Brand Vs. Anti Brand Essay Research

How have Graphic Designers and or Animators worked with or against brands and to what effect?

I decided that for this essay question I would focus on just Graphic Design as that is the focus of my degree. While I'm really interested in the ideas behind branding, I haven't had the opportunity to have a look at the movements against them, so I have decided to look at a few examples for and against a brand in my research.

Examples of Effective Branding

Initial Company Research

• Pentagram

Contracts: Revlon, Alexander McQueen, Rolls Royce, Tiffany & Co, Museums

• Landor

Contracts: BMW, Moet & Chandon, Evian, Volvo

• Meta Design

Contracts: Apple, FIFA, Audi, Sony, Samsung, Nike

• Big Fish

Contracts: BBC, Yeo Valley, Linklaters, LK Bennett, Harrods, Mothercare

• Saffron Brand Consultants

Contracts: Goldman Sachs, Fujitsu, C&A, Royal Opera House

• Happy Cog

Contracts: Ben & Jerrys, MTV, Harvard Business School

I have decided to focus my section on the benefits of branding around the design companies Pentagram and Big Fish. The work that these two companies do particularly interests me as it is so diverse and seemingly effective for all of the companies that they represent. 

Focused Research

Pentagram

This image really interests me as the actual client is The Savoy Hotel, however the branding is for "Savoy Tea". While the design is the same for each sized item, it shows the variety of products that the client required branding which Pentagram has done successfully. The products all look identical but as they are all different shapes and sizes, each item will have required time to be individually designed and branded. 

I really like that Pentagram also designs the advertising and relevant information pamphlets for museums and I would like to include this in my essay as well in order to show that branding and graphic design does not have to be focused on a purchasable item. I have decided to focus on the Queens Museum. 

Big Fish

I will be focusing on the clients Yeo Valley, Coca Cola and Waitrose. Big Fish interests me as they work with a lot of companies who are in some form of competition with each other. For example, they are responsible for the branding for both Coca Cola and Fanta (a subsidiary company of Coca Cola). While these companies both ultimately make money for the same board, they are often in direct competition with each other to be the more successful carbonated drink. The Graphic Designers for Big Fish also create the designs for Waitrose, a company that is responsible for selling the brands that they are also responsible for. 

I like the branding for Yeo Valley as it is all very colorful and based around the flavour of the individual product that is being advertised. 

Anti-Brand Movements

First Things First Manifesto 1964

• Published by Ken Garland and 21 Graphic Designers and Graphic Design students
• A response to being unhappy at the way their work was viewed
• Not many morally focused projects available - only work for large corporations

This manifesto focused around the idea that the leading Graphic Designers and their future colleagues were unhappy with only designing images for corporations focused on making the most amount of money - there were very few projects that focused on important issues which made them feel like their skills were wasted. This was very important at the time as it was one of the first examples of a movement that created a change in the way branding was done, and it is possible that because of this companies such as Pentagram are involved with organisations such as the Queens Museum. 

First Things First Manifesto 2000

The manifesto was re-released in 2000 with 11 more signatures than the original document and was published with the blessing of the original creator, Ken Garland. It included the same ideals as the original document; Graphic Designers felt their talent was wasted on schemes for "designer coffee houses" such as the Starbucks chain. 

No Logo - Naomi Klein

The book No Logo was published around the same time as the 2000 re-release of the First Things First Manifesto. Klein highlights examples throughout it that show the negative aspects of money making branding. 

"An army of teen clones marching in uniform."

                                    - Naomi Klein, No Logo. 

This is a powerful statement that shows the negative effects that branding can have on a persons individuality and the image that they portray to the world. The book was so successful as an anti-brand movement that it was re-released in January 2010 as an 'anniversary edition'.

Essay Research - Conclusion

Overall this essay topic really interested me and I have decided to use it as a basis for my final project of my first year. I think the way brands work is really interesting as it shows the level of control that a graphic designer can have over the popularity of a brand.