Another High Street Rebrand

james2001
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Neil Green wrote:And there was me thinking it wouldn't really take more than a miniscule amount of intelligence to cope with two logos for a shop or work out that Your M&S refers to Marks and Spencer...
My comment was really more about Sainsbury's using two totally different logos for no reason reason rather than about the Your M&S branding,
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Finn
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james2001 wrote:My comment was really more about Sainsbury's using two totally different logos for no reason reason rather than about the Your M&S branding,
And you said:
God knows why they did this, it was quite confusing.
Why on earth two different logos for a shop would be confusing is quite beyond me.
cwathen
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The new next logo, is one of the few examples of a good rebrand. Retain the best of the old, and change which sucks!
I don't really see what's so spectacular about it - all they've done is change the font, and move from uppercase to lowercase letters. It's still essentially the same brand as before, just revised, but no doubt someone has got very rich from it. It's not even innovative - that old chestnut about capitalised lettering being 'too formal and stuffy' and lowercase being 'more friendly and accessible' has been doing the rounds for at least 10 years - and it's the same bollocks now as it was then - I'm actually amazed that the BBC have managed to hold onto their uppercase letters, I'd have expected some branding firm to convince them to become the bbc by now.

I've mocked you in the past Martin, but actually I think you've got your head screwed on better than all the rest of us put together - you're going into an industry where you can claim to 'rebrand' something by making minor modifications which are utterly, utterly, conformist and in no way a true evolution in a company's brand yet get paid a fortune for doing so - Kudos to the clever guy (and I truly, honestly, mean no offence at all by that comment).
It can be confusing, as companies sometimes have 2 different logos for no real reason, like Marks & Spencer who use the "Your M&S" logo promotionally but use the "Marks & Spencer" logo on store signage and products. Sainsbury's were the same for much of the 1990s- they had the old capitalised logo in use on stores and on products, but on adverts, carrier bags, some in-store signage and the website they used a logo that wasn't hugely different to the current one. God knows why they did this, it was quite confusing. It was like it for around 4 or 5 years.
Yeah that one's got me - and I notice that some M&S stores (well, the new one opened in Hayle that is) actually has just 'M&S' on the signeage outside, rather than 'Marks and Spencer' along with moving to cheap paint/decal signs with overhead floodlighting rather than the expense of neon singeage. It's a cost saving move yet I'm sure someone got paid a handsome some for this latest 'brand evolution' from M&S.
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martindtanderson
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Yea its not a complete revolution, more like a new dress or hairdo. But thats why it is good. They didn't change too much with it, just enough to allow someone to give it a second look, to re-consider if its the place they should shop in.

The Black and white is stylish, and wasn't the problem with the prior logo. The problem was the "stuffy", "formal" font. Its thin stems and serifs. The Capitals for such a short word, isn't very welcoming and stands out negatively on the high street.

The new font, has a classy, curvy feel, which some can also use to describe women's figures and looks. It is black and white, and as we all know, black goes with everything!

It has the characteristics to allow it to match the other online and high street brands, but maintains some of it's heritage. And in practical terms, black is the cheapest colour for signage and print, also it has good contrast for accessibility both online and off, also it is adaptable to other colour schemes if need be.

The fact that the logo seems to use a custom typeface, also gives it a unique look, which cant be imitated completely.
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nwtv2003
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I take it that Warrington Town Centre must be the only place now that still has the 1970's Marks & Spencers signage still on the front and back of their store?

Although it won't be like that for much longer as it will be getting a revamp soon, it looks very out of place now as the Shopping Centre it backs onto has just had a massive facelift and extension and M&S just looks out of place.
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cwathen
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I take it that Warrington Town Centre must be the only place now that still has the 1970's Marks & Spencers signage still on the front and back of their store?
Probably not, it's amazing how many stores of big national chains just get forgotten about in refits...just when I thought that Argos had finished rolling out their current brand to every store, this week I notice that Minehead still has one with the 1970's logo on the front. And until 2004, Plymouth was home to a piece of living history in the form of Tesco Lee Mill - still with 1970's signeage and fittings inside and out (brown exterior, beige interior). Even the 'store map' next to customer services looked like it had been installed in the early 80's at the very latest. Indeed, when Tesco finally came around to updating it, they decided that refits weren't an option and the only way to proceed was to demolish the whole building and start again from scratch!
Although it won't be like that for much longer as it will be getting a revamp soon, it looks very out of place now as the Shopping Centre it backs onto has just had a massive facelift and extension and M&S just looks out of place.
Staying in Plymouth, The Armada Shopping centre in which what is locally known as 'little Sainsburys' is based got a complete interior and exterior refit in 2002...that didn't stop the old 'J SAINSBURY' signs (and the whole instore styling) living on until 2006! Are you sure M&S are planning to update?
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Pete
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M&S's intention is to update EVERY shop.

The full scale revamp is the one where they completely gut the old shop and rebuilt it from scatch. Other shops (such as Dundee, which is meant to be being replaced in a few years) get new lino floors to replace the carpets, new signs, new till cladding, new mannequins, a few new shelves, a deep clean and a load of new lights and white paint to make the place look brighter.

The whole estate is being done though, and thats no easy job.
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Stuart*
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cwathen wrote:Yeah that one's got me - and I notice that some M&S stores (well, the new one opened in Hayle that is) actually has just 'M&S' on the signeage outside, rather than 'Marks and Spencer' along with moving to cheap paint/decal signs with overhead floodlighting rather than the expense of neon singeage. It's a cost saving move yet I'm sure someone got paid a handsome some for this latest 'brand evolution' from M&S.
I wonder what signage the new M&S in Derriford, Plymouth will have when it opens next month. It seems rather large (with a mezzanine floor) to be simply the rumoured Food Hall.

There doesn't seem to have been much external progress for some time, so perhaps when I return to work after my week off I will notice some changes. It would be interesting if they branded it simply "M&S Food Hall".
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martindtanderson
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Marks & Spencer in Camden Town, is now a Simply Food store. But the interior, is very odd, compared to its previous look.

Lots of dark black ceilings, chrome and spotlights everywhere. Dare I say it, its a dark sexy store, with the black and green with minimal splashes of white.
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james2001
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cwathen wrote:Probably not, it's amazing how many stores of big national chains just get forgotten about in refits...just when I thought that Argos had finished rolling out their current brand to every store, this week I notice that Minehead still has one with the 1970's logo on the front. And until 2004, Plymouth was home to a piece of living history in the form of Tesco Lee Mill - still with 1970's signeage and fittings inside and out (brown exterior, beige interior). Even the 'store map' next to customer services looked like it had been installed in the early 80's at the very latest. Indeed, when Tesco finally came around to updating it, they decided that refits weren't an option and the only way to proceed was to demolish the whole building and start again from scratch!
You'd be suprised at the large amount of stores which still have old interior and exteriors. I was recently in Worksop and their Tesco still has 1980s fixtures and fittings. The one in Mansfield town centre still has the 1970s exterior signage even though it was refitted in 1996 (it closed down in June, replaced by a pointless out of town "Extra" store, seeing as we already had one- why they feel we need two Extra stores is beyond me. The town centre store was more convenient anyway).
Stuart*
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james2001 wrote:....why they feel we need two Extra stores is beyond me. The town centre store was more convenient anyway).
That's why it's called extra :lol: :lol: :lol:
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