News Bulletin

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Dixons Carphone (the union of Dixons and Carphone Warehouse) has christened its merger by unveiling the joint venture’s brand identity in time for the first day of trading. For a business that aims to exploit the Internet of Things with connected electrical and mobile devices, we can’t help but feel the logo feels uninspired and borderline cliché. And it seems we aren’t alone in our disappointment either.

COGS OF INDUSTRY

In other brand identity news, the VBL development for Rio 2016 has been completed. As with most sports event branding of late, it’s been met with mixed reviews – with many feeling the work isn’t progressive enough. However, the vivid colours and flowing shapes can’t help make us smile! And we’re of the opinion that it captures Brazil’s cultural vibrancy, and in two years time will be a lively partner to the infectious buzz of the Olympic Games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH57pbZ5vjI

LETTER FROM AMERICA

PepsiCo and The Nature Conservancy are coming together to form Recycle for Nature – a partnership dedicated to encouraging recycling and protecting sources of drinking water throughout the US. For every one point increase to the current 42% recycling rate of drinks packaging, PepsiCo will donate funds to The Nature Conservancy, with a goal of reaching £5 million in five years. This is a really interesting move for PepsiCo, who (amongst other brands) scored quite low in a recent Oxfam sustainability report.

PRETTY PACKAGING

This packaging for the UK’s top consumer brand, ALDI, shows why discount retailers are such a threat to other FMCG stores – the branding and packaging no longer shouts “discount”, in fact quite the opposite. Working with the concept of ‘a family of preserves’, this line arranges products in alphabetical order; each with a sophisticated monogram, signifying the product inside. The approach isn’t dissimilar from Glorious Soup’s glorious packaging.

AND FINALLY

There’s a recent trend showing nostalgia for the days before digital. Take for example Thirty Six; an app that gives user a 36 photo ‘film’ that can only be viewed once all the photos have been taken. Or the Faraday Café; a café wrapped in mesh to block electromagnetic signals, making phones and laptops socially redundant, promoting digital downtime. Ah, the good old days…

NAME THAT BRAND

Here’s the answer to the Name That Brand from last week. If you know the answer to this one, then why not drop us a Tweet and tell us:

And then, if you fancy the challenge, play the full game right here.