Opinion BY Armin

Historic Houses Trust Presses Caps Lock Key

Established in 1980, the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales in Australia protects and cares “for significant historic places, buildings, collections and landscapes with integrity, and enable people to enjoy and learn about them.” Along with twelve of the state’s most important historic houses, the trust also manages landscapes, a library and collections of paintings, furniture and objects. This month the trust announced it would be launching a new, public-facing brand under the name of Sydney Living Museums with the goal of increasing visits and awareness of this cultural institution. It will maintain Historic Houses Trust as the operational name. The new identity has been designed by Sydney-based Frost*.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation

About: (Est. 1923) “The Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation is a leading philanthropic organisation and Australia’s largest community foundation. The Foundation applies a combination of grants, research, community education and partnerships with donors and other funders to increase life opportunities and promote social inclusion. In 2012 it provided grants to more than 450 charitable agencies supporting people who are socially and economically disadvantaged. The Foundation has a keen interest in Homelessness, Ageing and Youth, and also funds eligible projects in Health, Arts and Heritage and the Environment.”

Design by: Designworks

Ed.’s Notes: Pretty! Bigger view of the logo and some applications below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Designworks case study. LMCF press release.

Select quote: “Through the use of colour, the vibrant new logo captures the Foundation’s range of programs from philanthropic services to research and grantmaking. Each colour featured in the logo represents an aspect of the Foundation’s business, and at the centre of the logo is the Foundation’s name in a simple, strong grey type face, bordered by a red heart.”

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Opinion BY Armin

Gold Coast 2018 Bursting at the Seams

First celebrated in 1930, the Commnonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event that occurs every four years and hosts athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations — 54 member states originally part of the British Empire — taking place in one of their cities. Certainly not as popular as the Olympics, but it is a significant sporting event for athletes and host cities. In 2018, the XXI Commonwealth Games will be played in the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. The emblem for the 2018 games was unveiled earlier this month and was designed by WiteKite (no website available).

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Opinion BY Armin

Boom Goes the Logo

Established in 2010 in Sydney, Boom — originally Vid-id until late 2012 — is a social video advertising company that helps brands position and promote video campaigns so that they reach the most amount of targeted viewers for the longest period of time. With the name change came a new identity by Sydney-based Blow.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Canberra 100

About: (Est. 1913) “Celebrating Canberra’s Centenary. In 2013, we mark 100 years since the naming of Canberra, our national capital and home of the Australian story. The Centenary of Canberra offers an opportunity for Australians to revisit and re-imagine their national capital — the city that tells the story of our country’s freedom, spirit, achievements and aspirations. Visit www.canberra100.com.au for the year-long program of celebrations.

Ed.’s Notes: As strange as this is, there is something appealing about it. Doesn’t mean I like it, but it does mean I don’t hate it. A few more applications below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: Canberra 100 site, Canberra 100 Logo Style Guide.

Select quote: “It has a contemporary feel which we believe will appeal to all Australians. It makes central use of a triangle, which references the triangles and circles at the heart of the Burley Griffin design, best displayed in Marion Mahony Griffin’s beautifully rendered ‘City and Environs’. It is also inspired by the iconic nature of new Parliament House which celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2013. The font is New Johnston evolved from a popular sans-serif typeface from 1913. The logo is strong and clear with a simple message — Canberra and 100 years.”

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Opinion BY Armin

Knock-Knock-Knocking on Hell’s Door

Smack in the middle and covering the south area of Australia, South Australia is one of the eight states and territories of the country, accounting for a small 8% of its population, most of them living in the capital city of Adelaide. Unlike its way more popular neighbors New South Wales and Victoria and their own capital cities, Sydney and Melbourne respectively, we don’t hear much about South Australia. Hoping to change that, the Economic Development Board under the leadership of Jay Weatherill, Premier of South Australia, has just introduced a new identity for the state designed by Cato Partners. Without getting further into the work, and judging from the image above alone, you know that this is not going to end well and the backlash has already started, driven mostly by a Facebook page simply called The new South Australia logo sucks.

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Friday Likes BY Armin

Friday Likes 36

Some really thoughtful ideas today along with strong executions from Paris via London, Australia, and South Africa.

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A B-Side BY Armin

StarTrack

About: “StarTrack is the product of the integration of the retail division of Australian air Express and Star Track Express. Backed by parent companies and strategic partners Australia Post and Qantas, the new StarTrack offers its customers the largest network in the country. With 57 branch facilities Australia-wide, StarTrack operates a fleet of more than 3,000 vehicles and transports more than one million parcels across the country for its customers every week.”

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: OMG, that old logo. LOL. Bigger view of the logo, an ad, and a truck below (or after the jump).

Relevant links: StarTrack Media Centre (scroll to bottom for announcement and TV spot).

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A B-Side BY Armin

The Co-op

About: (Est. 1958) “The Co-op has been around since 1958, when a bunch of students founded the University Co-operative Bookshop (in a garden shed!). Today, [it is] Australia’s largest member-owned retailer, with 50+ stores and 1.6 million members.”

Design by: Uberbrand.

Ed.’s Notes: Yeah… that’s not gonna do it for me.

Relevant links: The Co-op blog post.

Select quote: “Shawn Carter changed his (to Jay-Z). So did Katheryn Hudson (to Katy Perry) and Lizzie Grant (Lana Del Rey). Now, we’ve changed our name, too. From The Co-op Bookshop, to… (drum roll)… The Co-op.”

Thanks to Ben Ennis Butler for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

OzHarvest Gets a New Set of Wheels

Established in 2004, OzHarvest is an Australian nonprofit organization that rescues food mainly from restaurants, food wholesalers, and retailers to distribute to charities supporting the vulnerable in Sydney, Newcastle, Adelaide, and Brisbane delivering 441,500 meals per month across the country with a fleet of 15 vans. In December OzHarvest introduced a new identity created in a pro-bono collaboration between Frost* and Droga5.

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Opinion BY Armin

Kangaroo Makeover

Tourism Australia is a Government-owned agency that is responsible for “attracting international visitors to Australia and encouraging Australians to travel domestically, both for leisure and business events.” In 2003, the agency received a big boost — as in $AU350 million over four years — to promote the country’s brand and in 2004 they introduced a logo designed by Futurebrand — see PDF case study — that introduced the image of the hopping kangaroo with the sun behind it. After eight years, this image appears to still hold value and has been redesigned by Interbrand Australia.

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Opinion BY Armin

Follow-up: Rebel

I originally posted about Rebel in the B-Side on Monday, which I thought was an interesting redesign but there wasn’t much info about it. At the end of the day I had more info. To recap who Rebel is: Established in 1985 with a single store in Bankstown, NSW, Rebel — retailer of sporting and leisure equipment, apparel and footwear — now has 90 stores across Australia with over 4,500 employees and by the end of 2017 they aim to have over 180 stores open. The new identity started appearing in November and now is in full swing. It was designed by Sydney-based Hulsbosch and the retail store and interiors by neighboring firm McCartney Design.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Rebel

About: (Est. 2010) “Rebel offers a wide range of the latest release, quality, branded sporting and leisure goods. With an extensive list of product categories for the casual and serious fitness enthusiast, Rebel’s range includes fitness equipment, sports equipment, apparel and associated accessories for both the casual enthusiast and serious competitor. [It] has grown to become an extensive network of more than 90 stores located in every state and territory in Australia with the exception of the Northern Territory & Tasmania”

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: See what they did there? The second “e” is flipped, going against the grain. You know, like a rebel.

Relevant links: N/A.

Thanks to Jarrad Langdon for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

It’s a Bookworld After All

Owned by Pearson Australia Group after it purchased the Australian Borders and Angus & Robertson online businesses in 2011, Bookworld is an online book, music, and video retailer with over half a million existing customers and a focus on Australian authors and artists. It also has a very clear target of beating Amazon by offering lower prices and free delivery. Earlier this Fall, Bookworld introduced a new identity designed by Interbrand Australia.

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Opinion BY Armin

National Rugby League Goes Corporate’er

Established in 1997, the National Rugby League (NRL) is the premier league of professional rugby football clubs in Australasia with sixteen teams competing across Australia and New Zealand through a 26-week season culminating in the Grand Final. This week, the NRL introduced a new logo for itself and a broad system that seeps down into all the different leagues, competitions, and initiatives. No design credit given.

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A B-Side BY Armin

La Trobe University

About: (Est. 1967) “La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. Since 2003, we have consistently ranked among the top 500 universities in the world.” 33,198 students were enrolled in 2011.

Design by: N/A.

Ed.’s Notes: Wow. Copperplate. Good riddance.

Relevant links: N/A.

Thanks to Greg Nelson for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

Energy-infused Logo

Established in 1995, TRUEnergy is one of Australia’s largest energy retailers, servicing over 2.7 million customers. In March of 2011 they announced that they would be purchasing the retail operation of EnergyAustralia, a state-owned company that manages the electricity network assets (poles, wires, and substations) which, in turn, have been transformed into a new company called Ausgrid. In August, EnergyAustralia unveiled a new logo that will serve to transition TRUenergy into the name — for now the only place showing the new logo is here with both companies still operating their own websites, probably doing a slow transition into the change. The logo and national advertising campaign were created by Leo Burnett Sydney.

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Friday Likes BY Armin

Friday Likes 14

No real home runs, hat tricks, or 360 slam dunks this week. Just a few quirky and unexpected projects: New Ukrainian kids television channel, Italian food packaging in Australia, and military vehicle museum in Moscow.

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Opinion BY Armin

SF = Syfy = Sci Fi = Science Fiction

Launched in 2006, Sci Fi Channel is the Australian version of Syfy… although at the time, it was simply the Australian version of the channel by the same name. Now, however, three-plus years after the name (and logo) change — funny how the grammar police has moved on to other things needing their devoted attention and Syfy has grown into being most excellent these days — the Australian version, which is owned not by NBCUniversal but by Australian media conglomerate Foxtel is changing its name not to Syfy, because that would be way too many letters, but to SF. Try to pronounce it. Suuhhfffhhn. Rolls off deep of your sternum, no? Shut up, I know it’s pronounced S [breathe] F. Anyway. With the new name, SF has introduced a new logo and on-air package designed by Sydney-based Ink Project that will begin rollout at the end of August.

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A B-Side BY Armin

Travel Insurance Direct

Travel Insurance Direct, as its name implies, is a travel insurance company in Australia. A new logo and identity were introduced earlier this year, designed by Sydney-based End of Work. A little video and application shown below (or after the jump). You can see a few more applications here (scroll down until you find it).

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