A B-Side BY Armin

Ef-Sharp

About: F# (or Ef-Sharp) “connects brands to consumers through the power of music in purposeful ads on social media platforms such as Spotify and Facebook. F# has worked with leading Fortune 500 brands to deliver some of the highest engagement rates in the industry. Brands and agencies choose F# because we design ads differently. We think banner ads suck. And, that the consumer is entitled to rewarding, content-enriched experiences from brands. Our platform provides brand-supported experiences that reward consumers.”

Design by: SquatDesign.

Ed.’s Notes: Never thought I would see a ligature involving the # symbol, and I like it! Sample applications below (or after the jump) and more images at the link.

Relevant links: SquatDesign project page.

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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

Flow

About: (Est. 2004) “Columbus International Inc. is a privately held diversified telecommunications company based in Barbados. The Company operates in Trinidad, Jamaica, Grenada and Curacao and provides digital cable television, broadband Internet, digital landline telephony under the brand name, FLOW and corporate data services under the brand, Columbus Business Solutions.”

Design by: N/A.

Relevant links: Press Release (PDF).

Thanks to Damien W King for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

Aetna Finds its Groove

Established in 1853, Aetna is one the biggest health insurance companies in the United States offering medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans to approximately 36.3 million people. In a move to continue “its evolution from an insurance carrier to a health solutions company” and establish themselves as a more consumer-focused brand, Aetna has introduced a new identity, designed by New York-based Siegel+Gale. To get things started, you can watch a launch video here.

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A B-Side BY Armin

New Zealand Labour Party

Positioned centre-left, the New Zealand Labour Party is a political party in New Zealand. They have held the Prime Minister position 9 times since their inception in 1916. The new logo has been designed by Auckland-based Barnes, Catmur & Friends. Design Daily explains the relevance of the fern.

Thanks to John Moore for the tip.

Opinion BY Armin

Ahlstrom Shoots and Doesn’t Score

Established in 1851, Ahlstrom is a Helsinki-based manufacturer of fiber-based products that serve different industries like food and retail, medical and healthcare, building and utilities, transportation, household and consumer, and printing and office. The end products are everyday items like coffee filters, bar code labels, disinfecting wipes, table cloths and napkins, envelopes, and much more. Ahlstrom has 5,700 employees in over 20 countries on six continents, including 37 manufacturing sites in 14 countries. At the end of February, Ahlstrom announced a new identity designed by the London office of Dragon Rouge.

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Opinion BY Armin

A Refined DivX

Manned by 350 employees through offices in seven countries, DivX Inc produces its eponymous technology that enable the conversion, distribution and consumption of high-quality video and media experiences across mobile devices, computers, televisions, and other devices. Even if you are not fully aware of it, you might have a DVD player or TV that can play back DivX encoded media. Around October, DivX introduced a new identity.

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