A B-side BY Armin

Ecova

The result of the recent merger between Advantage IQ and Ecos, Ecova is a “total energy and sustainability management company”. The new identity was designed by Sandstrom Partners.

A B-Side BY Armin

SOCAN

Established in 1990, SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) represents and works with more than 100,000 Canadian composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers “to protect, preserve and promote the performing rights of music creators.” At the end of January SOCAN introduced a new logo. Story here.

A B-Side BY Armin

SoHo Channel

Launched in 2011, SoHo is a premium entertainment channel in New Zealand available on SKY Network Television. The channel was branded by Sydney-based (and now defunct) Tactic. See some applications of the identity below (or after the jump).

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Opinion BY Armin

Toolin’ & Machinin’

Established in 1943, the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) aims to “help members of the U.S. precision custom manufacturing industry achieve profitable growth and business success in a global economy through advocacy, advice, education, networking, information, programs and services.” Citing a misunderstanding of American manufacturing as being in trouble, NTMA wants to make sure everyone understands that is not the case and that this community is thriving. With 50 chapters across the U.S., NTMA counts with nearly 2,000 members — “members” are counted as businesses not individuals — covering industries “from aerospace to electronics to nuclear power.” The new identity was designed by Atlanta, GA-based Matchstic.

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Transcontinental

Transcontinental is a marketing activation company founded in 1976. According to their website, they are the “Largest printer in Canada. One of Canada’s leading providers of Web solutions and marketing communications. Canada’s leading consumer magazine publisher.” In addition to the new mark, the trademark changed to “TC. Transcontinental”. The new identity was done by Montréal’s brand strategy consulting firm Cohesion Strategies and creative shop Bleublancrouge. From the press release: “The new brand better reflects the company’s comprehensive and integrated marketing communications offering, including print, media, digital, interactive and mobile.” Some applications below (or after the jump).

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IZIBUILD

IZI is a Portuguese home improvement store owned by PreBuild. In 2011 EuroRSCG rebranded IZI, now known as IZIBUILD. Prebuild’s Margarida Calvinho explains (as translated by Google) “the new graphic identity reinforces the strength, experience and credibility that characterized the group Prebuilt.”

Thanks to Rodolfo Foitinho for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

TV Land Flips Out

Launched in 1996 and originally part of a Nickelodeon programming block called Nick at Nite, TV Land is a cable television channel aimed (according to owner MTV Networks) at the 40- to 50-year-old with a blend of original programming, classic and contemporary television series acquisitions, and movies. What originally started as a nostalgia-filled, black-and-white-tinted programming has grown into a Betty White-fueled feel-good programming. This month TV Land introduced a revised logo and a new on-air look both designed by Trollbäck + Company, who also designed their previous on-air package.

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Opinion BY Armin

jcpenney Nails the American Look

As you might remember, jcpenney landed in the top three of my 2011 Worst list for its bake-off approach to designing the last iteration of their logo, so it was with both high and low expectations that I approached a highly public company reimagining announced yesterday. If you don’t mind, I’ll repeat the same introduction from last year: First opened as a dry-goods store named the “Golden Rule” in Kemmerer, Wyoming by James Cash Penney in 1902, JCPenney today is a publicly-traded company with 1,100 department stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, mostly in shopping malls. Providing fairly decent middle-of-the-road merchandise, JCPenney is an extremely popular destination for finding affordable items without the top brand names attached — they develop many of their own brands. / End recycled intro. / “Every initiative we pursue,” starting February 1, reads the press release, “will be guided by our core value to treat customers as we would like to be treated — fair and square.” New store designs, new brand names, new spokesperson partner in Ellen DeGeneres, and — yay — new logo and identity will be rolled out. No design firm is credited (leads anyone?).

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Biedronka

Biedronka, Polish for ladybug, is “the largest retail network in Poland with more than 1,800 stores in over 750 locations.” The company unveiled their recent metamorphosis on January 16, 2012. As the press release indicates, beyond a refreshed aesthetic, the new identity represents permanent inscription of the slogan, “Everyday low prices,” into the company’s business model and a focus on the slogan as a more integral part of the Biedronka brand.

Thanks to Jakub Świadek for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

ITG Staggers

Established in 1987 in New York and now with 17 offices in 10 countries ITG (Investment Technology Group) is “an independent research broker partnering with global portfolio managers and traders throughout the investment process, from investment decision through to settlement.” If that’s a little unclear — it is to me — they help “clients understand market trends, improve performance, mitigate risk, and navigate increasingly complex markets.” To coincide with its 25th anniversary, ITG has dropped its full name and introduced a new identity and “brandline”, Decoding Signal from Noise, by Landor.

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Daphne’s California Greek

Established in 1991 Daphne’s California Greek restaurant is “the fast casual choice of diners who live healthy, active lifestyles and crave something unique” with 60 locations across the West Coast. In 2010, Daphne’s emerged from bankruptcy protection with new owners, who redesigned every aspect of the restaurant in 2011.

Thanks to Abe Vizcarra for the tip.

A B-Side BY Armin

Raine & Horne

Established in 1883, Raine & Horne is an Australian property firm. From the press release: “At the core of the new identity is a unique hand-crafted bespoke ampersand symbol representing Raine & Horne’s brand ideal, ‘Positive Partnerships’.” The new logo was designed by Idea Works.

Thanks to Tricia Ho for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

Coyote (Not So) Ugly

Established in 2006, Coyote Logistics is a third party logistics and transportation, meaning that they accommodate shipments with a variety of carriers, finding trucks that have available space in trips they are already making. According to Inc. magazine, which listed Coyote as the No. 1 company in Logistics and Transportation, it has had a 13,846.8% three-year growth. Coyote counts with over 300 employees and an aggressive (in a friendly way) attitude. This past Fall they introduced a new identity designed by Moving Brands.

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Alorica

Founded in 1999, Alorica is a “leading Business Services provider delivering Customer Management and Sales and Marketing solutions for leading brands.” From the press release: “The orange trapezoid (aka flare) represents energy and enthusiasm.”

Thanks to Kenyon Broadley for the tip.

A B-Side BY Armin

National Weather Association

Established in 1975, the National Weather Association is a “member-led, all inclusive, non-profit, professional association supporting and promoting excellence in operational meteorology and related activities.” From the press release: “The National Weather Association logo represents some of the most common meteorological conditions throughout the world, from sunny and dry to cloudy and rainy. The element of severity, centrally shown as a bolt of lightning, symbolizes the continued need to give greater attention to high impact weather and how it affects our planet.” The new logo was designed by Nesnadny + Schwartz. How cute and helpless was that old logo?

Thanks to Nick Piesco for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

DC may be its own Villain

Founded in 1934 (originally as National Allied Publications), DC Comics is one of the biggest publishers of comic books and is home to some of the most famed superheroes like Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and the Flash. This past Summer, DC Comics made big news when it announced it would reboot 52 of its titles back to issue #1, giving many of its characters full-on makeovers, to mixed reviews and feelings. Now, DC is back in the sight of fanboys and critics with an imminent new logo that was spotted at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), meaning that DC was filing for protection before launch. Sometimes companies file various logos for protection even if they don’t use them and I was initially hesitant to post this logo because DC could always change its mind and because there is no official word from them. But in looking through the records at USPTO — here is one example — DC has filed the new logo for registration under 19 different categories: from backpacks and wallets; to video games and motion picture films; to bowls, plates, and mugs; to metal key holders and rings; to, even, processed and dried vegetables. In other words: for every kind of merchandise imaginable. They have also filed for registration at the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) in the European Union. So, they are serious about this new logo.

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Groen

Founded in 1982, Groen (“Green” in English) is the Flemish green political party in Belgium. After eight years with a bright green logo with an exclamation point at the end, Groen is aiming for a more modest logo. Press release here (in Dutch).

Thanks to Geert De Deckere for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

Meet Mr. PIP

Established in 1983, Belkin designs and produces a broad range of consumer electronic products, from routers, to mobile accessories, to a perplexing but always life-saving range of USB and cables — or, as they so eloquently and on-brand put it, “Belkin products connect the dots between people and technology.” To coincide with, CES, the biggest electronic show — and with the return of Belkin founder, Chet Pipkin (pay attention to the name) — Belkin has introduced a new identity designed by Wolff Olins.

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Gildan

Established in 1984, Gildan is a “marketer and globally low-cost vertically-integrated manufacturer of quality branded basic apparel.” From socks to t-shirts to fleece, over 30,000 employees worldwide push this good-enough brand. A revised logo appeared last Fall.

Thanks to Michael Smith for the tip.

A B-Side BY Armin

Long Island University

Established in 1926, Long Island University is reportedly “one of the largest and most comprehensive private universities in the country” with over 575 degree programs and certificates and over 23,000 students. This month they have introduced a new identity to go with their shortened name of LIU. Why the triangle? Simple: “Instead of dotting the ‘i’ in a conventional way, we chose to use a symbol to add meaning to the logo and make it more ownable. The upward-pointing triangle represents upward mobility and aspiration. The triangle also is commonly viewed as a delta symbol, which means change. These associations are a natural fit for a campaign that urges students to achieve their potential through the transformative power of education.” Yuck all around. Press release here.

Thanks to Stephen Dettling for the tip.