Context of Practise: Study Task 05 (SB2)

1. Contextual research - will inform my design strategy

- Nostalgia in latest rebrands - going back for inspiration from the past
“Design has always been a process of reflection on the past and looking to improve things for the future” (Brewer, 2016), so the fact it can be seen as nostalgic is because it may provide that feeling of familiarity and comfort for the audience, luring them into consuming, which is what this postmodern culture is all about.
It is this return to simplicity, ’stripping back’ the clutter that some brands gather around themselves which attract and freshen brands.
The simplistic, vectorised design style which started growing in the 60s/70s probably came from the restrictions in technology, with pre-digital processes potentially forcing a greater economy of form, to try and do more with less.
Our advancements with technology mean we now have the ability to create anything conceivable, but this doesn’t mean we should - “we are consumed by over saturation of information and image; our personal choices are being defined by algorithms as often as they are by our brains. It’s overwhelming, so it’s not nostalgia we crave, it’s simplicity” (D. Witchell of Futurebrand in Brewer, 2016).

- Football club rebranding - Juventus show a visual manifestation of a growth strategy that sees clubs moving beyond football, via partnerships with other leading brands, into becoming an entertainment or lifestyle brand. Again, this shift towards appealing to more of a global market and encouraging consumptions on all levels is growing in our culture. This bold, vectorised style now becoming adaptable and appropriate for the boosting of highly influential industries.

- This can be seen in the automotive industry too with the high-tec, forward thinking company Tesla. They sit themselves at the forefront of sustainable, whilst futuristic design - approach with the aim to evolve our lifestyles and go-greener and safer as inspired by futuristic Utopian mindsets often portrayed in Hollywood!

This forward-thinking mindset is employed into all of their visual identity too. Though it's easy to assume the T-shaped logo stands for Tesla, there's an added layer of hidden creativity (and brilliance) to the design. The real inspiration? The "T is like a cross section of an electric motor," Musk explains.

When I think of Tesla, I think "innovation." And the company appropriately takes a different approach to logo design. Instead of choosing a widely recognisable shape, it goes inside the product (cars) to a lesser-known icon (electric motor).
Tesla's logo is a perfect embodiment of this brand. A car's motor is what pushes a vehicle forward. In symbolic terms, an electric motor is the catalyst of movement - or innovation. Yet this icon is a very specific reference - one that many people wouldn't inherently recognise or understand. Innovative and intelligent: That's Tesla's logo. And it's exactly what the brand aims to be.

2. Target Audience research

In terms of a geographic audience for the practical work, I will definitely need to design for consumption at a global scale as I aim to rebrand a global name. To focus on a more specific geographic audience does depend totally on the brand I choose to focus on.
With my initial response of rebranding Renault, as it is a French company I could choose to focus on and celebrate its origin, but this must also attract and feel appropriate for other audiences - as the product is popularly distributed all across Europe.

A demographic age would generally be people aged between 21-50 years old, as this is the typical range which would interact with the brand identity upon considering purchase - online, in dealerships, etc.

Interests of the target audience will be broad, as there isn't a specific type/group of people which require a car - but specific types of people do buy into specific brands dependant on socio-economic factors (specific to the brand)

Target audience persona examples:
Name: Louis Bernard
Gender: Male
Nationality: French
Location: Saint-Ètienne
Age: 41
Occupation: Lecturer

Interests: Business, Food and Technology

Name : Isabella Pavotti
Gender : Female
Nationality : Italian
Location : Milan
Age : 22
Occupation : Post-grad Graphic Designer
Interests : Design, Architecture, Music and Cooking

Name : Josh Wink
Gender : Male
Nationality : English
Location : Newcastle
Age : 28
Occupation : Office Worker
Interests : Reading, Music and Mechanics

3. Relevant and related visual examples

- 4 examples of graphic works related to my project.

1. Natwest rebrand - 1968 logo v.s. the new.
Futurebrand_natwest-logo-1969-2016