Louise Marsland’s (@Louise_Marsland) pick of new product, packaging and design launches.
LG proclaims ‘It’s all possible’ when ‘Life’s Good’; Standard Bank moves ‘design forward’; trendy Woodstock gets some Middle-Eastern flavour; you can own a ‘piece’ of Downton Abbey; and we’re still waiting to hear when Kiehl’s will open in Cape Town…
‘It’s all possible’ with LG
While emphasising that they are in no way replacing their ‘Life’s Good’ vision, LG has introduced a new tagline: ‘It’s all possible’, on some LG marketing collateral, as well as evocative new imagery.
LG South Africa GM for marketing, Thomas van der Linde, said the new “theme” has been released to “re-energise” the LG brand globally.
He said it was time for LG to rebuild the brand confidently, based on its product leadership.
“In the past there have been many different perceptions of LG among our customers. Recognising our global identity we have taken an active decision to act with one voice, and create one impression, establishing LG as a bolder and more dynamic brand in the mind of the consumer.”
The new theme is currently being rolled out globally across all customer touchpoints, including online and print advertising, instore marketing and at new product launch events, following on the official global debut on August 1 in New York Times Square with a video on its electronic billboard and website.
So while “Life’s Good” will continue to represent the LG brand vision; “It’s all possible” will talk to LG’s technical prowess.
Well, why not have two taglines when you’re one of the world’s most recognisable brands, but whether this still equates to “one voice” for the brand, time will tell.
Banking on a redesign
Seems as if banks are the coveted ‘new design spaces’. First ABSA, now Standard Bank have launched their new generation banking spaces.
Retail design agency, Design Partnership, asked the question whether there was still a place for a traditional bank with walk-in branches when undertaking the redesign. They believe there is – as long as your bank looks, feels and behaves more like your favourite retail store than a bank.
The new store design for Standard Bank is intended to help move the bank’s refreshed customer experience forward and reflect its commitment to innovation.
To inform its design, the Design Partnership team spent months physically working the floor, trying to understand the needs customers faced when in the bank. What they realised was that the branches comprised a series of spaces that facilitated a handful of basic activities for customers, mostly conversations.
“We tried to create an intuitive space that would enforce layout principles and drive the new customer experience,” explains Callie van der Merwe, Design Partnership CEO.
“Standard Bank has shifted its focus to be more innovative, more forward thinking, and needed a space that expressed these intentions. So we needed to distil a space and an attitude that would act as a visual anchor for this thinking while at the same time remain both a catalyst and constant reminder of the spirit of invention and innovation.”
The visual language of the makeover was vitally important, and part of the core design brief. “One of the key requirements was to create ‘conversation capital’ – a visual reference that would do the one thing that banks traditionally have never done, which is appeal to all ages, profiles and personalities.Central to this was the idea of moving the brand beyond its blue wrapper to rather demonstrate its new way of thinking. While Standard Bank has always been the blue bank and this will not change, the design called for sparing use of this trademark colour.”
All prominent Standard Bank sites will be completely overhauled in line with the new design, following which smaller sites will be revamped to feature key elements of the design. To date, Standard Bank Bedfordview, Woodlands and Alice Lane have been overhauled, with another eight strategic stores earmarked for renovation before the end of the year.
Mmm, if the banks want to be more like retail stores, they’ll have to work harder on their ROI on their products for their customers!
A new taste of the Middle East
The flavours of the Middle East, with some added Cape Town spice, is what the Bedouin Café and Deli in Woodstock is all about.
Serving a range of middle-eastern inspired meals, Bedouin’s has also launched a range of traditional Middle-Eastern style products: Bedouin’s Labneh Cheese range is a low-calorie preservative-free alternative to average cream cheeses, which are available in Original, Garlic, Pepper, Mint and Chilli flavours; then there’s also a chilli jam;and the popular‘Labnewdews’ – peppadews stuffed with Bedouin’s original labneh cream cheese.
No artificial preservatives are used in any Bedouin products and all products are available in the deli and also soon on its online storewhich is still in development.
Engage Brandcraft were responsible for developing Bedouin’s corporate identity and they were inspired by the traditional Bedouin tribal culture and heritage.
The corporate identity itself was created from this conceptual approach, which was achieved through the use of a simplistic black and white colour scheme. The addition of the camel icon and the pattern seen on the product packaging is “a playful reference” to the tribe’s environment, immediately relating to the roots of the brand’s inspiration and roots.
Updating the past
If you are as much of a fan of the British historical drama, Downton Abbey, as I am, you’ll love this launch by Hertex Fabrics of their ‘Downton Abbey’ range of wall coverings offering a little bit of history with a modern take.
The collection is described as “bold statements highlighting antique plates for fine dining areas, discreet glimpses of lacy stripes for boudoirs, with sturdy washed, wooded and rustic stone finishes for halls and stairs and glamorous damasks”.
And while I don’t have the kind of home that would lend itself to wallpaper, with my boudoir fitting more into the ‘eclectic Kalk Bay creative hippie’ design genre, I do appreciate the style.
Update: Kiehl’s opens in Durban
New York skincare brand, Kiehl’s has opened its third store in South Africa, this time in Durban at the Pavilion Shopping Centre. It is inside Edgars with its store-in-store concept.
The first two stores are in Sandton City and Eastgate, both in Gauteng.
What I want to know is, when are they opening in Cape Town?! We may not wear as much make up down here in the Cape as it usually gets blown off, but we do still do great skincare!
– Shelf Life by Louise Marsland is a weekly column on MarkLives. Tweet new product, packaging and design launches to @louise_marsland or email her at louise.marsland at gmail.com.
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Louise Marsland has written about the FMCG, media, marketing and advertising industry for 18 years of her 25 year media career as a former Editor of magazines AdVantage, Marketing Mix and Progressive Retailing; as well as websites Bizcommunity.com and FMCGFiles. She currently edits the weekly Wednesday Media & Marketing Page for The New Age newspaper; and is the co-founder and Publishing Editor of SA’s newly launched industry trendwatching portal, TREND. at www.trendlives.info, in partnership with MarkLives.com.
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