#TransformTuesday: 5 February

Every week, Transform examines recent rebrands and updated visual identities. This week's picks are below. For more from #TransformTuesday, follow @Transformsays

CashAnalytics

Simple and occasionally unexciting imagery is often synonymous with the financial sector, and this was the principle challenge to overcome in the rebrand of CashAnalytics. At first glance, the new design by Dublin-based graphic design company Clare Lynch Creative doesn’t step too far away from the existing branding. However, while retaining the colour palette and links to the old design, the new branding is modernised and streamlined, dispensing with dated imagery and typeface, while remaining recognisable and clearly conveying the services provided. The logo clearly denotes analytics and the all caps of the typeface have been update to a more appropriate lower-case. A secondary version of the logo features their strapline ‘Cash and Liquidity Forecasting’, for more specific uses.

Craft Contemporary

As the museum’s executive director Suzanne Isken told the LA Times, “When they say, ‘craft and folk museum,’ people have an association to something very old and very dusty.” It is for this reason the museum has undergone a radical rebrand and name change. The Craft Contemporary aims to engage a new, broader audience, and encourage a view of the museum as an inclusive, versatile community space. Global brand strategy firm Siegel+Gale interviewed multiple shareholders and community members to understand the institution, generating over 800 potential names to reflect the museum mission. The bold, geometric shapes in Craft Contemporary’s new logo reflect the coming together of the community, with inward and outward facing triangles to represent both celebrating and disseminating art and culture.

Crosse and Blackwell

A tin of soup evokes comfort. Dependable, traditional, it’s a staple of any British pantry. With this year marking Crosse and Blackwell’s 200thbirthday, the soup and condiments company has enlisted BrandOpus to revive the brand with a fresh, current feel. The result is anything but traditional or old-fashioned. The bold new colour scheme and imagery is impactful, and clearly depicts the fresh ingredients that reflect Crosse and Blackwell’s brand values. Kate Jones, design director at BrandOpus says, “We have embraced the opportunity to create a distinctive and compelling rebrand for Crosse and Blackwell that will reinvigorate the brand as a challenger to the mainstream domination of the category.” Nevertheless, the design of the packaging bestows a respectful nod to the brand’s history, a classic flourish encircles the label, and an entwined spade and wooden spoon references the strong connection between farmer and chef that is at the heart of the company’s ethos.

The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery isn’t just about making millionaires. It’s also about communities and good causes. This is the messaging that creative agency 23red was tasked with putting front and centre when developing the Big Lottery Fund name change and brand identity. The now-renamed National Lottery Community Fund is the branch of the lottery responsible for investing millions into community projects and initiatives. Secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Wright,says, “Good causes have always been at the heart of the National Lottery and this new brand will make that link even clearer. I hope it encourages more people to play and make a positive difference.” The signature colour palette remains the same, but the circular emblem has been dispensed with in favour of familiar crossed fingers image, arguably a considerably more recognisable logo. The crossed fingers logo is increasingly replacing other images across all lottery, becoming its central visual identifier.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo bank is no stranger to scandal, from fraud allegations to tax evasion, its reputation has taken a beating over the years. Last years ‘Re-established’ campaign was an attempt to wipe the slate clean, declaring the bank, originally established on 1852, officially re-established in 2018, with a fresh start and a new attitude. Wells Fargo has continued in this vein with its new ‘This is Wells Fargo’ campaign, along with a corresponding integrated rebrand. Developed with BBDO San Francisco, the new visual identity focusses delivering excellent service and rebuilding trust with customers. For the first time in the bank’s history much of the imagery features team members helping customers face-to-face, and there are plans for future campaign commercials to be aired in Spanish and Mandarin. The redesign of the classic Wells Fargo stagecoach is subtle, but certainly updated and streamlined, while the yellow lettering on a red background is now white. The campaign will take place in phases, beginning with digital and mobile, before rolling out to physical locations.

YM&U Group

Following its sale to Trilantic Europe, the YM&U Group, formerly the James Grant group, has undergone a change in branding as well as name. Based in the UK and New York, the global talent management agency, covering sports, music and entertainment, has consolidated 13 of its 14 individual brands under one umbrella. The only exception is Troika, YM&Us drama and comedy department, which will retain its own brand name. The rebrand leaves no doubt that the divisions fall under one united enterprise, and the imagery reflects this. The new branding is clean, simple and predominantly black and white, but features a multi-coloured ampersand, denoting the variety and broad nature of its multiple divisions. Neil Rodford, CEO of YMU Group, says,“I am delighted we have found a name that aligns all our businesses. The new name enables us to put forward our proposition more succinctly and demonstrate the depth and breadth of our group as it stands today.”