Opinion BY Rietje Gieskes

Aster-isk Identitus

Aster, one of the oldest shoe brands in France, has been delivering high quality children’s footwear since 1913. Their shoes feature a unique die-cut of an Aster (Diplopappus) flower, a shape recently upgraded to brand icon status. The redesign, led by Bayaderes, includes a refined color palette and a playful script.

The aster flower has figured prominently in the history of the brand. Always present on their shoes, but often used differently in their logo. The new icon resembles the shoe’s iteration much more closely, establishing a greater link between brand and product. In this case, the connection is mutually beneficial, increasing memorability of the logo and distinctiveness of the shoes.

The aster shape is now present throughout the brand

The new script, while slightly uneven (the capital A seems awkwardly thicker than the remaining letterforms) is a vast improvement on the clunky sans serif of the previous identity. In addition, the artificially bright color palette of the earlier logo has been replaced by a more sophisticated set of colors which are displayed prominently on the branded materials.

The creators of the new logo refer to the icon as an ‘aster-isk,’ the look of which is reinforced by the squared petals, and placement above the script. While clever, this seems like an unnecessary level of differentiation when the brand’s overall goal is to celebrate its original form.

One oversight seems to be the lack of die-cut applications — a die-cut business card or shopping bag would be a natural extension for this icon, given its historic application on the shoes.

The secondary typeface, as shown on the guideline document above is a less successful brand expression.

Additional branded materials.

There is a greater sense of authenticity to the revised logo: the color palette is richer, the typeface communicates a more genuine personality and the icon connects the brand to the product. Since the website still features the old identity, it’s hard to judge the scope and seriousness of the redesign, but if the new system is applied as consistently as these visuals suggest, this should be a big improvement for the brand.

Many thanks to our ADV @ UnderConsideration Partners