[Photo: courtesy of Flavia Bocco]

In her article “Branding & Negative Associations: Burberry,” Guest writer Jennifer Tobias discusses how Burberry’s cheapening image is a cause of concern to a company that has just managed to claw its way back to the top of the luxury market after decades of decline.  Read the full article in the Papers&Articles section of our site.

Ethics is an important concept no matter what we do. In the civilized world, ethics is in fact the cornerstone of most laws, governments, and institutions (or at least what we aim to influence these concepts). Even in the digital branding world, a sense of moral principles is essential to an agency’s legitimacy. Online sharing is quite common, however always with the condition of giving credit to those who influenced your work.

The theme of ethics came up this week after it was revealed to us that an impostor of a graphic designer, a self-proclaimed “Creative Workshop” site, has stolen a visual identity that we developed for TGLT Forum Residencias, a subdivision of an international enterprise with partners in the United Kingdom and Brazil. The internet is revolutionary because of the amount of information that is accessible, but that doesn’t mean accreditation isn’t necessary. Although we appreciate Graph Volcano’s obvious appreciation for our visual identity design for TGLT, to copy and paste it into their webpage and call it their own is simply unacceptable.

Thanks to Fabien at Graphic Exchange for informing us of this breach of virtual ethics.

[Photo: courtesy of Julian Bedel]

I recently stumbled upon an interesting older article from a site called JapanInc., discussing the power of foreign brands in Japan throughout history.  The article begins detailing the success of US ice cream producer Häagen-Dazs, probably the most famous example of a “constructed” brand. The Häagen-Dazs founders chose the Nordic-sounding name (which is, in fact, gibberish in all languages) in the 80’s when they started the brand — the name was chosen to give the expensive ice cream an ‘imported’ appeal.  The article develops this idea in relation to Japan, and discusses how Japanese brands with invented foreign names dominate the market.* This article got me thinking about the power of foreign brands in Argentina, and how Argentine consumers perceive imported goods. Read the rest of this entry »

[Photo: from a painting by Julian Bedel ]

That the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is a catastrophe is unquestionable, but the reaction of the American people — particularly those not directly affected — is unprecedented in its vehemence. BP’s maladroit handling of its public relations following the spill certainly exacerbated the public’s anger, but to understand where the sheer vitriol of the public’s reaction came from, other factors must be considered. Some have speculated that the reaction to BP following the oil spill was perhaps in part due to public feelings of betrayal. Before the spill, surveys had found that consumers regarded BP as relatively environmentally friendly, a belief the oil spill has violently shattered. Read the rest of this entry »

[Photo: from a painting by Julian Bedel]

We’ve just posted a new article “Going Green: Sustainable and Environmentally-Friendly Branding” on the Papers&Articles section of our website.  The article discusses how three companies — Patagonia, Marks & Spencer, and Muji — have managed to grow and maintain “green” brands.

We’re so honored to have our work featured on the amazing design site Graphic Exchange. The site’s creator, Fabien Barral, particularly liked our visual identity work for TGLT and Fundación Ecocentro. Check out the post about FORMA Cultural Branding here!

[Photo: courtesy of Felice Physioc & Julian Bedel]

The newest member of our team, Felice Physioc, has just written a new article about the relationship between existence, essence, existentialism and brand strategy at FORMA Cultural Branding. To check out the article, take a look at the Papers&Articles section of our site!

The Teatro Colón is perhaps the most recognized cultural symbol of the city of Buenos Aires, and has been producing opera, ballet and symphonic productions for more than a century. The theatre supports its own school and more than 1,200 employees. Additionally, everything for the productions is created in-house, including the set and lighting design, set pieces, and costumes. This month, the company will celebrate its 102nd birthday, upon which the old theater will reopen after extensive renovations.

FORMA Cultural Branding worked with the Teatro Colón for more than two years to help the theatre reorganize and redefine itself as a brand. Read the rest of this entry »

[Photo: courtesy of Julian Bedel]

FORMA Culture Branding just returned from a business trip to the beautiful Argentinean wine country.  We visited the city of Mendoza and the stunning Uco Valley, home to some of Argentina’s most respected wineries.

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