London Logo Design Company

The Rebranding of Silver Cross Logo

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:16:10 +0000

Silver Cross has always been a standby in Britain when it comes to prams. This brand is known for high quality and even higher status, the favorite of royalty and celebrities alike. The baby and child logo design is recognized through London and the UK. However, in recent years the business was failing despite a brand that was as solid as a brand could be. Here’s how Silver Cross turned the tides.

Expand your market. One of the key faults of the Silver Cross brand was that it was not known in key markets throughout the world. This excluded wealthy people in Asia, the United States, and other parts of the world. Therefore, one of the Silver Cross’s strategies was to expand to other countries, offering their prams in an expanded range of shops and taking opportunities to have their product discussed in the press. This allowed Silver Cross to expand their market without delving into lower priced, markets that would ultimately devalue the brand.

Maintain your brand. In a world where low cost leaders abound, Silver Cross simply cannot get involved in price wars. Therefore, one of the central brand strategies has been to maintain the power of the brand. While many businesses are tempted by the prospect of lowering overhead by outsourcing to the overseas, Silver Cross has kept the emphasis on maintaining high and consistent quality even while moving manufacturing to another part of the globe. Another key part of this strategy has been to woo celebrities. If a celebrity publically uses the Silver Cross, it gives exposure to the logo design even while adding to the perceived value of the brand.

Brand from the inside out. While many companies think that a logo design and other aesthetic elements are the basis of their brand, Silver Cross trains employees to understand and embody their brand. This means that they are better able to adhere to the company’s main branding principle of luxury for babies and their mums. All elements of your brand should be incorporated into the rest of your brand.

The Silver Cross logo design is all luxury and yet very simple. The name is written in a fun yet classic font that reflects the values of the brand. The handwritten appearance of the logo gives an impression of artisan quality, which is accurate as these prams are partially handmade. Although a silver cross image would have been an obvious choice for this logo design, this logo is a winner because it avoids the obvious. This gives the brand a little more style.

Silver Cross has been extremely successful in maintaining their brand by keeping the highest manufacturing standards and marketing their brand through carefully cultivated celebrity exposure. This is appropriate for their brand, but not for everyone’s. In order to find Silver Cross’s success in your own business, you can follow the same steps. However, there is a good chance they will lead to a very different result: a brand and logo design that is uniquely yours.

Will Another Vegan Restaurant Brand Be Able to Find Success?

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:47:38 +0000

Vegan Routes, a new vegan restaurant, recently opened in a Routemaster bus. If this sounds like a familiar set-up, it may be because Rootmaster, a similarly situated vegan restaurant, is located just around the corner from this new venture. Can Vegan Routes find success in a vegan market with many new and interesting choices? How will the new restaurant distinguish its brand from that of the similar and more established restaurant nearby?

There are a few things that both restaurants have in common. The first and most obvious is that they are both located in the same neighbourhood and both operate from a Routemaster bus. This alone will be enough to cause significant confusion. Both companies also share a particular passion for environmental practices as well, with renewable practices in all areas and a focus on organic, local food sources.

However, there are definitely differences. Rootmaster tends toward exotic tastes, such as spicy bean enchiladas and root vegetable curries. Vegan Routes has a limited menu that offers vegan versions of popular non-vegetarian foods such as shepherd’s pie and stew. Another difference in the menus is that Vegan Routes avoids soy as a primary source of protein, while there are several tofu options on the Rootmaster dinner menu.

The logo design of Vegan Routes is one area where it is different from Rootmaster. The Vegan Routes restaurant logo design features the company name in large white letters that are somewhat haphazardly placed. Friendly, inclusive circles and lush green leaves fill the logo design, along with earthy red accents. The logo design is eye catching and definitely expresses the eco-friendly nature of the restaurant.

The Rootmaster logo design, on the other hand, features a red circular shape with a green line through the middle. This inclusive shape is highly stylized and a little more difficult to relate to the type of experience being offered. The name is written below in a basic font, in even more basic black and white colours. The message is that this restaurant is a little more basic, which is not entirely reflective of the wide range of choices available on the menu.

One way that Vegan Routes will set itself apart is in its lack of even marginally unhealthy choices. The food here includes no preservatives and is entirely prepared without microwaving and frying. Not only is the food meat and dairy free, it is wheat and gluten free as well. This is sure to appeal to the growing number of people with severe food allergies.

Although Vegan Routes looks at first like a copycat brand, closer examination shows that it indeed has a flavour all its own. Whether it can compete in an area with not one, but several good vegan restaurant choices remains to be seen. However, the strength of the brand, the traditional comfort food choices, and the fun and wacky logo design will all be very inviting to anyone looking for a healthier option in London.

New Premium Denim Brand Combined Science with Style

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:29:09 +0000

What do jeans and genes have in common? New denim line Natural Selection offers the missing link. This premium denim line, available at Selfridges, promises to bring both high street style and high technology to the world of denim.

Raw denim has been a hot fashion statement over the past few seasons, so this line of jeans is stylistically spot-on. However, pre-washed versions are also available for people who prefer another look. However, the details are what truly sell this brand of jeans. The denim comes from the acclaimed Kurabo mills in Japan and is sewn with heavy duty, 14.5 ounce chain stitching.

The most remarkable detail that makes up this brand is the scientific inspiration for the line. The brand is based on Darwin’s theory of evolution, specifically his theory of natural selection. The designer felt that the denim market mirrored the natural world in that only the strongest survive. With the goal of achieving company longevity and even cult status, the jeans are being made to come out ahead in the survival of the fittest.

The clothing logo design is a reflection of this key brand value. Many people know that Darwin developed his ground-breaking theory while studying birds in the Galapagos. One of these birds is the central image of the logo design. However, the bird is riding a bike—in this case, an old fashioned bike—as though in the race of his life. This is a direct reflection of the brand, because it reflects evolution’s race to survive, as well as the company’s race to achieve supremacy in a market flooded with choices. The writing is distinctly old fashioned and plain.

This fashion logo design is most often printed with a black and white colour scheme, which relates to its simplicity and sense of style as well as reflecting the main printing colours that existed when the theory of Evolution was first being developed more than a century ago. The logo design is also printed on leather for use in tags and on the label at the jeans’ back waistband. Both of these are highly congruent with the rest of the brand.

The appeal to denim lovers is obvious. First, the jeans are available in a variety of washes, so that the purist and the fashionista can both find a colour they love. Second, the jeans have an interesting story that gets people talking, a story that is directly reflected in their logo design. Third, the line has not skimped on the details that denim lovers look for as a sign of quality. With the jeans more reasonable priced than much of their premium denim competition, there is good reason for denim aficionados to give the brand a try.

Will Natural Selection achieve the cult status that the company longs for? Will the business make it through the ‘survival of the fittest’, a race that inspired the brand to begin with? Only the future will tell, but the strength of the brand combined with a professional logo design has definitely given the company the advantage of a good start.

New Hotel Offers Welsh Island Getaway

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:37:14 +0000

Where will you be going on your next holiday? If you are like many people in the UK, you will be staying close to home. Luckily, there is a new choice on the Isle of Anglesey that offers a classic country house experience with thoroughly modern amenities.

Tre-ysgawen Hall offers the only four star hotel in Anglesey as well as a full range of spa services and access to all that this Welsh island has to offer. Clean beaches, lush scenery, and world famous 18 hole golf courses are just a short jaunt away from the hotel’s spacious grounds. While this is expected from a hotel with this rating, the place where the hotel truly shines is in its distinctly Welsh brand.

Unlike many modern luxury hotels, Tre-ysgawen Hall is located in a sympathetically remodelled country house. The furnishings have been chosen to reflect the house’s history and style. The restaurant and wine bar have been designed to compliment this brand image as well. The Clock Tower Cafe Wine Bar, located of course in the home’s clock tower, offers a variety of light dishes throughout the day in a rustic setting. Noelle’s Bar and Restaurant features constantly changing menus featuring local and seasonal products, many of which are grown on the hotel grounds. This restaurant is more formal, with world class food and a substantial wine selection.

The spa is located in another building, which was once the manor houses’s stables. This ultra modern facility offers a pleasant, contemporary diversion from the traditional atmosphere of the main building. Here, guests can enjoy the latest beauty treatments, or instead relax in the swimming pool with adjacent steam room and whirlpool bath.

The Tre-ysgawen Hall logo design conveys this luxury mix of modern and old. The dominant image is of a T written in ornate traditional calligraphy. The bold cobalt background is reminiscent of the sea while also a calming hue befitting a spa. The metallic gold accents are definitely reflective of the high quality, luxury experience that the hotel offers. The full hotel name is written in a scrolling font that is classic yet fancy, also reflecting the type of experience that patrons can expect.

What makes the Tre-ysgawen Hall brand unique? First, it is the only truly luxury experience available in the area. Second, it is definitely tied to its place in every way, from the decor to the types of food offered at the on site restaurant. This combination of distinctly Welsh history and experience makes the hotel completely unique, which is an attractive position to occupy. More important, this UK hotel has a brand that is likely to be inviting to people from London and all over the UK. The attractive and perfectly suitable logo design is a visual representation of the brand that will invite people to find out what a visit to a Welsh manor and spa has to offer. The strength of this brand is sure to give Tre-ysgawen Hotel the chance of success that it deserves.

The ‘Made in Britain’ Brand

Logo Design Company London — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:29:57 +0000

With low cost goods from Asia and Eastern Europe flooding the market in the UK, British companies know well that they need a way to distinguish themselves from the competition. One way of doing this has been the ‘British Made for Quality’ hallmark, which was formed several years ago to indicate that the product in question was local and therefore, made to local standards. However, what makes up this ‘Made in Britain’ brand? Is it a brand that inspired customers to buy, even at higher prices?

The British Made for Quality, or BMFQ, logo design is distinctly British. The familiar Union Jack shapes and colours are seen formed into an image of a bird, representing freedom and achieving new heights. The lettering is bold and highly readable, but extremely plain. The message is that this is a straightforward organisation with a distinct British heritage, which is exactly the image that it is trying to project with this logo design.

Many business owners are eager to throw themselves behind any proposal that promises to boost sales. However, there are a few problems with this scheme. First, there may be problems with the EU, which bans marketing initiatives that discriminate against EU products based on point of origin alone. The National Farmer’s Union encountered this legal issue with their Red Tractor logo. The solution was that the seal would be extended to foods that met British standards, rather than solely foods originating in the UK. The British Standard’s Institution’s mark is similarly available to non-British goods. However, BMFQ is determined not to make this sort of compromise.

One key fact that companies who are seeking a ‘Made in Britain’ certification of any kind may ignore is that these types of marks are commonplace. Consumers in the UK see so many labels on their products that one more may not have the desired impact, even with an attractive and appropriate logo design. With this glut of marketing messages, the best way to differentiate your products from the competition remains to offer consistently high quality and a winning brand image.

Another strike against the BMFQ label is a general acceptance of foreign goods. With many people now accustomed to drinking a French wine with an Italian meal on a table made in Germany, choosing place of origin as a key brand value may not resonate with internationally minded people in the UK.

Will this marketing scheme be successful? Only the future will tell. Many people can remember the ‘I’m Backing Britain’ campaign of the late sixties. This campaign did not focus on labelling so much as generally stirring up national pride and support for local UK products. The campaign began to diminish when it was made public that many ‘I’m Backing Britain’ items had been in fact manufactured outside of the country. Hopefully this marketing brand can avoid the same disastrous fate. Until then, we will be seeing the BMFQ logo design on products all over the country as a symbol of British quality and pride.

Faanoos II Hopes to Duplicate Success of Sheen Original

Logo Design Company London — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:23:40 +0000

Following the success of Faanoos in Sheen, a new Iranian restaurant, Faanoos II is opening in Chiswick. The Sheen restaurant was immensely successful, filled even on off season weeknights, so this new venture stands a high chance of success in using the same brand in a different location. In this case, the two restaurants will operate almost identically, serving the same food and atmosphere in two very different parts of London.

What makes an Iranian restaurant so successful in the UK? In this case, the distinctly Persian brand is a key part of the equation. First and most notably, the decoration of the restaurant is distinctly Eastern, with a warm ambience complimented by straw matted walls and brick accents. The room is lit by a variety of lamps, tying into the name, which is Farsi for ‘lamps’. A traditional turquoise tiled oven dominates the front corner of the room and radiates warmth while baking the traditional Persian bread that patrons enjoy with every meal.

The service is another big part of the Faanoos II brand. The Iranian staff is attentive and well versed in providing traditional Persian service. The restaurateur often sits with friends and enjoys a meal, adding to the family feeling that Persians so cherish. This family atmosphere permeates the restaurant and, combined with the attentive service, is a large reason for many patrons returning repeatedly to the original location.

The food offered at Faanoos I and II perfectly rounds out the experience. Starters include an informal range of salads and dips. Iranian pickles and preserves are available to add spice to the appetizers. Main dishes include the best known Persian dishes, all served with savoury saffron rice. The staff is even willing to tailor dishes to customer preferences, an attitude that is unusual in the current London trend of poor service. A variety of wines are available to compliment the dishes if you aren’t in the mood for more traditional Persian tea. If you still have room after two courses, Persian sweets laden with sugar and nuts provide the perfect end to the meal.

In a recession, it’s important to note that most of the dishes are less than ten pounds. This combined with the warm atmosphere and distinctly Persian brand will inspire many people in London to give Faanoos II a try.

If the owner of Faanoos wants to continue expanding the brand, one thing that the company will need to invest in is a professional logo design. Because the Persian brand is so distinct and natural for the company, the restaurants have been successful without a professional crafted brand. However, branding and restaurant logo design will be essential to the continued success of the company. An experienced logo designer will have no trouble taking the restaurant’s excellent service and exotic fare and combining them into a logo design image that the company can proudly display. This would be sure to invite an entirely new customer base while establishing the restaurant as a professional in their community.

UK Businesses Embrace Healthy Eating Brand

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:32:25 +0000

With the UK one of the most unhealthy nations in the developed world, many people all over the country are trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle, beginning with better eating habits. Stores all over the UK are eager to help, with new and healthier lines of food popping up in grocery stores and restaurants everywhere. Not only is this a good business decision, it is a good decision for people in the UK as well.

Marks & Spencer is one business with a new range designed to help people lose weight. Called Simply Fuller Longer, this brand offers high protein meals designed to keep dieters full, making it easier to eat less. The logo design of the range is simple and modern, with a cool green and gray colour palette and friendly rounded writing. The two main benefits, high protein and balanced carbs, are placed in two inclusive circles to create a friendly feeling that will inspire dieters to give them a try.

What this food logo design tells dieters and health lovers is that this is a simple, high quality brand that offers solutions. The circles make people feel that they can be a part of the healthy lifestyle that Simply Fuller Longer is offering. This message of inclusiveness will be inspiring and inviting to people all over the UK.

Many companies now use technology to shore up their brand, and this is no exception. The website for the Simply Fuller Longer range offers diet-friendly features, such as a BMI calculator and their ideal daily caloric intake. There is a high likelihood that prospective dieters will visit the site, interact with the logo design, and be inspired to buy the products as part of a new and healthy lifestyle. This is good for Marks & Spencer, as well as people all over the UK who struggle with their weight.

One benefit of the website is that it requires registration to access some of the more popular features, such as weight loss tracking tools. This means that people will be able to get ongoing support (and commercial messages) from the company, giving them more brand exposure and encouraging them to continue working toward their weight loss goals.

Marks & Spencer is not the only UK company offering healthy choices as part of their brand. Tesco has begun the New Year by offering lower prices on seafood, fruits, and vegetables, all important parts of a healthy diet. While Tesco has not created a brand or a logo design for their project, it nonetheless positions the supermarket as a healthier choice than the public previously perceived.

There are certainly other weight loss programs in the UK, but these two examples show that healthy living is quickly moving into the mainstream. Weight loss products are no longer seen as revolutionary, but rather part of a healthy, everyday lifestyle. This shift has certainly been helped along by the new Marks & Spencer and Tesco programs, but it is one that is almost certain to gain momentum in the UK in the future.

UK Companies Find Success in an Expanded Range of Products

Logo Design Company London — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:56:32 +0000

How is your brand going to evolve in 2010? This is a question that every would-be successful business owner must ask in order to move forward. Markets change, and your brand must change with them. For many businesses, modifying their brand to appeal to a constantly changing customer base involves expanding their line of goods.

Sarah Rogers, who runs a handmade jewellery business, is one small business owner who is using this principle with great success. Her Dragon and Phoenix range offered relatively inexpensive products that initially were big sellers. However, sales began to slow down. Rogers noticed that people were still buying, but buying less with every purchase. Her answer was to expand her offerings so that customers would be more likely to buy several items at a time.

Rogers continued offering her Dragon and Phoenix brand, but added a higher cost Sarah Rogers Signature line. These jewellery items are intended as ‘milestone purchases’, to mark special occasions. With this higher end line in place, Rogers felt more comfortable adding a few less expensive pieces to her Dragon and Phoenix line to woo the value-oriented shopper.

The result is that people who walk into Rogers’ shop have a large range of goods to choose from. If they are looking for a special gift, the signature line is there. If they want a less expensive impulse purchase, they have options as well. Because these items are in separate ranges, each with its own brand and logo design, the expanded line of goods does not diminish either brand.

The results have been nothing short of spectacular. This winter, the Dragon and Phoenix line sold out, while the store continued to make steady sales of its more expensive goods as well.

Business consultants acknowledge that changing with the market is essential for success. A plan that was perfect for the 2005 market is no longer perfect for the 2010 consumer. The only way to maintain a foothold in the market is to continue to change as well. With customers more value-conscious, this can mean offering a lower cost option for impulse buying, or a higher end product that offers luxury and quality.

This may mean narrowing your other offerings. An essential part of expanding your line of products is first determining what goods are selling well. If you are losing money on a certain item, it is time to either reposition it or drop it without sentimentality. Once you know what items are selling well, you can offer more goods in that line.

Sometimes expanding your line involves more than offering a high end choice. Julie Maxted, of The Pets, Homes and Gardens Company in West Sussex found that many people were interested in opening a home and pet minding company similar to hers. Her newest high end product is a ‘business in a box’, which basically is everything they need to open a business like hers in their own area. At £6,995, this is a huge business opportunity for the customer as well as for Maxted.

If your business is struggling to make it through the recession, it may be time for a change. If you are unsure of how to proceed, a branding and fashion logo design consultant can help your business evolve in a way that supports your brand, rather than diminishing it.

Liverpool Hotel Attracts Beatles Lovers from Around the World

Logo Design Company London — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:11:20 +0000

What does it take to be successful the growingly competitive UK hotel industry? At least part of this success is having a unique brand and a logo design that expresses it. In this measure, Hard Days Night in Liverpool is a shining success.

The hotel’s brand is based on Liverpool’s best known export: the iconic rock band the Beatles. This theme permeates every aspect of the hotel, including the logo design. However, in contrast to many theme hotels, Hard Days Night has been designed to offer a four star, luxury experience that even non-music fans can appreciate.

The logo design is in a simple and sophisticated black and white colour scheme. The square offers a sense of tradition, with the circles adding visual interest as well as a friendly touch. Music fans will recognize that this abstract shape is actually a guitar chord that is the opening sound of a famous Beatles song. This image ties directly into the hotel’s brand without being pushy or overdone. The logo design also hints at the sophistication that Hard Days Night has to offer the weary traveller.

The decoration of the hotel is also a huge part of this brand. As in the logo, black and white are the dominant colours here. Large black and white photos of the Fab Four dominate the public areas. The rooms themselves are similarly decorated, with each room completely unique. Authentic artifacts from the Beatles are a major part of the decor, along with art celebrating their legendary career. Two suites named after John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney offer the most deluxe accommodations. The Lennon Suite includes a white piano situated so that visitors can view the Liverpool city centre and skyline while enjoying a little musical interlude. The McCartney Suite is similarly outfitted, with a Knight’s suit of armour instead of a piano.

The hotel includes both a restaurant and a lounge. Blake’s Restaurant features traditional UK favorites in a classic British atmosphere of wood panelling and leather chairs. The Lounge bar is less formal, with comfortable sofas where customers can enjoy a drink and a snack. If visitors want to go offsite for food and culture, they can visit the adjacent Cavern Club that was one of the band’s first venues.

The hotel also offers meeting facilities perfect for a Beatles fan group or an upscale wedding. The Two of Us wedding chapel as well as several suites are available for couples seeking luxury nuptials with all the romance of a Beatles love ballad.

Because Hard Days Night hotel is located in the midst of Liverpool’s Beatles landmarks, it makes the perfect setting for exploring the Fab Four’s history. There are a variety of Beatles tours available day and night to take interested tourists to the places where this legendary career found its start. This promises a cohesive brand experience for people looking to experience the Beatles brand to the fullest. For others, the four star accommodations, excellent service, and modern atmosphere offers invitation enough.

British Fashion Brand Expands to Continent

Logo Design Company London — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:20:50 +0000

Sales at discounted fashion retailer M and M Direct soared over the Christmas season, which has inspired the company to plan a German invasion. The chief executive recently announced that a German language website will be launched in the new future, along with a new, more international focus. How will this affect the M and M brand? Can this discount retailer find similar success in a new market?

The M and M brand is one that many people can identify with in the midst of a recession. With wages low and for many people nonexistent, many people in the UK are turning to discount retailers in hopes of continuing their current quality of life on a reduced budget. The M and M logo design is simple and soothing, with a watery blue combined with a sophisticated black as a colour palette. The rounded letters of the logo design give a friendly and inclusive feeling that allows discount shoppers to feel that they are welcome to find deals here.

Meanwhile, a strong Euro has encouraged European shoppers to begin experiencing the brand. International sales now account for a considerable chunk of profit, with internet orders up around 30 percent. The company’s decision to begin catering to their new and growing market makes sense in this context.

How will Germans feel about M and M Direct? The simple brand is likely to appeal to discount shoppers on an international level, as has been suggested by the growth in foreign sales. If the brand is resonating with this market already, there is no reason not to reach out with a website in their language. This is a low risk choice for the brand, but one that may pay off immensely.

One pitfall that many companies face when expanding to a new market is that of losing their core market in the process. However, M and M plans to avoid this by growing within their core as well. An expanded range of products is in the works for British discount customers as well. Clearly the brand has not forgotten that their core group of customers remains in the UK.

Businesses all over London saw a surge in sales last December. For business with an online component, this included a sharp increase in international sales. For example, M and M competitor Asos saw an increase of 23 percent in UK sales and a raise of 162 percent in international sales. Sales throughout Central London increased by 12 percent.

Instead of becoming complacent, other companies may want to take M and M Direct’s lead in expanding to other markets. With the UK increasingly and disproportionately affected by the global recession, it is easy to predict that this increase in sales may be temporary. With wages sinking, tax rates rising, and jobs becoming fewer and further between, expanding to a market that shows more promise may be key to survival. However, this move will only be successful if great care is taken not to compromise the original brand and logo design.