#TransformTuesday: 7 January

Here is this week's selection of rebrands from around the world, from colourful, youth-targeted brands to corporate restructuring. For more from #TransformTuesday, follow @Transformsays

4basebio

Expedeon AG, a medical science and technology business, sold its proteomics and immunology business operations to protein research firm Abcam on 19 December 2019. “The agreement with Abcam to sell our proteomics and immunology business activities marks an important milestone in our corporate development.The size of the transaction illustrates the value creation of our buy & build strategy.The genomics assets retained in the group alongside the strong financial position of the organisation provide us with an exciting growth opportunity,” says Heikki Lanckriet, CEO of Expedeon.“This transaction enables us to focus our efforts on our DNA manufacturing business, where a new market is opening up addressing the rapidly growing gene therapy and gene vaccine area.” As a result of the sale, Expedeon will reflect its renewed focus on genomics and DNA manufacturing with a name change and rebrand to 4basebio. The name references the four bases that comprise DNA, adenine, guanine, cytosine and thiamine. This will help the company clarify its offering, focus on its core business and streamline its brand architecture.

Museum of Ice Cream

Instagram-fuelled success story, Manhattan’s Museum of Ice Cream has collaborated with the Working Assembly on a rebrand aimed at expansion. With multiple sites in cities across the US, a range of ice cream for retail shoppers and brand partnerships galore, the Museum of Ice Cream has yielded results for parent company Figure8. The new branding subtly updates the logo, retaining the signature cotton candy pink primary colour. It also introduces a range of further applications offering expansion across physical and retail experiences, including extended product ranges. The Working Assembly also crafted a series of icons bringing in the playful attitude of the brand while ensuring more consistent wayfinding and identification across physical and digital touchpoints.

Poppi

On 2 December 2019, Mother Beverage – a soda made from apple cider vinegar – rebranded to Poppi. It unveiled bright new packaging, a shift from glass bottles to cans and a lively visual identity. The name change worked to ensure trademarking – which wasn’t possible with the Mother name – and to align the drink more closely to other sodas, making it more approachable. It also changed its positioning from ‘apple cider vinegar beverage’ to ‘prebiotic soda,’ again to make it more consumer-friendly. Social media response has been positive, with most comments focusing on the taste of the product, which has remained unchanged. The packs themselves include stylised renditions of each soda’s flavourings and ingredients.

Vistry Group

UK property developer Bovis Homes has undergone large-scale changes. It acquired construction firm Galliford Try’s housebuilding operation, Linden Homes, for £1.1bn. Galliford Try’s CEO Graham Prothero will join the leadership at the new plc as chief operating officer. Because of the acquisition, Bovis Homes will rebrand to Vistry Group to better oversee the Bovis Homes and Linden Homes consumer brands. The initial corporate website for Vistry Group uses an eggplant and light blue colour palette. It’s essentially a new brand, as it doesn’t carry over any of the visual assets of the Linden or Bovis Homes logos. Galliford Try will update its listed name to Galliford Try Holdings to focus on its primary operations in buildings, highways and the environment in addition to large-scale public infrastructure operations. New Galliford Try Holdings CEO Bill Hocking says, “I am excited by the bright future that lies ahead for Galliford Try as a well-capitalised, standalone, agile business and I look forward to working with our stakeholders to achieve our mutual objectives.”