We wanted our brand to move beyond the gaming and tech niche, and – without losing interaction with our existing customers – reach a much broader audience. People who use consumer electronics in their daily lives to achieve their goals, but who may not necessarily be interested in technology itself, says Piotr Hojda, design consultant for Greencell, about the brand's new strategy.
Do we buy a brand with our eyes, just like many products?
Piotr Hojda, design consultant: - From the consumer's perspective, on a basic level, rebranding is indeed about the visual perception of the brand – what we think and feel when we think of it. From a business perspective, however, rebranding is an expression of the transformation or evolution of the direction in which the company is developing, and this was also the case with Greencell. Our goal wasn't merely to refresh the brand's visual side, but also, and perhaps more importantly, to introduce a new communication strategy. We wanted the brand to move beyond the gaming and tech niche and – without losing interaction with our existing customers – reach a much broader audience. People who use consumer electronics in their daily lives to achieve their goals, but who may not necessarily be interested in technology itself.
When is the best time for a rebranding?
PH: - In my opinion, this process needs to be aligned with how the brand evolves over time. When we realize that the communication developed over the past years no longer conveys what the brand currently wants to communicate to its audience, that's the right time for change. Sometimes these are minor adjustments, slightly shifting the direction of that communication, while other times, evolution requires more radical steps and measures.
Some brands update their identity quite regularly, essentially changing it every few years...
PH: - Indeed, in the case of global brands, regular updates to communication stem from shifting trends that shape the tastes of the mass consumer. While such a customer doesn't necessarily have to be passionate about graphic design, they can sense, when comparing different brands on the market, which one is up-to-date and which one visually lags behind. They then start translating that impression into their actual perception of the company's character and position in the market.
So, in the end, it all comes down to the visual aspect of the changes. What role do colors play in this process?
PH: - Of course, there's an entire branch of color psychology that explains how we interpret different colors, what associations they evoke, and the emotions they stir. These colors certainly encode various messages. Green is associated with freshness, life, but also with ecology. In the case of Greencell, these associations with green have remained unchanged, but it was extremely important for us to distance ourselves from greenwashing, which is emphasized by the noticeable change in shade. This is a perfect example of how rebranding is driven by the brand’s strategy and philosophy.
In this context, I’d like to ask about brand identity changes that, in your opinion, missed the mark. As we know, the interpretations and associations related to a single creation can be as varied as the audience.
PH: - Anticipating a question about the best and worst rebrandings, I tried to recall some, but it’s difficult to provide clear and definitive examples. Especially since assessing whether a rebranding has worked or not takes some time. The same goes for the transformation of the brand itself and its image. Just imagine the number of mediums where the elements of the new identity, such as the logo, colors, and distinctive shapes, need to be applied... It’s a change that unfolds over months, or even years.
I definitely paid more attention to the transformations of brands handled by the BNA agency, which was involved in our rebranding. Żabka, x-kom, and mBank are clear examples of successful rebrandings. For us, they were strong arguments for collaborating with the experts at BNA.
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PH: - I suspect that few people remember how plain and unprofessional that brand once was. And today? I would say it’s truly a modern, urban brand that resonates with almost everyone.
Exactly, does a universal logo that appeals to everyone even exist?
PH: - Many transformations, especially at the beginning, face a wave of criticism. This is often a snap judgment – the audience focuses on a few elements of the change or even just the logo and reacts immediately. It’s also undeniable that some people feel attached to the old identity and don’t like change. Over time, as the broader context of the rebranding becomes clearer, these initial reactions usually soften. Of course, there are cases where the changes are received so poorly by customers that brands decide to revert to their previous visual identity, like with MasterCard or Coca-Cola.
Indeed, in the case of Greencell, the feedback on the rebranding was largely focused on the logo. The audience tried to decipher what it represented. From a design perspective, was the logo the element that sparked the entire transformation?
PH: - The main element around which all other actions were centered was the brand essence captured in the slogan "Smarter Everyday." We developed it through long discussions, analyses, and interviews. BNA helped us understand how Greencell had evolved and where it was headed.
This essence guided us in building the other elements of the brand's image, such as the new color palette, graphic elements, and suitable fonts that would communicate this dual character – technological on one hand, and friendly, approachable, and human on the other. The logo was essentially the final step in our work, like the cherry on top.
Can we then definitively clarify what the logo represents?
PH: - If we could, it would mean the logo is weak. The best logos are, in fact, ambiguous, and while they carry some embedded symbolism, each person can interpret it in their own way. What’s important, though, is that this symbolism evokes positive associations for most people and resonates within the space where the brand operates. Literalness doesn’t work in favor of the brand – for example, I can’t imagine us, as a company associated with energy, using something as obvious as a lightning bolt, or a green leaf to symbolize care for the environment.
The new Greencell symbol subtly incorporates the letters G and C, while also representing a power button and a loading progress bar. It evokes ideas of activation, energy, but also progress and development. It fulfills the goal of the rebranding, which was to open the brand to a wider audience and make it more humanistic, and in my opinion, it succeeded.
As an expert in industrial design, you'll be applying these new identity elements to products that will end up in users' hands. Will this be a rewarding task?
PH: - I believe the logo looks fantastic on the products, and it contributes to them being perceived as more technologically advanced, modern, yet also user-friendly and functional. The previous logo – whose prime was long past – didn’t have quite the same positive effect.
However, we face a big challenge because in some cases, the rebranding of products will involve more than just replacing the logo. When working on new concepts, we need to think about this change holistically, aiming to communicate "Smarter Everyday" not only through the design of the products but also by giving them well-thought-out features that align with this message. This way, they can truly meet the everyday needs of our users.
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