boast a plethora of new limited-edition designers. And Neiman’s, struggling to tread water in a sea of high-end department store adversaries, could earn the attention and (eventual) patronage of next-gen fashionistas.

But would the spread in purchase parity prove too great for either party to garner any mutual / residual benefit?

I mean, how would a Herrera halter look hanging on a white plastic hanger?
Who wants to put their new Oscar de la Renta suit on the conveyor belt up at the front check lanes?

Of course we didn’t expect the 20+ design houses tapped for the promotion to simply migrate product from one store to the other, but the fundamentals of brand resonance still apply.

While it may be another six weeks before we know for sure whether Target is wasting precious holiday floor space, the collection’s preview looks promising!

Current landing page. View here.

As you browse through the 50+ pieces, you’ll come across only a few price outliers in terms of same-department, Target alternatives (Tracy Reese blouse, $79.99, Marc Jacobs scarf, $69.99).

That’s because instead of simply offering re-tooled design staples, our fashion icons have opted to apply signature brand affects to unique, everyday products.

 

Instead of women’s couture, Herrera applied her essence to mini travel bags and a stationary set.

Instead of leaning on their men’s formal wear fame, Oscar de la Renta commissioned a canvas tote and signature pet products.

It’s a branding tactic we’re calling the ‘gateway drug.’

The Neiman-Target collection doesn’t boast hard-core, high-dollar, all-or-nothing pieces. Instead, simple everyday items that capture the essence of brand. It’s brand introduction at its finest.

A win-win for any of the brand targets, really.

While existing brand loyalists can augment their current library with net-new component pieces, less affluent one-time browsers can finally convert, securing their very first.

Tis the season to splurge…

Sure, $19.99 is a bit more than you need to extend in securing a functional lunch box, but Christmas is the time to treat yourself and the ones you love…and this it Tori Burch!

Lunch box, $19.99. Thermos, $24.99.

To be successful in the Target ecosystem, the Neiman’s line will need to fit in, enhance, and inspire.

If the preview is any indication, check, check, and check.

We should never have doubted you, Target – and we can’t wait to see the collection in store next month!

Target and Neiman Marcus to share a cart this Holiday

Black Friday Door-busters Beware!

Move over $5 toasters and $20 blu-ray players – Neimans owns a piece of Target’s sales floor this holiday.

The two merchants from seemingly opposite ends of the spectrum announced their Q4 partnership earlier this month.

At first, the pair seems a bit ill-fit.

What can a purveyor of $3,000 handbags have in common with a retailer who earns much of its keep off staples like laundry detergent and food?

But this is Christmas; a time as good as any to put aside our differences and celebrate!

And maybe they aren’t so different?

“The same” in all the right places…

While Neiman-Marcus specializes in designer exclusivity and (ultra) high fashion and Target strives to deliver affordable style onto the masses – both appreciate design.

And with no pre-existing, over-lapping SKUs – the two retailers can both win by playing off the synergies inherent in their respective brand positioning.

For Neimans – Exposure to next-gen affluence.

NM’s affluent consumer base might finally be back to splurging this holiday season, but they aren’t getting any younger. There’s no question that Target’s 20-, 30-something audience skews more fashion-forward and affluent when compared against key competitors in the same space.

The joint-collection will introduce the Neiman nameplate to consumers on the up-and-up – young, urban-bound professionals who are yet to establish loyalties in the high-fashion retail world.

For Target – reaffirmation of “most luxurious by comparison.”

Like last year’s collection by Missoni and this spring’s by Jason Wu, Target is always looking for new ways to boost its fashion-forward image.

As Wal-Mart continues to clamor its “low price guarantee,” Target holds its own, differentiating with store-exclusives that remind customers to “expect more.”

For both – a coal-free Christmas!

More on the line:

Expected to hit both retailers in early November, the holiday collection will boast more than 50 exclusive products designed by 24 key logos from within the Neiman-Marcus portfolio (including Oscar de la Renta, Diane von Furstenberg, and Derek Lam).

The assortment will have dedicated space on both stores’ floors and, like Target’s Missoni line last fall, are expected to be in short supply.

We can’t wait to see it! (And despite the shake-up with creative agencies, we remain hopeful that Target’s Christmas Champ is back as head promoter)…