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Learn moreLarge corporations are ideal clients for designers, as they promise generous budgets and can be a powerful addition to a portfolio. However, even the most renowned studios in Russia are not always able to establish collaborations with prestigious brands, as many of them choose international agencies for their design needs.
The justification for this question is difficult to assess. Interestingly, domestic brands have a particular trend when choosing contractors for corporate identity development: several international agencies regularly present their design solutions on the Russian market. We share the results of their work—both successful and questionable.
One of the most famous branding agencies in the world was founded by two friends—advertising expert Wally Olins and designer Michael Wolff. Interestingly, Wolff's ancestors were Russian émigrés who left the country during the Revolution and headed to Europe.
Wolff Olins's clients include such well-known brands as Google, Uber, Amazon, and Skype. Founded in 1965 in London, the organization now also has offices in New York and San Francisco. Many of the recognizable logos we associate with Russia were developed by Wolff Olins.
Also worth paying attention to such projects by the Wolff Olins studio as the orange square, the MTS "egg", and the logo that responds to voice commands.
Beeline stripes
Perhaps you know the original logo of this mobile operator:
In 2005, Beeline decided to rebrand, which involved a radical update to its corporate identity. Wolff Olins had a successful project in its portfolio related to the development of visual communications for the first telecommunications brand, Orange, so Beeline chose this agency for collaboration. Wolff Olins specialists proposed a concept with "stripes" that played on the sound of the brand name, while avoiding a literal image of a bee.
Beeline continues to use this design, and it looks quite modern. Sixteen years is an impressive period for a logo, which allows us to confidently say that the work of Wolff Olins was successful.
Also worth paying attention to the projects of the Wolff Olins studio, such as the orange square, the MTS "egg" logo and the interactive logo that responds to voice commands.
MTS Egg
A year later, Wolff Olins received a request from Beeline's direct competitor, MTS. For reference, here is what the original logo of this organization looked like:
The agency presented a fresh concept, including a logo in the form of an egg. This original solution caused mixed reactions and is still sometimes a source of jokes.
Although the symbol possesses a certain mystique, its concept remains alive today. The company has updated the design several times, making only minor changes. The current version of the MTS ecosystem emblem is a red egg without a square background. Interestingly, this work was carried out by a lesser-known foreign agency, ASVK Consulting from the UK.
In the 2000s and early 2010s, Wolff Olins actively interacted with Russia, but their cooperation has now ended. Nevertheless, the visual concepts created by this agency remain part of our environment. Beeline's identity has remained unchanged, and the MTS logo, although slightly updated, has retained its basic form.
And much more
Wolff Olins has developed visual communications for clients such as Alfa-Bank, GAZ plants, the Euroset chain, and small businesses such as the Belaya Dacha vegetable producer.
The unique history of Russian branding is directly linked to Michael Wolf, who left his agency work in the early 2000s and began working independently. In 2010, he began transforming the Russian bank Life, changing its name to the more positive "Let's Go!" At the same time, images of cats were added to the brand's visual identity - this happened even before this approach became popular in popular culture!
An informal approach to design is rare in the Russian financial sector. For clients who are used to being cautious about loans and deposits, playful images of cats may even cause confusion. Although this bank has not achieved widespread popularity, it has not ceased operations for a decade, which can be considered a successful achievement. Moreover, "Poidem!" It clearly stands out from its competitors and cannot be confused with them.
In the 2000s and early 2010s, the Wolff Olins agency actively collaborated with Russia, but this collaboration has now ended. However, the visual concepts created by this agency are still present in our environment. Beeline's identity remained unchanged, and MTS's logo updates were minimal.
Let's discuss current examples – the Saffron agency has recently been actively collaborating with our companies. This, incidentally, is another project by Wolff Olins. This year, Saffron celebrates its 20th anniversary, and its portfolio includes work for such giants as Siemens, YouTube, Facebook*, as well as other well-known international and Russian companies.
The current state of Rostelecom
Until 2018, the company's emblem was a stylized image of an ear, since at that time Rostelecom was focused on development in the telecommunications sector.
With the provider's transition to digital technologies, there was a need to update services and tariff plans, which in turn required rebranding. Two agencies collaborated on this process: the Russian Bootleg and the British Saffron.
The creation of the company's new image took a record-breaking eighteen months, which is highly unusual even for large corporations. A Russian agency was tasked with developing the strategy and defining the company's market position, while Saffron was brought in to update the visual design. The logo with a curved ribbon symbolizes the humanization of technology, and the expansion of the corporate color scheme made the identity more adaptive.
Citymobil: the pulse of transport metropolis
Previously, the characteristic feature of this taxi was the orange checkered pattern, which resembled houses in shape.
In 2021, the company presented a new visual concept. The main component of the identity was the logo, made in a font style, where the letters change their shape. This element symbolizes the dynamism of the metropolis and includes an animated version designed for online use.
Citymobil is the name proposed by Saffron Brand Consultants and can be found on Vimeo.
Want to learn more about typography, master the art of combining fonts, and develop logos based on them? Join the course at Skillbox!
The font and logo for Citymobil were created by the team at the American studio Contrast Foundry, while Saffron handled the overall visual identity update. The full version of the case is not yet available on the agency's website, but Citymobil is already actively using the new visual style on its website, mobile app, and social media.
Landor & Fitch is another international agency that has been actively interacting with Russia for a significant period of time. Founded in 1941, it is one of the oldest branding agencies. The first office opened in San Francisco, and today the company has offices around the world, including Moscow, where it began operations in 2012.
The launch of the new office marked a deepening partnership with Russia. However, Landor & Fitch's absence in Moscow did not hinder large businesses, who continued to commission identity development outside the country. For example, the agency's experts transformed Siberia Airlines into the S7 brand, completely updating its visual identity. They also worked on rebranding projects for Tele2, Tatneft, and a number of other companies. Let's take a closer look at the most recent projects.
Digital transformation of Severstal
Before the rebranding, the Severstal logo looked like this:
In 2020, the company decided to expand its product range and introduce new services. Landor & Fitch developed an updated, more diverse corporate identity and expanded its color palette. Given that customer interactions shifted almost entirely online during the pandemic, the logo was simplified to better adapt to digital formats. In addition, new patterns and icons were introduced into the visual identity.
Modern style and youth approach in Sber
One of the most notable rebrandings that took place in Last year, a collaboration with Landor & Fitch was established. Sberbank's previously used logo looked like this:
The rebranding turned out to be quite radical - Sber's new visual style, although not as playful as that of the bank "Let's Go!", nevertheless also has a fairly informal character.
The project was carried out by the Landor & Fitch team, with the involvement of various agencies and studios to perform specific tasks, including Shchuka, Paratype, Superdesigners and Media.Work. The main goal of the rebranding was to form a modern image of the bank and create an ecosystem. Some design elements have sparked controversy: the updated Sber has become the subject of numerous memes on social media and has been criticized by professionals, in particular the Logomashina studio.
The Laconic Lenta
In May of this year, the hypermarket chain announced a rebranding process. The previous logo featured a sunflower with petals.
The organization planned to develop new formats, including minimarkets, supermarkets and online sales, which determined the need for rebranding. As a result, a new logo was created, which is distinguished by a modern and minimalist design: the style of the sunflower image was updated and the corporate font was changed.
The project was implemented in collaboration with brand experts from Lenta and the Landor & Finch agency. The new corporate identity is just beginning to be implemented: all hypermarkets will soon receive updated signage, and new retail spaces will open.
Of course, not all significant Russian brands are under the control of foreign specialists—impressive domestic examples can be found among them. The identity for Ozon was developed by the Russian agency Red Keds. The corporate identity for the Perekrestok chain was created by Suprematika. The Shchuka agency was responsible for Lamoda's visual communications. In some cases, Russian designers collaborate with their Western counterparts to solve specific problems and share experiences.
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