- October 28th, 2009
- Filed under Marketing
Image Courtesy of Freefoto.com
Soft Drink. Pop. Soda. What do you call that sweet, fizzy drink that comes in cans, out of fountains, and sometimes in bottles? I call it coke.
In Southern Indiana where I grew up, a Sprite is a coke, a Dr. Pepper is a coke, and a Pepsi is also a coke. The Coca Cola brand has resonated so much in my hometown that it has become the generic term for the entire category of product. Coke is in good company. Kleenex, Xerox, Google, and even Q-Tip have all created such strong brand identities that their trademarked names are now nouns. (Definition of brand identity.)
Brands like Coca Cola appear to be every marketer’s dream. They seem to need very little advertising and messaging. However, the truth of the matter is that Coca Cola still spends millions of dollars every year on tv and print campaigns for Coke Classic. So what’s up with that?
Like lawns, buildings and cars, brands need maintenance. No matter how great of a brand a product or company has, it needs to be updated and rearticulated in order to resonate.
In 2009, Coca Cola launched a beautiful, if slightly strange, series of commercials featuring bucolic fields filled with young people and singing, furry creatures. The tagline: “Open Happiness.” In a time of recession and war, the ad communicates that sipping a coke will lead to an imaginary world filled with smiles and giggles. Pretty simple. Very timely.
Like Madonna, Coca Cola is great at reinventing itself for the times. During the 1980s, responding to the end of the Cold War and inspired by the Reagan administration, Coca Cola launched their ultra American campaign. “Red, White, and You.” This is the 1980s at its best – patriotism and tight-rolled jeans
Learning from mistakes of the past (ahem New Coke), Coca Cola focuses on maintaining the quality of the product – the essence of their brand identity- while concurrently aligning their advertising to the changing times. Just like Joan Rivers, every few years the product gets a facelift.
So what do Coca Cola Classic and the IMA have in common?
Well, if you haven’t seen it already, the IMA is undergoing it’s own facelift or brand refresh. Over the course of the next few months we’ll be transitioning from our old brand identity:
to our new:
The IMA is a dynamic organization with a lot going on. We hope that the new look and feel of our brand will communicate the energy of the museum. Like Coca Cola, we know that the classic formula is always the best. So while the marketing may change a bit, the IMA and its mission will remain the same. We’ll still have over 50,000 works of art; we’ll still be free to the public; and we’ll continue to inspire creativity through art, nature and design.
All of this talk about brands got me thinking…What brands do you think are the best? Are there examples of museums with great brands? Let me know your favorites.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Do not like the new brand. Looks like somebody did a poor job of text layout. Green? Really? Not like there’s a bandwagon for that or anything, eh?
Oh well, this ship has sailed.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Paul – Thanks for your response. The new logo is such a departure from our old look that I must admit, my first impression was more aligned with yours. However, this logo is just one small part of a much larger brand identity and over time as the entire campaign rolls out, the elegance and flexibility of the brand will emerge. Stay tuned!
Also, you may also be interested in a blog post by Noelle. It outlines some of the design philosophy behind the logo. There were some great responses to that post as well. http://www.imamuseum.org/blog/2009/07/01/a-quarterly-conversation/.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:52 am
I saw the new brand on a postcard I bought in the Indianapolis airport just over a month ago. I think it’s pretty cool – edgy, clean and simple. I also like how it defines what the ‘IMA’ means for those tourists who may not know.
The color green sends a clear message that the IMA is probably doing their part in the environmental revolution. It’s inspiring and thought provoking!
October 28th, 2009 at 11:49 am
I think the Guggenheim brand is very strong, due to their satellite branches all over the world. The Lourve is making its brand stronger with its involvement in Abu Dahbi. Interesting how an architect’s association with a museum can also help strengthen it’s brand (sometimes).
I noticed that the Art Institute of Chicago is changing its identity a bit, with a new typeface (now the u’s looke like v’s) and color scheme. To me, the new IMA brand is a fresh upgrade, but will always love “its my art!”
October 28th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Wow, that 2009 commercial almost reaches Sega Saturn Shiro levels of whimsy. Nice find!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm5jaf9PwW4
October 28th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
It’s appealing. Makes you take a second look – you’ve visually engaged your audience by making them take the second glance. I agree that IMA to a tourist might not intuitive – so why not impress that it’s also a greater part of the Indianapolis/Indiana landscape.
Having been to the “World of Coke” and exposed to behind the scenes of some of their marketing, it’s also a risk to change. Kudos to IMA for being a risk-taker.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Is there an intentionality with starting with the word Indiana? That’s the first thing I noticed (besides the minimalism). I’m not sure Indiana seems as metropolitan as Indianapolis.
Also, is “IMA” used with the entire name consistently throughout. If it is, the acronymal form appears repetitive. Or is use of “IMA” transitional? Albeit, most people I know that actually visit the museum refer to it as “the IMA.”
October 29th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
The split at the Indiana was intentional. It addresses the fact that the Museum is an integral part of the city and the state’s cultural landscape.
As far as the IMA acronym is concerned…As we unroll the rest of the brand you’ll see “Indianapolis Museum of Art” drop off at times to be replaced by the multiple entities that make up the IMA such as The Toby, 100 Acres: Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, Museum Store, etc.
Stay tuned. I’ll post some of the other graphic treatments in the next few weeks.
Thanks everyone for your feedback! Keep it coming.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
When I interned there this summer, I was shocked when they talked about the new brand at an all-staff meeting. I didn’t like it at all!
But now, driving back through Indy and seeing the new gigantic sign on the side of the IMA, I really love it! It is so clean and modern looking. I feel it makes the old brand a bit outdated–so it’s definitely a step in the right direction.