Purpose has completed an extensive rebranding for Macdonald and Company, a global recruitment group working in the real estate, built environment, energy and environmental sectors.
In developing the branding programme, Purpose identified the company's virtuous circle of staff, clients and candidates. The brand consultants expressed this by establishing 'Be Connected' as a core thought to drive the brand development. Reflecting this external promise and internal goal, the new corporate identity is an infinity/DNA-esque form with two converging arrows hidden in the white space.
To ensure that 'people' are visibly central to the 'Be Connected' precept, the branding adopts a level of informality that is unusual, shedding the traditional, formal approach to branding favoured by competitors. Key elements in the brand design used to create this impression include bespoke handwriting alphabets, actual handwritten copy and an image bank of staff in casual poses. The result is a sense of authenticity, passion and transparency.
The radical and innovative 'personal' approach is applied with a refreshing boldness to stationery, marketing collateral, advertising, signage, the website, animated web banners and informal framed portraits in reception areas.
"We set out to create an identity that would make Macdonald & Company stand out from its rather traditional competitors," commented Stuart Youngs, Creative Director, Purpose. "We have given the company an authentic voice that has passion and is responsive, adaptable and willing to think differently for its clients."
By making the Macdonald staff active participants in the presentation of their identity, it is never static. They have access to a range of elements that they can use in a 'pick and mix' approach to create tailored, meaningful communications. This combination of informality with a degree of consistency results in an identity that is both memorable and enjoyable.
There are two sources for the handwriting: a series of bespoke 'handwritten' alphabets developed by the designers at Purpose, and the actual handwriting of the Macdonald staff, who are encouraged to write personal messages on letterheads and compliments slips using green and black ink, the colours of the identity.
To deliver this personal approach, Purpose has not only created an archive of visual elements -portraits, handwriting typeface alphabets, diagrams et al - but has also a 'library' of phrases that staff can incorporate in presentations and can be used for advertising and print collateral.
The livery is a progression of the green of the original corporate identity. However, this is no longer used as a block colour, but has been given a vibrant, more contemporary feel to stand out against white and black backgrounds. In this way, the whole feel of the marketing collateral is lifted.