InTL. REVIEW BY Alexander Iosad POSTED BY Brand New

Russia’s Sunny Bank

When Russian leaders talk about the recession, they invariably call it “the global financial crisis” - and the emphasis is always on “global”. It is a way of shifting the blame away from themselves. I am not going to initiate a political debate here: there are other, better places for this. But for one reason or another, Russian banks didn’t suffer too much from the recession. And now one of them has even launched a rebranding campaign. I always felt MDM Bank was one of those banks which people kind of know about, but don’t really go to for personal banking. Or, to put it differently, I know that the bank exists; I must have used its ATMs at some point, but I honestly don’t know anyone who has an account with them. Yet evidence suggests it is, in fact, one of the more successful Russian banks: its credit ratings are some of the best in the country.

In August 2009, MDM Bank completed a merger with another Siberian-based bank, URSA Bank — click here for a scary merger logo. Now they have launched a common identity, designed by the Russian studio BBDO Branding (no English web-site, I’m afraid), who had designed URSA Bank’s logo back in 2007. Incidentally, this is the same studio that did such a poor job on the new identity for the Russian Railways.

I can’t say I’m a huge fan of this creation, either. Granted, the new logotype is an improvement — but mostly because there was much to improve on. The typography in the new logo (set in FF Dax or a variant of it) is crisp and looks quite modern — at least for Russia. It is clearly superior to the previous version: the Latin “k” with an ascender in the old Russian logo makes me shudder, and did it really have to be so condensed? There is a clear desire to develop a more Western brand here, and I think in this respect the typography is a success. The symbol, however, is a different matter. Granted, it is better than the old one. (What was this thing supposed to be? Was it meant to be a pile of gold? It’s a pile all right). Here’s what they have to say about the new symbol:

“MDM Bank’s new logo will feature an image of the sun reflecting the bank’s main values: reliability and stability, openness and partnership, a warm attitude to individual and corporate clients, and the accessibility and simplicity of the bank’s services. Since ancient times the sun has had strong associations with gold and gave round shape to coins. Moreover, sun is also a symbol of power, energy and success. It is an exceptionally friendly sign full of warmness, optimism and positive emotions”.

The orange circle represents the sun. The sun represents warmth. (And gold coins). Now, isn’t this simply boring?

Here’s what I think: this is yet another missed opportunity for Russian brand designers. Here was a chance to do something really exciting, a logo that would be truly innovative for the Russian market and show MDM Bank’s Western partners that it is open to new ideas. Instead, the designers played it safe. The new identity is decent, I suppose; it doesn’t jar the eye. But logos like these are a dime a dozen, and there is nothing to differentiate MDM Bank from their competitors. Now, if only more designers (and companies) followed in the footsteps of Beeline…

Thanks to J. Jason Smith for the tip.

nashekrashe’s comment is:

pay rates don’t inspire russian designers “to do something really exciting”

On Feb.19.2010 at 06:42 AM

obse.’s comment is:

Great. Another Wolff Olins fan.
He can’t appreciate nice decent branding just because it isn’t edgy.

And PLEASE, could the “International Correspondent” stop trying to write like Armin?

On Feb.19.2010 at 07:41 AM

obse.’s comment is:

Why exactly is the Russian Railways identity poor? I kinda like it.

On Feb.19.2010 at 07:43 AM

FelixS’s comment is:

What a horrible review… very amateurish!

Just because it’s not edgy or not AOL-like branding, you can’t call it boring. Design is about effective communication, not just “creative” for the sake of being creative. As long as the design appropriately derives its meaning from the quality of the thing it represents, I’d say it’s job well done.

On Feb.19.2010 at 07:51 AM

Jeffry Pilcher’s comment is:

Another thumbs down review from Brand New…go figure. The name of this site should be “Why Your New Logo Sucks.”

On Feb.19.2010 at 07:51 AM

reinko’s comment is:

No it isn’t exciting, but not bad. Looks like the mark will stay relatively fresh for a long time. The type seems more outdated to me.

On Feb.19.2010 at 08:29 AM

Nisio’s comment is:

Go figure, more constructive comments from comment posters. Give the guy a break - it’s not like you’re paying to visit this site and he’s clearly young. Why not show some grace and support instead? Bitching is easy, and for that matter part of the reason why this site is getting less and less pleasant to visit.

On Feb.19.2010 at 08:35 AM

Jordan Koschei’s comment is:

I don’t think this is bad at all! Financial institutions shouldn’t be “edgy” — on the contrary, that edginess leads to things like economic meltdowns. Banks should be responsible and (financially) conservative, and this logo reflects that rather well.

On another note, it’s rare to see Cyrillic typography, and I love it.

On Feb.19.2010 at 08:42 AM

Rx’s comment is:

i agree with FelixS & Jeffry Pilcher.

On Feb.19.2010 at 08:47 AM

jonathan’s comment is:

Last time I checked, pretty much all banking logos are safe Alex. No one wants to feel edgy giving someone their hard earned money.

I’m no Russian, but I think this feels all too western for me. I’m so tired of this trendy, generic “modern” type. The logo on the other hand, is pretty nice, it feels like many individuals drawn to one source. Not bad, but the type is lacking IMO.

On Feb.19.2010 at 08:59 AM

Mr. Kim’s comment is:

Hi have agree with the sentiment expressed here. This review is not up to it’s usual standard and the logo, in my view is a huge success. Especially coming from a place like Russia where local culture and tradition can be a challenge.

Also, I understand that most brands try hard to differentiate but this is just one strategic approach. I would argue that this particular mark DOES NOT try to differentiate but rather EMULATE western institutions and their values. It’s wants to be American. It’s unfortunate that the world is measured by US/UK ideals… go Hollywood or go bust!

BTW, I love the way the logo flashes in the video. Nice work!

On Feb.19.2010 at 09:16 AM

MSGDS’s comment is:

Banks don’t really have very exciting logo designs. This one is not that bad, but will have to say that the font choice is extremely horrid.

On Feb.19.2010 at 09:43 AM

Vaughn’s comment is:

Being ‘boring’ is the least of my worries with this one. The logo is clean and type-set nicely… but the orange ‘sun’ looks strikingly like a ‘stock’ logo object vector say from here:

http://www.vectorportal.com/logos/type.asp?iType=78&offset=0

Obviously not exactly, but I can’t help seeing it as such, and I’m sure if anybody looked around on these type of logo stock sites you would be able to find something pretty similar in the end.

On Feb.19.2010 at 09:47 AM

rek’s comment is:

1) It was a global economic problem, however
2) Blame legitimately falls on some financial institutions, for one reason or another, and not on others, and some banks were sucked down the hole just for business arrangements with those at fault.

None of this has to do with a rebranding, and shouldn’t have been talked around at all.

On Feb.19.2010 at 10:30 AM

buruno’s comment is:

Everyone said pretty much everything about this. I don’t particularly love nor hate Wolff Ollins, but debunking a fairly decent work based on a specific trend or view doesn’t seem right to me.

On Feb.19.2010 at 10:51 AM

Brendan’s comment is:

Perhaps the reviewer was indicating that the concept of dots in a circle, a sun, a coin…that’s the boring part. The execution is fine and the design is safely conservative for a bank, but compare this to a bank like Chase, which created a conservative mark that was totally different. You can be progressive while still being conservative.

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:04 AM

C Jones’s comment is:

This reminds me of a piece of art that no one really liked until they read the artist’s statement. My first reaction to the mark was: hum… nice design, type is ok, not edgy, another logo with shapes emanating from a center point… seen it. After reading the concept I liked it more. Not sure if that is a good thing.

Once I saw the logo implemented in the video I liked it even more. I think it is too hard today to critique just a logo. You need to see its implementation to truly gage its success. How does it look as a hologram on debit cards? Does it have potential for animation? How is it paired with imagery? These are the areas where brands are really breaking out of the bounding box. The mark is only the beginning. And as a mark, this is better than a lot I see made today.

– c jONEs

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:14 AM

Kit’s comment is:

We—Brandient—were in the bid but did’t win, yet I must note that the pitch was well paid and, as far as I know, well conducted.

Let me summarize this: central Siberia, paid pitch.

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:21 AM

Brian Son’s comment is:

Rebranding efforts like this make me wish that we could see the process more. Especially with corporate projects such as this, there are ALWAYS innovative, appealing designs that never make it. We all know this, and not all clients are receptive or understanding of good design over pure business. For what it is, it’s fine, it’s not fantastic, but you can’t deny or dismiss that this is one of many projects that could have gone worse, and you know that there had to be better options presented to the client in the initial stages.

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:25 AM

michael scott’s comment is:

Hahaha, I totally agree with ‘obse.’! Good on ya mate!

@nashekrashe: Your work isn’t so great. You’re following trends.

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:33 AM

michael scott’s comment is:

@Nisio: This guy is going for an MA. How is he young? You make it seem like he’s some teenage kid that we should pity.

On Feb.19.2010 at 11:46 AM

Erwin ’s comment is:

I’m surprised no-one made the connection between this logo and Byzantine mosaic art. Or is that too farfetched? It looks like a pattern/decoration you can find in an orthodox christian cathedral, which I’m sure you can find a lot of in Russia. How can you better display wealth than linking to the golden era of your own country? Maybe using a bit of history in your logo comforts people, and a lot of banks could learn from that.

IF my mosaic theory is indeed absurd, then at least you have a nice logo which reminds us of the sun, warmth, gold, whatever, it’s not that bad! It’s a lot better than the new logo of that one German bank from a few months back which name I forgot! And it does not look like something someone ripped off a stock site!

And the author of this piece should try to be more objective next time… You’re not Armin Pt. 2! Who are you trying to impress?

On Feb.19.2010 at 12:00 PM

Andrea’s comment is:

I love the colors. Most banks seem to go with blue, so this is a nice twist with the orange.

On Feb.19.2010 at 12:26 PM

Anthony Hawkins’s comment is:

Every logo doesn’t need to be a great logo. The most important thing is if the logo works and can be trusted.

I think MDM made the right choice on this one. If you are a bank in a global recession but at the same time tend to be doing pretty well; the last thing you want to do is take a huge risk with a rebranding effort.

Compared to their last logo it’s a vast improvement and their explanation of the sun idea works well when people are looking for stability in an unstable world.

On Feb.19.2010 at 12:34 PM

FelixS’s comment is:

Famous Paul Rand’s quote: “Don’t try to be original, just try to be good.”

I think being original (edgy, trendy, cool, whatever) is overrated in my opinion, because it is not always good and not always the right direction to take.

Sure, it’s not a perfect logo, but does the job well in conveying the message. Although I must say the relationship between the symbol and the logotype can still be improved upon…

On Feb.19.2010 at 12:47 PM

Julio’s comment is:

I pretty much agree with the rest of the comments, i like the logo. When you come from a cloudy, rainy and snowy country, and make a logo with a sun… i believe you are indeed very close to a good and fresh idea. It’s easy to talk bad about others work, especially when you live far away from them, and you don’t have any clue about their culture.

When Brand New suggested to apply for International Correspondent i thought that someone in X country would talk about logo design in X country. This is a totally diferent thing.

Anyway… keep trying.

On Feb.19.2010 at 12:58 PM

Chris’s comment is:

Way too similar for my taste. Even if they aren’t in the same industry, this is the exact same concept with a little different styling.

Sure, it’s pretty, but it represents so little.

On Feb.19.2010 at 01:03 PM

Tiff’s comment is:

It is unoriginal and not exciting, a library has almost the same look.

On Feb.19.2010 at 01:12 PM

Eric’s comment is:

Any Russian speakers out there? I’m curious what the video says and why it includes a clip of my daily commute through Chicago.

The logo is fine. While I enjoy the thoughtful commentary this site brings, there needs to be a spot on the meter between “truly innovative” and “boring.” Just because an idea isn’t revolutionary, that doesn’t make it a failure.

On Feb.19.2010 at 01:21 PM

Mesothelioma’s comment is:

Love the new logo, really works for the idea and image of the company.

On Feb.19.2010 at 02:23 PM

Christopher’s comment is:

What I don’t understand is why the brand video uses stock footage of Chicago.

On Feb.19.2010 at 02:41 PM

Mike’s comment is:

It’s clean, professional, hits all its marks. Nothing inspired.

On Feb.19.2010 at 04:44 PM

yaodao121’s comment is:

Thomson Reuters from Interbrand

On Feb.19.2010 at 07:49 PM

SamCurt’s comment is:

There’s something Russian abut this logo: After all, sunflower is Russia’s National Flower.

For a comparison of an Anglo-American bank’s sun-themed rebranding, see OneWest, successor of the failed Indymac.

On Feb.20.2010 at 10:02 AM

Alexander Kolchin’s comment is:

Colors are stolen from here http://www.finsb.ru/

On Feb.20.2010 at 10:46 AM

Stuart McCoy’s comment is:

Oooh, another cliched mark set next to type straight form the character palette. Color me impressed…or not. The two don’t fit together at all and the choice of type face is abysmal. If that is representative of “western design” then I’m the f’ing Pope.

On Feb.20.2010 at 11:46 AM

flask’s comment is:

This thread amuses me. In the future, whenever someone accuses the commenters on this site of being too pessimistic and critical, we can just link to this page to show an example of when 99% of the comments were in support of the new logo. :)

I am curious though, how much the initial post influenced people’s reaction. Many people here seem to be critiquing the review itself as much as the logo in question. Is the logo, then, winning more favor here simply as a subconscious disagreement with the “amateurish” reviewer?

Anyway, I tend to agree with C Jones that it helps to see it in the context of the video. I don’t speak Russian, so I have no idea what the voiceover is saying, but the gentle ‘flashes’ of the logo throughout the video get across the ‘sun’ theme even without batting us over the head with it. And if ‘Westernization’ was part of the goal, they’ve certainly succeeded there too: Simply throw in an English voiceover, and this could just as easily be an ad for PNC, Fifth Third, or Key.

On Feb.20.2010 at 12:42 PM

Alessandro Mingione’s comment is:

I agree with flask.
And I would add that the reviewer never wrote the word “edgy”, you are assuming that’s what he wanted to say because he showed appreciation to a Wolff Olin’s logo. That’s childish.

On Feb.20.2010 at 04:51 PM

KseniyaM’s comment is:

The video:
“In the bustle of the city and the flow of events, our eye unwillingly picks out unique forms, images, or signs, because they have qualities that attract: reliability and stability, focus on the goal and a belief in the future, brightness and friendliness, intellec and the ability to think a few steps ahead. Together, we reach succes. These are the things we thought about in creating our logo. It contains sun, which gives energy; openness and partnership, this logotype gives us light and warmth. This is why it attracts people’s attention and inspires them. MDM Bank: Energy, partnership, and Friendliness.

…no mention of why it’s Chicago.
I’d say the logo doesn’t necessarily live up to the claims professed in the video, but is decent for Russia.

On Feb.20.2010 at 07:37 PM

Pavel’s comment is:

The comments speak for themselves…

I love the “steal” and “looks like this” comparisons when you’re dealing with totally different contexts / cultures. The logo although simple, speaks well to a bank — a Russian bank, away from all the western “originality” that everyone mentions.

Lets remember where this lives and who it communicates to.

The personal comment about “shifting the blame” does not belong on this blog — we’re not financial critics. Take the cheap shots elsewhere.

On Feb.20.2010 at 08:59 PM

Caspian’s comment is:

1:13 in the video shows the Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur with the ‘sun’ logo on it. Any idea why? (pretty sure they weren’t there when I visited and according to Wiki tennants include: Accenture, Al Jazeera English, Carigali Hess Bloomberg, Boeing, IBM, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, McKinsey & Co, TCS, HCL Technologies, Krawler Networks, Microsoft, The Agency (a modeling company) and Reuters.
It’s like slapping it on Big Ben. Seems like some funky video editing going on.
I liked the logo and the colour palette more without the video. Now it feels cheep. Stock after stock all differently graded with logos popping up everywhere. Logo good, video shocking.

On Feb.20.2010 at 09:35 PM

Eric’s comment is:

Thanks, KseniyaM for translating the video.

On Feb.21.2010 at 01:10 AM

Jake’s comment is:

Glad I’m not the only one who thought this was a horrible review. Regardless, though, I don’t see a problem with this logo. I actually quite like it, even if it is “boring.”

On Feb.21.2010 at 08:33 AM

fonzie’s comment is:

“Way too similar for my taste. Even if they aren’t in the same industry, this is the exact same concept with a little different styling.”

Go away.

On Feb.21.2010 at 02:26 PM

Thomas’s comment is:

I don’t expect banks – in these times – to dare very nontraditional, exciting an innovative ways to communicate. And franky, I don’t see the point in it, I guess most of their customers want something safe and solid.
The type is nice, solid set and, combined with the orange color, appears very harmonic, solid and – up to date. The picture mark is probably a bit generic but strengthens their aimed sunny appearance.
This review does seem very harsh, objective and biased to me. I hope the deserved back lash in the commenters’ sections motivates the young critic to a more complex review next time.

On Feb.22.2010 at 04:50 AM

Martin Boath’s comment is:

@Fonzie – well said.

On Feb.22.2010 at 05:06 AM

Elneff’s comment is:

Is it out of place to ask what’s so fantastic about the Beeline identity? If you ask me it’s even more boring (beeline.ru).

On Feb.22.2010 at 07:15 AM

Christian’s comment is:

I say go for the ball - not the man.

On Feb.23.2010 at 03:28 AM

Jung’s comment is:

i thought logo was working fine…except there are many similar kind that is better…
i think its hard to appreciate it until you see the rest of application… lets hope for smart execution…?

On Feb.23.2010 at 11:13 AM

delreal’s comment is:

I think it looks really similar to the Thomson Reuters logo, it’s a mistake because both companies move in the financial sector

On Feb.24.2010 at 09:52 AM

andrew miller’s comment is:

Armin, you need to start a blog where people can critique a review of a logo rather than the logo itself. Too much of that crap going on here. It’s called opinions. Take em or leave em, people.

On Feb.24.2010 at 03:09 PM

oleg’s comment is:

one more bbdo’s shit-logo

On Feb.25.2010 at 08:42 AM

zu’s comment is:

there are no bright designers in russian giant ad agencies. interdrand, bbdo and other international guys suck in russia. check their portfolio if you dont believe.

On Mar.28.2010 at 06:19 AM

Rufus Dickert’s comment is:

ermmm, I really don’t get what this dude is on about! Half these posts don’t even make sense:(

On Jul.28.2010 at 09:03 AM