The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has a long list of official corporate sponsors. However, there was a great deal of unofficial marketing going on as well, some of it legitimate and some not so much. We’re all familiar with guerilla marketing, but ambush marketing is a new term and a relatively new concept for UK small businesses that are trying to get exposure for their brand and logo design.

The cost of sponsoring a large global event such as the London 2012 Olympics is out of the price range of most businesses in the UK. This is the basic idea behind ambush marketing: getting exposure through these events, but unpaid exposure. It is extremely controversial and sometimes even illegal.  For example, in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 36 women were removed for wearing orange mini-dresses that indirectly advertised for Bavaria beer. Two were even arrested. This is not an isolated event, but rather a trend; many companies are looking for ways to go around the established even marketing system.

The London 2012 Olympics authorities are making a firm statement that ambush marketing will not be tolerated at the event. While this may seem harsh—who among us can afford to sponsor such a large event—it is intended to protect the event. While certain ambush marketing practices can seem reasonable, they have a very negative effect on an event. Consider the following:

• Ambush marketing undermines an event’s ability to get sponsors. Without the huge multinational brands, there would be no Olympics in the UK. This event will benefit the nation immensely, bringing in tourists and their wallets, and corporate sponsorship makes this possible. If anyone can get their logo on international television via the Olympics, large brands will be less likely to invest.
• Ambush marketing undermines the intellectual property of an event. Like it or not, the London 2012 Olympics committee owns the brand and intellectual property associated with the event. Ambush marketing gets benefit from this intellectual property without the owner’s permission. You wouldn’t want anyone to do the same to your own business.
• Ambush marketing distracts from the event. If ambush marketing is not aggressively fought, people who are there to view the festivities are instead treated to a rather unpleasant and uncoordinated set of branding messages. The media coverage of the ambush marketing also detracts from coverage of the event itself.

The push to discourage ambush marketing at the Olympics will begin in September with advertisements advising the public of its illegality. Is it truly illegal? British legislators are currently reviewing and expected to enact laws making it firmly so.

London 2012 Olympics officials plan to remove ambush marketing as soon as it is spotted and to bring charges against brands that are suspected of it. The official sponsors of the even have paid millions for their titles, and the committee intends to make their investment worth every penny.

Our stance on ambush marketing is that we certainly recommend against it.

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What country has the best design schools? This is a more important question than it initially seems, because the country with the best design schools will also have the best designers. According to a recent survey from magazine BusinessWeek, the UK has several of the world’s best schools of design.

The factors used to rank the schools were diverse, because the field of design itself is diverse. A blend of traditional design skills and new technology are the ideal basis of the curriculum. Partnerships with other schools and even companies teach students to work in other industries, as they will be expected to do after graduation. Last, students need to be able to deal with change by being flexible and creative. After all, change is a huge part of both the global and the UK design world. Here are the three UK design schools that met these high standards.

• London College of Communication. This design school, located in London as the name suggests, has notable alumni including Sir Charles Saatchi of Saatchi & Saatchi. Nine thousand students at a time are taught both classical graphic and product design as well as marketing and other related fields. As part of their training, the students work for business clients on real design projects, learning their field under the oversight of experienced staff.
• Royal College of Art. Also located in London, this school is known for preparing students well for the challenging field of corporate graphic design. In fact, top employers include such notable names as Apple, Panasonic, Sony and Virgin. The industrial design program is one of the more acclaimed (James Dyson is a famous grad). Students of this college partake in real design projects for global companies, take international trips to familiarize themselves with global design, and learn strategies for business development as part of their design education.
• University of Oxford, Saïd Business School. Oxford is an obvious addition to this list, having produced excellent and well-trained students for centuries. This program may focus primarily on business, but its students are also some of the best designers on the globe. Saïd Business School accomplished this by partnering with several other universities, including the Royal College of Art mentioned above. This business-oriented design program has done collaborative graphic design products for companies as divers and influential as Disney and L’Oréal. However, design education that Saïd is not limited to design students. MBAs are required to take courses in design and consulting because of these fields’ importance within the business community.

These schools are all very different, with focuses on design, art, and even business. However, one thing that they have in common is that they are producing great UK designers, including web designers and logo designers. The next time you need design services, the best thing you can do for your business and  your country is to choose a UK design firm that will bring the excellence and experience of British design to your own company.

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This January, a whole new eating experience arrived in the Camden neighbourhood of London. Circus London offers gourmet Pan-American cuisine in a theatrical atmosphere that infuses every aspect of the restaurant. People are flooding into this new eatery not so much to sample the food as to experience this new and entertaining brand.

From a black steel foyer to a variety of smoky mirrors, the décor is distinctly Surrealist but also holds the promise of a fun time. The main dining room is dominated by long tables with stairs at either end, forming a sort of catwalk. Mirror balls and a dancer’s pole dominate the decorative theme. These bespoke theatrical elements do not go to waste; the restaurant is home to a constantly changing variety of live acts ranging from burlesque to aerialists. Instead of publicizing their schedule of acts, the restaurant keeps their entertainment under wraps, forcing people to visit in order to see who is playing.

These elements of suspense create a sense of mystery that is certainly not unlike a circus. People who enter the Circus London restaurant step into a dim yet sparkling world filled with unknown entertainment and delights. The sense of being an adult Alice just stepping through the looking glass cannot be escaped. This sense of modernism and mystery is a key part of the Circus London brand, and certainly attractive to young adults all over London who are always looking for something more.

“Pan-American” is a term that encompasses a wide range of cuisines, but in this case it seems to mean American favorites with a Latin American twist. In keeping with this theme, the choices on Circus London’s menu offer distinctly theatrical tastes, textures, and colours in keeping with the brand. Chipotle and tamarind chicken wings, soft shelled crab, and golden beet salad are a few examples of the colorful and tasty food. For dessert, modern American specialties such as sweet tamales and churros are offered.

The cocktails and alcoholic beverages at Circus London are particularly dramatic. There are several theme drinks that are specials of the location. In addition, Circus-goers can order cocktails for two or even punch bowls for a crowd. The effect is particularly powerful due to the garnishes and glassware in which the drinks are served, which tie into the theme of the drink in subtle yet powerful ways. The idea of this restaurant as a fun and pleasantly unpredictable place to relax with friends and view a few spectacles cannot be escaped.

Circus London offers an example for other London restaurant managers of how even a seemingly farfetched theme can be incorporated into every aspect of the brand and restaurant logo design. While many new restaurants are struggling, this one has filled tables almost every night despite the lack of a track record. While you don’t have to turn your restaurant into a circus in order to be successful, your brand needs to infuse more than your logo design in order to be inspirational to customers.

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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.

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Giraffe, a favourite of families all over the UK, recently opened a new location in Holland Park, making a total of 41 restaurants in this growing chain. How is Giraffe finding success where so many fail? In this case, as in so many others, the difference lies in identifying an underserved market and designing a brand that caters specifically to them.

At first glance, the Giraffe brand is similar to many others. This brand promises excellent food with a mix of comforting favourites and exotic delights in a fun and informal cafe style atmosphere. However, Giraffe’s brand is geared toward a niche that has few quality eating choices: families.

The average gourmet restaurant is intimidating to a mum and dad due to the lack of children’s menu choices, an atmosphere full of tempting yet breakable brick-a-brack, and a general low tolerance for the noise and commotion that so often comes with small children. The average family restaurant, on the other hand, offers little other than a family atmosphere, with none of the ambience and cuisine that parents crave. Giraffe’s brand offers a middle road that families can fall in love with: a fun atmosphere, interesting food choices, and an open-armed attitude toward the smallest UK consumers.

The logo design at first glance appears to say little about the brand, but it in fact is an integral part. The giraffe image that is shown throughout the store and sometimes as part of the restaurant logo design ties directly into the name. The zoological theme seen so often in child-oriented logos is drawn in a modern, sophisticated manner, hinting that this restaurant has a side that adults can appreciate as well. The writing supports this impression, appearing to be hand drawn but thick and commanding as well.

The giraffe character seen in the logo was designed to be somewhat of a mascot for the company. This figure believes in living life to the fullest and having fun, a message that people of all ages can appreciate. Straplines such as ‘a fresh look at the world’ and ‘think giraffe… be happy’ are manifestations of this central character. The values communicated by these phrases infuse the entire Giraffe experience.

The restaurants themselves are simple and modern, with multi-ethnic decorations that create an eclectic feel. Murals of people of different races and nationalities, all happy and cheerful, take centre stage on the walls. The menus are similarly diverse, offering food from almost every corner of the globe. World music is played to complete the theme. However, the family friendly brand infiltrates the locations, with a child friendly atmosphere and a children’s menu offering tot-friendly choices. The little extras that make a child look forward to eating at Giraffe, such as complimentary balloons, will ensure that families return often.

It should be noted that every aspect of the Giraffe brand, from the logo design to the strapline to the brand position, was developed with the help of logo design and branding experts. Would this restaurant be as successful without the direction of professional consultants? Luckily for the company, they will never have to find out.

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Two Restaurants in One: Cocorino offers focaccia sandwiches and gelato on the same ticket

What’s new in Marylebone? If you are looking for a place to eat in this neighbourhood with a variety of options, Cocorino may be the place to visit in this neighbourhood. This Italian focacceria and gelateria offers not just a wide variety of culinary options, but a brand that is bound to draw in the masses.

The interior of the restaurant has a somewhat open floor plan, with the two aspects of the restaurant kept separate but connected. Both share a clean, continental mixture of polished wood and sleek mirrors, combined to give a rustic, homelike ambience that is reminiscent of Old World Italy in the heart of a bustling urban neighbourhood. The fact that both halves have similar decorations creates a feeling of unity between the two halves.

This ‘old meets new’ theme is a huge part of the Cocorino brand. The logo design is a line drawing of a busy neighbourhood full of children playing and adults going about their business, with a variety of modern colours and wavelike shapes. The feeling of warmth and modernity here cannot be mistaken. The name of the establishment appears to have been hand written in a deep chocolate brown, with a modern but pretty cursive font. The sense of Cocorino as a part of Marylebone culture, offering modern food with handmade artisan accents to locals and visitors alike, is unmistakeable.

The impression that this restaurant is a small shop that is an integral part of its neighbourhood is bolstered by the offerings that this location. In addition to Italian tastes such as pesto, olives, and ricotta cake, Cocorino patrons can also find less obvious choices such as beetroot, spicy chicken drumsticks, broccoli salads, and a wide range of flavours that are sure to appeal to the most adventurous palate. All of the sandwiches are served on the establishment’s homemade focaccia bread, with a variety of sides to round out the meal.

The gelateria half of Cocorino offers a bright variety of flavours that is as diverse as the colours seen in the company’s logo design. In addition to favourites such as pear and blueberry, customers can sample more unusual choices such as coconut and panna cotta with sour cherries. The range ensures that there will be something to tempt just about every gelato lover, and patrons report that the quality is among the best in London. The flavours on both halves of the restaurant change routinely, so there is always a reason to return.

Will a focaccia and gelato blend lure in customers? This restaurant’s strong brand combined with an attractive and unconventional logo design gives it a higher than average chance of success in fields where many have failed: both in small business in general and the restaurant industry in particular. Like the establishment’s offerings, the logo design and the brand do not follow the rules, but this may actually set Cocorino apart from the competition and give people a reason to give the restaurant a chance.

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We have all heard the phrase: Green is the new black. This catch phrase is such a cliché that the statement has lost power, but it is nonetheless the truth in 2010. Not only is green a core value of many customers, social conscious and animal welfare are ranking up there as well. Restaurants all over London and the UK are embracing these changes in the market and changing their businesses to accommodate this important set of values.

Green logo design is almost a cliché, but what does being a ‘green’ restaurant really mean? Organic and local foods are a good starting point, but the value needs to penetrate deeper in order to become a bona fide part of the brand. King’s Cross restaurant Acorn House shows how businesses can be a green brand, not just a mainstream business with a few green practices. In addition to standard cruelty free practices such as buying cage free, antibiotic free ducks, the business delivers food in biofuel-burning lorries and recycles the great majority of its waste. The business even has a herb garden on its roof. Every decision at Acorn House is made with the best interests of the planet at heart, a philosophy that infiltrates the restaurant logo design but also extends far beyond it.

Many restaurants are showing their concern for the environment by using fish that are not part of endangered populations. A nonprofit group named the Marine Stewardship Council certifies restaurants that use these fish exclusively. Although only 14 UK restaurants have gone through the process needed to acquire an MSC label, the demand for these controls is growing. Nobu’s London branch has added a note next to the bluefin tuna dishes on its menu advising customers that the fish is an endangered species and asking them to request an alternative from the staff. However, the restaurant management is contemplating removing the fish altogether in response to outcry from its celebrity clientele and financial backers.

With customer support for these causes mounting, even mainstream establishments are catching the fever. This Christmas, retailers such as Waitrose, Tesco, and Selfridges chose to pull foie gras from the shelves when many consumers expressed dismay at the cruel way that the fowl used to produce this dish as raised. Even the Royal Family removed it from its traditional place in their seasonal menus. The kinder, gentler option of ‘faux gras’ has been introduced as a substitute. Widespread consumer acceptance of the alternative suggests that these changes truly resonate with the modern customer.

Green is definitely a key value in the restaurant industry and elsewhere in the UK. 2010 is the perfect year to ask yourself two questions that may give your restaurant an even better marketing position in the future. What can I do to create a more earth friendly establishment without compromising the quality of my product and the customer experience? What can I do to make this focus part of my brand and present my business’s ecological leanings to my customer base?

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What better place could there be for a hip new branch of the W Hotel chain than the lively, entertainment hub of Leicester Square? This hotel is being designed with its environment in mind, with hopes of becoming a fixture in the local scene. An imposing building of modern materials that is well lit at night is sure to give the W Hotel the presence it is seeking.

The exterior of the structure will be mainly glass with white accents, built on the site of the former Swiss Centre. However, the interior is going to be sumptuous and tactile, with custom built furniture created with both comfort and style in mind. The decorating theme of the hotel is the paradox of London: restrained during the day but lively and outgoing at night. The 190 bedrooms will feature contrasting colours and textures to go with this theme, which will be a core part of this location’s brand. This brand of contrast and high levels of detail will be expressed not just in the decor, but in the service and amenities as well.

This theme is most certainly congruent with the W Worldwide brand. A strong and simple W forms the sole image of the parent company’s logo design, with a black and white colour palette maintaining sophistication while allowing individual locations to choose colour palettes that are most appropriate for the unique culture of their area, which in this company could be anywhere from Seattle to Bangkok. This use of opposite colours in the core brand and logo design will make it easy for the contrasting textures and colours of the London themed hotel to be absorbed into the overreaching brand.

High levels of service are a key part of the W brand, and this brand promise will be extended into its newest location as well. The brand promises ‘whatever/whenever’, which is a strapline promising that an onsite, 24 hour concierge will give guests anything legal that they desire. This service will helps guests take advantage of everything that this busy section of London has to offer, whether it is theatre tickets or an excursion into Soho. This is congruent with another key brand value: helping customers experience the city that they are visiting to its fullest.

If you are eager to give this exciting new Leicester Square hotel a try for a weekend getaway or a London staycation, this location will be open in June of 2010. While no one can foresee how a brand will succeed in the real market, it is easy to see this London styled extension of the upscale W Hotel brand and restaurant logo design achieving success in this fashionable part of London.

As you can see, one of the most beneficial attributes of a well designed brand is that it can be relevant in a variety of contexts. The W Hotel chain planned their expansion from the very inception of the brand by being sure to allow room for diversity and new ideas within the scope of the brand. Having a logo design expert help you with your new business can yield the same result for you.

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It seems that in London, there are two choices: value and quality. On one hand, there are many lower priced restaurants offering a quick meal that will certainly fill an empty stomach. On the other hand, there is also a wide variety of restaurants with gourmet menus, interesting ambience, and a winning reputation. However, a new Spanish tapas bar opened in London’s West End, called Barrica, brings the best of both worlds to people eager for a fun and frugal eating option.

Barrica offers Barcelona style tapas at a very affordable price, with a wine and sherry list that will please both casual drinkers and sophisticates alike. The menu varies widely according to availability, but always offers a variety of different tastes for lovers of authentic Spanish food including cold dishes, smoked meats, and hot plates. With a constantly evolving menu and a variety of flavours, there is always a reason to return to Barrica.

The decor of the restaurant is classic European with a simplicity and woody ambience that will appeal to UK sensibilities. The walls are a rich gold, and wooden furniture adds a comfortable, homelike feeling. Special attention was paid to the lighting fixtures, which are distinctively Old World and give the restaurant a dim and sophisticated feeling. A tiled floor is authentically Spanish in feel. In all, Barrica offers a good setting for both lunch dates and late night trysts, for a quick snack or a full meal.

If this restaurant seems well planned, that’s because every detail was addressed before the first glass of Amontillado hit the bar. Barrica has been in the planning stages for several years, ever since Tim Luther, a former wine trader, discovered the joys of Spanish food. Much of the restaurant’s details were planned in Spain, where Luther visited numerous tapas bars to determine what elements made them so popular and distinctively Spanish. The wait staff is primarily Spanish to add to the exotic feeling of the restaurant. The head chef is ex-Moro food artist James Knight, supported by Basque native Eusebio Martin.

The restaurant logo design compliments the brand perfectly. Tapas are known for their simplicity and flavour, and this logo portrays the same feeling. Simple lower case letters give the establishment an informal feeling. The white and gray lettering in a newsy font sits on a rich, brown background that conveys warmth. The word ‘tapas bar’ is below in small ochre letters for people who are not aware of what kind of cuisine the restaurant serves. This logo design has a modern yet classic feeling that will appeal to tapas lovers all over London and the UK.

Outdoor seating and a wooden sign advertising the specials of the day complete the continental image and offer an inviting scene to passersby, completing the Spanish image perfectly. The overall brand offers world class food with high quality and exotic flavours at an affordable price. It’s easy to see Barrica being successful in a market where value is a brand attribute we all can believe in.

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While much has been written about British Food Logos and British Restaurant Logos, very little has been written about three very important logos to recognize when purchasing British pork products. Because the UK has higher standards for animal care than most of the European Union, local meats tend to be more expensive but also of generally higher quality. In this case, logo design is performing a very powerful social purpose: helping people to identify more humanely and safely raised British meat by looking for one of the following three logos.

1. Red Tractor Logo Design

When you see this logo on a food, you will know that the animal in question was an Assured British Pig. The Red Tractor is an organisation that regularly inspects farms to ensure that the animals are being treated according to high standards of care and welfare. Be sure to look for the Union Jack in the logo; otherwise, the stamp could represent a farm that is not British but meets the same standards.

2. Quality Pork Standard Mark Logo Design

When you see this logo, you can rest assured that the pork in question meets UK standards for health and safety and that the animals were humanely treated. As with Red Tractor, the farms are inspected to ensure compliance. Again, look for the Union Jack to ensure that the pork indeed is of British origin. These icons, though a little weak on the impact side, are good enough to provide a distinguishing marks.

3. Freedom Food Logo Design

This logo is different from the others in that it lacks the classic British flag as an indicator of farm’s location. This is because the stamp logo design refers not to the animals place of origin, but to the fact that the animal was raised in a facility that has been inspected and approved by the RSPCA. This stamp assures quality and the wellbeing of the animal, but you will have to look harder to find exactly where the pork is from.

How important is buying British pork? Well known and respected chef Jamie Oliver has recently became an advocate of buying only British pork as a way of assuring that your pork is humanely and safely raised, something that is virtually guaranteed of British pork but lacking in many other countries. Looking for a logo design indicating the place of origin makes this an easy decision. Not only will you be making a decision that is better for the pig involved, you will be doing something great for UK farming communities as well.

While many people think of logo design as something frivolous, there is nothing frivolous about knowing important information about the brands you support. People increasingly look to logos as assurance of quality and other important values. Whether you are a business owner trying to communicate important information about your products or a consumer deciding which brand of bacon to buy, logo design is an important tool when making choices in a world that seems to contain an infinite number or them. Think of it as a language, one that is very important for success in London and all over the UK.

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