From Absolut to Volkswagen, Blending Is the New Branding
A small vanguard of companies are harnessing transparency and personalization to integrate themselves into our lives.
Blending in...
Clockwise from top left: Ronny Hartmann/AFP via Getty Images; Band-Aid (@bandaidbrand) via Instagram; Andreas Gebert/Bloomberg; Gucci; Absolut (@absolutvodka) via Instagram; Heinz/JKR Global
We are currently witnessing a whirlwind of debranding — as corporate identities shed complexity and dimensionality to become simpler, sharper and flatter:
Although various forces are driving these debrands — from the vagaries of fashion to the constraints of mobile-first design — the most interesting is the power of flatter identities to become portals through which companies can project an infinite range of moods, flavors and messages.