Archive for July, 2010

July 27th, 2010

When Good Brands Go Bad

Daily Finance just released a top-ten list that nobody wants to be on: The 10 Biggest Brand Disasters of 2010.

Douglas Mcintyre includes a few of the most notable brand disasters of 2010, including BP, Research in Motion, and Toyota. While technically most of these “brand disasters” were a result of product issues or unfourtunate events, the bottom line is these brands are feeling the hurt.

Eroding Brand Values Info Graphic

I’m sure we’ve seen this kind of thing before, but it’s hard to remember seeing so many big brands bomb in one year.

(As an aside, if any of these companies are interested in rebranding later this year, we’d be happy to take their phone calls.)

Check out The 10 Biggest Brand Disasters of 2010 and be sure to share any past brand disasters that you recall below.

July 10th, 2010

Rebrand: New Identity System for Bradford

Bradford before and after

Bradford Systems Corporation came to Miles Design earlier this year. They had a strong reputation in Chicago for selling premium architectural storage products, often used for storing paper and files on shelving. Although their reputation was historically accurate, it was only telling part of their 42-year-old story. As an exclusive Spacesaver dealer, Bradford had grown to become leaders in premium, compact storage for anyone who had any kind of valuable items to store: museums, public safety agencies, medium to large businesses, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and government agencies. In addition, their electronic records and software divisions help clients digitize valuable files and keep exacting records of where physical artifacts are located.

Their existing identity felt more dated and industrial than what the Bradford brand had grown to represent. They needed something clean and high-tech, as well as something that would appeal to architects. As Bradford Systems grows in marketshare and reach outside of Chicago (across Illinois and Indiana), they need a brand that can grow with them.

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