No, it’s not a typo, and no, it doesn’t appear to make any sense, but Orange and T-Mobile will soon be rebranded ‘Everything Everywhere‘, or ‘EE’ (stick a ‘K’ on the end, and that’s most people’s reaction to the news, too).

Cast your mind back to the unveiling of the 2012 Olympic logo, though, and the brand launch that seemed to be as publicly well received as a dose of the unmentionables; people were up in arms about the unsophisticated colour palette, the jaunty angles and that it didn’t read very well either. But (and this is the big but) everybody was talking about it. As designers we felt a pang of sympathy for the agency who bore the full brunt of the criticism, without anybody really asking the critical question, ‘what were they asked to do – what was the brief’?’.

So what about the ‘EE’ brand identity?

The fiscal power behind the company will ensure its success whether anybody actually likes the new logo design or not. That may be an unpleasant concept to get to grips with, but what it will highlight is that a brand identity doesn’t have to beautiful/attractive to work. Orange and T-Mobile will sit under the umbrella of EE, so won’t disappear from view completely and it will be interesting to learn why, as many people question have questioned, EE haven’t moved the Orange brand forward instead (widely renowned as one of the most powerful brands in the world). Only time – and 4G – will tell.

This article addresses some of the common fears about modernising your corporate identity and brand which often halt progress at the first fence. But if done properly it can benefit you, your workforce and your audience.

Effective brand identity is achieved by the consistent use of particular visual elements to create distinction, like a house font, colorway or supporting graphic elements. The nucleus of every brand identity is a brand mark or logo. I must add that this article relates to the evolution of an existing corporate identity or brand identity rather than a total corporate rebirth or product launch, and it’s intention is to help you determine whether it’s time for your own brand makeover.

1. It will cost too much.

This is by far the most common reason why ‘not to’ touch your brand and what better reason could there be? The knock-on effect of a complete re-brand is undoubtedly a lengthy and costly exercise. “Enough said let’s leave it there” – wait! My advice here would be evolve the brand over time and introduce changes in smaller steps – this way the cost of the new look would be built into the next print run or advert placement, website update or exhibition in such a way that two generations of corporate ID could co-exist and still retain synergy. It may not be pure in the eyes of a brand guardian but car manufacturers constantly introduce ‘evolutionary’ style changes across their model range without letting a single model get left behind or become a black sheep.

2. Existing customers will not recognise us.

It is a common concern that change could put a lot of goodwill and customer loyalty at risk. I would not condone a rebrand that was a complete U-turn unless the current brand was obviously turning customers away. These days people expect improvements to products and services which cater evermore specifically to the needs of the individual. A modest brand makeover could actually help to reinforce existing customer loyalty by contributing to ‘post purchase justification’ and ultimately attract new ones. We have witnessed improved staff moral in many cases, where employees have reported increased pride and confidence in their own organisation.

3. If it ain’t broke…!

I would be the first to agree that this is a strong argument against a wash and brush up. This attitude suggests that you are obviously doing something right – for now. However, in any marketplace expectations are constantly rising and it is always prudent to keep a close eye on the competition.

4. I’m sceptical about the benefits of a cohesive brand.

I’ve heard this argument many times and usually goes hand in hand with acute niché markets or the very naive. If you are lucky enough to have a product or service that wouldn’t benefit from a clear brand, marketing plan or customer focused service standards then keep up the good work. As for the rest, it could bring on gains that you didn’t expect.

5. People will think we have resurrected a failed business.

Well have you? This mindset might strike fear into the heart of a supplier who’s hanging on for that ‘check in the post’ but if you feel you have found a great name and can provide real value and meaning to your product or service this could be exactly what your brand needs. You can advertise your rebrand as a celebration of success, and at the same time attract interest away from the competition.

At minimum I would recommend an ‘entry level’ brand review. Standardise your logo (colours, scale, position) across every application. This can be done at an administration level, to some extent, but getting someone in who can advise on these rules and help you to manage them doesn’t have to cost the earth, and if done properly will benefit you, your workforce and your audience.

OK, so you’ve chosen your design agency.
Now all you’ve got to do is tell them what you want…

Want to get on the first page of Google? Yeah, you and the rest of the world! So what is the cost of a front row seat these days?

We’ve explained the principles of Search Engine Optimisation to people more times than Elvis had burgers, you can read the basics here, but nobody has managed to get the message across quite as eloquently as Derek Powazek, whose article reads below – thanks, Derek, we like your style.

Spammers, Evildoers and Opportunists
An article from Derek Powazek’s personal site

“Search Engine Optimization is not a legitimate form of marketing. It should not be undertaken by people with brains or souls. If someone charges you for SEO, you have been conned.

First came the web, and it was a mess. Servers went up everywhere, the net connected them all, pages bloomed like flowers, and no one could find a damn thing.

Then came the search engines. First primitive indexes of dumb keywords, then Google with its rankings of most-linked pages, we were finally able to find the pages we needed, mostly.

The ascendency of Google has meant that, if your goal is to get the most eyeballs possible (as any ad-supported media business’ goal is), then prominent placement in the search engine results became a top priority.

And so, like the goat sacrificers and snake oil salesmen before them, a new breed of con man was born, the Search Engine Optimizer. These scammers claim that they can dance the magic dance that will please the Google Gods and make eyeballs rain down upon you.

Do. Not. Trust. Them.”

Read Derek’s full article here…

So you’ve got a product or service you’re proud of, and now it’s time for the world to find out.

Making sure your corporate website is Search Engine friendly is becoming increasingly important, so how do you ensure your online presence will become Google’s new best friend? Here are 5 top tips for improving your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

1. Start at the beginning

Make sure your site is built the right way from the word go – SEO is not something that can be sprinkled on top of a ‘bad’ site, and anyone who’s selling this service is trying to rip you off. As a rule of thumb, avoid building your site exclusively in Flash – it’s great for little animations but is outdated in terms of website construction and search engines will struggle to glean information from them. Find yourself someone who can design and develop your website to be Web Standards Compliant, and you’ll be off to a good start.

2. Content drives everything

Who are you targeting? Understanding how your market will search for your company will not only help them find you, but will help make a connection with them when they do. Google, for example, will scour your site for relevant content in its logarythyms to calculate how far up the rankings you should be – sites with regularly updated content, repetition of key words and phrases, good links in and out and with large numbers of hits will do better than unpopular sites with static content. Having a Content Managed website (CMS – Content Managed System) means you can edit, update and add to the content yourself and if your website is structured correctly Search Engine Optimisation is FREE (if you discount your time)! So…

3. …be sociable on the Web!

Getting involved with Facebook, Twitter and any other social networking sites is a good start (although this can be time consuming if not managed correctly). It’s also a great idea to get involved with online communities relevant to your industry, as not only will it increase traffic to your site but may genuinely help your business in other ways, too. Tell people what you are doing, and give them a reason to keep coming back to your site – people can be fickle, and if you don’t keep them interested they’ll start to look elsewhere. Having a blog will give you the platform to keep your audience updated with everything you’re doing, and an Eshot campaign can target your database of contacts, which will help generate traffic to your site, too.

4. Keep informed

It’s no secret! Google openly publishes how it indexes your site, so you can apply this knowledge to help you further your business online, e.g, labeling your images correctly (’image-1.jpg’ displays no usable information to a Googlebot, but ‘vauxhall-astra-brochure.jpg’ will) – all these little (and freely available) tips will contribute towards your website being search engine friendly.

5. Wash, rinse, repeat

Keeping your website’s presence up there in the search engine rankings is like walking on a treadmill – stop moving and you’ll go backwards. It takes time and effort too, and you won’t notice results over night. Much in the way many investments are slow-burners, your website will gather hits and traffic over time (if you keep up the good work), and as your popularity increases organically and gathers momentum it should require maintenance as opposed to full-time attention. The key is to make updating your website part of your daily routine, and not to rely on your site as your sole marketing strategy. A balanced approach to your marketing, as well as your SEO, will pay dividends in the long run.