To go along with a previous post–every brand and or product after a certain amount of time could use a little face lift. Whether the changes are minute or major they can ultimately effect sales and even brand recognition.

Let’s take a look at one example from Mountain Dew SuperNova.

(To the left, 2008 design and to the right, 2011.)

2008 vs 2011

Notice that when comparing the two what sticks out first: the color! From 2008 having a darker pink/purple tone to 2011 going to red (to adhere to the Mountain Dew brand color scheme) but still the same flavor? I think overall despite that red in a Mountain Dew color, I know myself when I think of strawberry flavor–I think red not necessarily pink so I think that was a step in the right direction.

Imagery: Changes due to the updates logo, the newer 2011 version gives the flavor a more of an edgy feel with the hard lines and sharper gradation. However neither of these products (like any other Mountain Dew products) do not illustrate their flavors with imagery, simply color.

Type: With the exception of the logo, overall the type has stayed somewhat the same. With minor changes to the overall size of “SuperNova” the fonts still appear to be the same both here and on the claims listed below it.

Other changes include:

• 290 Calories Per Bottle “Key” which reflects the new FDA rule

• Sizes/hierarchy

– “Limited Edition”

– New Mtn Dew logo

– Supernova is smaller

How about another example–here with a but more of a change.

Look at these two (old to the left and new to the right)…Thoughts?

I personally have never heard of Squirt but when I look at the bottle I assume a lemon-lime soda. Apparently I am not the only one that assumes this…which one would think is a problem right there–not knowing what the product is! In comparing the two right off of the bat–the old you can tell it has to do with citrus. With the new, unless you are familiar with the product you could guess that it is citrus. But if you were selling that product would you really want your consumers to guess? By de-emphasizing the citrus fruit imagery and emphasizing the “spray” art elements, Squirt has in a way traded down? Sure a lot of brands right now are going for a more simplified look–but I think that is what made Squirt stand out from the rest before–that punch. There is less energy and does not work as hard as the previous design, but hey its just my opinion!

Imagery: The new design–Is it lemon? Lemon-lime? Grapefruit? Orange? Some sort of blend? Hard to tell. But if you look at the old designs, you can see citrus styled images as part of the branding, which could too be mistaken as orange and or grapefruit. So this new design seems to be leaving a crucial flavor behind and has very little imagery at all. Like I said before if you did a quick glance, would you know what this product was? before reading the fine print? The images seem to have been replaced with a “squirt spray” of citrus drops, rather than the bold “citrus bursts.” In fact, on the new packaging, the ”citrus burst” line has been removed all together.

Type: Once being a bold, powerful type treatment now looks on the weaker side, giving it less power, less pizazz. The lettering within the logo has become thinner and more slanted. What does this do? Makes it look a bit feminine, a little less readable.  The new type too doesn’t have that pop or punch off of the bottle without the white outline on top of a solid yellow background.

When you look at the old bottle–that thick white outline and green line really sets the logo apart from its fruit background, giving it a visual punch. But compared to the the lower-contrast current packaging, it just comes off as weaker, and skinnier. There seems to be less energy.

Overall changes:

• 240 Calories Per Bottle “Key” which reflects the new FDA rule

• “Citrus Burst” eliminated

• Imagery eliminated

• “Thirst Quencher” has been added

Hot Wheels Jump

Watch Tanner Foust break the world record by jumping 332 feet in a life sized Hot Wheels car at the opening ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500!

Even though I may not be a designer per se–in getting to know more and more about this industry and the way that things work from a creative stand point, I can completely relate to this campaign. I give a lot of credit to Diesel for portraying an edgy campaign; not in the typical half naked girl or guy in a compromising pose wearing their jeans, well not all of them, but in the idea of being blunt–saying what a lot of others are thinking. Even though the word stupid may be frowned upon, I think that the campaign illustrates thinking outside the box and pushes limits. I also think that this relates to more people than one might think.

The messages are bold, and the pictures definitely take a risk–so much that according to police in England, Diesel took it a little too far– some of these ads were banned. Apparently these ads were viewed as promoting indecent social behavior–but really? Who is going to do that?

I never saw these ads before, but I am glad that I did. Diesel says stupid and shows stupid–pretty cut and dry and when you look at these ads, you should know the difference!

Designer Michael Wolff of Wolff Olins describes how he views the world around him, and how an effective brand connects with its users.

When you think of a font, you most likely think of a computer. You are in a program and you can select one from a drop down menu…not for these! Check out this collection of “type faces.”

An entire alphabet using one chair

Photographer and graphic designer Amandine Alessandra is preoccupied with the relationship of words and images, finding typography a field bridging the gap between the two.

The London-based designer crafted a full alphabet using only a single chair and several boards, which were used to hide certain sections of the chair.

“The series…uses a chair as a matrix for an alphabet,” Alessandra wrote on her website. “Each letter is a meaningless installation if seen on its own, but becomes decipherable when a few of them are put together as words. Objects become readable.”

To the right, using paper, French artist Jerome Corgier painstakingly sculpted an entire alphabet to appear as three-dimensional. Each letter is uniquely detailed—Corgier said that he wanted to give each letter a “life” and “history”.

Yet another household item made into a type face, “Typick.” Although it can only be fully viewed from a certain angle Jerome Haldemeann used toothpicks to craft a full typeface.

We all know that Star Wars has a fan base of its own. Here, a cartoonist Mark Anderson rekindled his love for the movie series, sculpting the entire alphabet using only LEGO Star Wars spaceship sets.

Credits: DesignTaxi

An impressive campaign from Ogilvy & Mather for Hot Wheels.

A very tedious reproduction of Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring in Japan’s Kyushu forest.

Commissioned by the Touchwood SH-08C phone.

A great short documentary presented by Stella Artois:

UP THERE from Jon on Vimeo.

Concept: Mother NY; Production Co: Mekanism; Director/DP/Editor: Malcolm Murray; Music by The Album Leaf; Painters: Colossal Media/Sky High Murals/Bob Middleton; Presented by Stella Artois